Blatant Rip Off Firms – I'm fighting back!!

I’ve been blatantly done in the last 12 months by scam company’s and i’ve had enough. The first one is so blatant it’s just begging for me to give them a taste of their own medicine, so I am.

I got a phone call from my boss recently telling me the CSA sent them a letter asking for earnings, for a daughter I no longer have contact with (another long shitty story), which I though was unusual as they normally write to me or call.

So I went to google and typed in ‘CSA contact’ and up popped a number and description ‘Child Support Claim Helpline 0844 770 0251. I dialled it and as expected was put in a queue. Having dealt with this useless bunch of ball breakers for 13 years I knew It would be a long wait but put phone on loudspeaker and let the music play away as it counted down from position 25 to position 1 in the queue…..

after just over 2 hours position 1 pops up and I pick the phone up, the music stops and it starts ringing, and ringing and ringing, then the line drops off and goes dead. I was fuming and wanted to smash the phone there and then! I then went back to google and realised the search had popped up a google ad and when I then clicked the link I got THIS[/url] which a blatant sham company who are charging people for listening to recorded on hold music!

I’ve got my phone bill and the twits have billed me £6.32 and wasted two hours of my time. So, I went to their MAIN WEBSITE and seen that they are obviously making a very tidy sum from ripping people off, many in circumstances when they need help or support…..

I noticed they have a REFUND POLICY[/url] so I’m now sending them a copy of my bill, charging them £50 for my time and £100 compensation. If payment is not received in 28 days I will then issue small courts proceedings.

Question I have is, they are a LLP, can you sue a LLP and how do you find out who’s behind it??

Well, now I have the DIRECTORS DETAILS i’m going to be like a dog with a bone… 😆

Are you Ray Gardner?

Thread seems to be begging for a “Won’t somebody think of the children” comment, seems rude to make one though, so I’ll just leave it to someone else.

Oh man, that advert is quality! 😆

FYI, I looked up the rate on BT’s frankly impenetrable call charges website. 0844 770 is classed as a “g6” tariff, which is 5.11p/minute.

Keep us posted, won’t you.

How were you ripped off exactly ?

Sounds like you clicked on their website, didn’t read the details of how much the service would cost you, and dialled a number which was chargeable.

You didn’t get through to anyone at the CSA even though you waited 2 hours, but that’s the fault of the CSA by the sound of it.

Neal – read the OP. The phone number was nothing to do with the CSA.

Because if you look at the website, he rang the Child Support Agency instead of the Child Support Agency. As it clearly states on that web page, the Child Support Agency is in no way connected or affiliated with the Child Support Agency.

That is normal practice now for the CSA. Contacting your employer is no big deal. As for you trying to get a refund on your phone bill well good luck with that. I have delt with the CSA for 13 years now. I still pay the old rates when new claimants are paying the new ” less payment” rates.It was the CSA that kind of fecked it up between me and the EX. We are just a ref number to them , The CSA couldn’t give a flick about the real person on the other end of the phone, it’s about targets for collection, nothing else. Dont get me wrong i pay for my son. The CSA take some and i top up the ex’s monthly wage with a bit extra, plus pay for his after school clubs and weekend stuff. I just don’t like the way they interfere from the start.

I think actually there’s two problems here.

The number the OP rang appears to be a third party company who charge a 5p/min rate for forwarding the call to the real number. It’s a scam, arguably. And at the rate they’re billing, it could’ve been a lot worse.

The ringing for two hours and hanging up bit I’m guessing is probably the real CSA. So it’s not their fault that the call was charged too highly, but it is their fault that it took so long to (fail to) answer.

That said, the real CSA contact appears to be an 0845 number, so you’d still have been charged an amount (3.4p peak, 1.7p evening, 0.6p weekends) for the privilege of being on hold for two hours.

Saynoto0870.com carries a few “unverified” numbers for the CSA, might be worth trying those next time.

Waaaaaaait a minute, that’s not right.

by calling any of the numbers on our website (Direct-Number.co.uk) you will NOT be put directly through to the company you are looking for, you will however be given the direct telephone number in the form of a recorded message of the company you are looking for. You will require a pen and paper to hand; in order to take down the number you are looking for. It will be repeated twice for your convenience, but if for any reason you fail to take down the number. You will be required to re dial in order to hear it again.

So it’s not forwarding anywhere, they’re charging you six quid for a directory enquiries service that takes two hours to complete.

Reading their refund policy, I strongly suspect that they’re well practised in telling disgruntled ‘customers’ to jog on. Their T&Cs are worded in such a way that they’re almost certainly going to say “well, you accepted our terms when you used our service.”

Go get ’em, floyd.

😯

Neal – read the OP. The phone number was nothing to do with the CSA.

I read the OP thanks.

It’s not that clear but I presumed he hadn’t read the terms and conditions on the website he clicked on.
And dialled the number regardless, without reading what it was he was ringing, and what it would cost.

It looks like that’s exactly what he did.

I’m not saying its not VERY sneaky, but the details are there if you want to read them.

Guys, reading the various comments above I’ll clarify a few points, and also not rise to the blatant troll comment about “won’t somebody think about the children”…..

I didn’t click on the site, as often in google it comes up with a suggestion before you even finish typing, and similarly like the screen dump below I got the number without even clicking on their site, thus not even seeing the layout and subsequent rubbish on it.

At the time of this incident the CSA official site didn’t even show up on the page! the screen dump below is an example…

I thought that the CSA number was being offered by a Direct Gov type of website so I dialled it straight away as I wanted to know why the hell the CSA wanted to speak to me. My dealings with them ended in 2008 and obviously wanted to know why they wanted me, they have the correct address and phone number so found it odd they went straight to my employers.

I’ve had a look at what this company do and basically they have hundreds of numbers allied to searches for popular help lines and using google ads they get their numbers in before the official companies and then charge you to sit on the phone for two hours whilst you listen to a recorded message.

Now I’ve sifted through their policies etc it’s blatant that they are a con outfit and they don’t offer anything at all other than a pretend directory service, they don’t even list the correct number at all for the CSA. I’m serving up an invoice to the shithead who is the director to this outfit and will post up progress.

I’m not saying its not VERY sneaky, but the details are there if you want to read them.

Much like the OP.

(-:

Much like the OP.

He provided the link and I read what it said on the page.

Looked quite clear what “service” they were offering, and what it would cost.

He’s now elaborated and said he didn’t actually the visit the page, the one he linked to in his first post.

Good luck with your refund, I hope you get it back.

You don’t stand a chance with invoicing them for your time though I’m afraid, but I guess you know that already 🙂

I had to call Amex on Thursday, half way through the call I got cut off. I called back and spoke to the same initial person as the first call who remembered he had just transferred me and asked why I was calling again. When I explained I had been disconnected he apologised and said he would put a credit on my account for the wasted call, a £5 credit duly appeared. The point of my rambling is that in life there is a ying and a yang to everything – I didn’t tell him I had used saynoto0870 and was calling on an 0800 number so the £5 was free cash to me, almost the exact amount the OP has been charged. Some days you’re the statue, some days you’re the pigeon. Accept it and move on. 😀

You don’t stand a chance with invoicing them for your time though I’m afraid, but I guess you know that already

Oh I agree, but my mission is simple, I’ll send him an invoice and if he don’t pay it I’ll send him a county court claim form for it.

He has a string of dubious companies (many dissolved) and they all seem to be very sneaky set ups. Similar to the fella who got £250 compensation from the people ringing him up all the time selling PPI i’m making a stand. Now I’ve read up on how LLP directors are liable and I have his home address I’ll have a good go at it.

Mr C as a rule I always use saynoto0870 but on this occasion the emotion and stress of wondering why I was being chased for maintenance allowed me to ‘just get the number quick’ and this is exactly the sort of people this company are trying to trap

Well,late last night I sent them THIS letter, and today I got this reply….

we’ll see if the money actually hits my account 😆

‘in full and final settlement’

Looks like someone thinks they know the law enough to squirm out of any further legal action. Which they don’t.

Why is he “wholeheartedly refuting” that they don’t connect you, when that’s exactly what it says they do on their own bloody website?

So what they’re offering is a service that connects you to the number you need; saves you having to hunt down the correct number – a bit like directory enquiries. Good idea.

Why is he “wholeheartedly refuting” that they don’t connect you, when that’s exactly what it says they do on their own bloody website?

Exactly, he’s clever but not that clever…… i’m yet to see the money so we’ll see, may be lip service yet.

well i never…… money’s just gone into my account 😆

no way – incredible
well done

blimey – shows they know they’ve not got a leg to stand on and it’s cheaper to give you £250 than argue about it in court.

well done 🙂

You know what this means, don’t you. You didn’t ask for enough compensation.

Now, report them to OFCOM.

Interesting that it’s an LLP – maybe he’s banned from being registered as a director of a Ltd company?

You know what this means, don’t you. You didn’t ask for enough compensation.

Now, report them to OFCOM.

I did wonder and very surprised they’ve fallen over themselves to settle this within 24 hours and definitely reporting to ofcom and google ads too.

Interesting that it’s an LLP – maybe he’s banned from being registered as a director of a Ltd company?

Yes, i found that odd too, but he has directorships in accountancy firms and I’m sure an LLP can’t be sued for bad advice?????

can you sue a LLP

Hell yes!

BUT – NEVER, EVER, EVER (I;LL SAY IT AGAIN, NEVER CALL THE CSA.

Always communicate in writing. Their verbals aren’t worth a scabby-carrot.

very surprised they’ve fallen over themselves to settle this within 24 hours

To be fair, and credit where it’s due, that was a weapons-grade shitogram you crafted there.

BUT – NEVER, EVER, EVER (I;LL SAY IT AGAIN, NEVER CALL THE CSA.

unless you’ve got a couple of hours to spare and want to make a couple off hundred squids.

hats off to the OP BTW, I’d have bet against that

geordiemick00 – Member
well i never…… money’s just gone into my account

There’s a Nigerian Primce winging some money your way too now 😉

Not a bad way to make a profit.

Well done though shows it’s sometimes worth ranting.

There’s a Nigerian Primce winging some money your way too now

LMAO, I did give the details of a dormant account for that reason as I wasn’t too confident they’d cough up.

Well done though shows it’s sometimes worth ranting.

I’m not normally the ranting type, i’m normally the soft sod but this was the straw that broke the camels back to be honest.

I´m still amazed how quickly this was resolved. If you wanted to get your own back a bit more you could even try doing the ´csa contacts´ search again and this time actually clicking on their advert. They have written the ad very cleverly so that you see the number without clicking and hence don´t need to pay Google. However taking a look at Google AdWords suggests that they probably have to pay a couple of dollars each time someone clicks through (possibly much more).