European City Guide - Scam

[McMouse]

I know this should be in Business but more people use CB.
Have just received an unsolicited mail shot from "European City Guide" which is inviting me to check the data they have on my business so they can update their directory. In extremely small print they explain they will charge me €997.00 per edition. This is a SCAM and if anyone is foolish to sign and return the form you will find it extremely difficult to cancel and they will bill and seek to collect €997.00 every year.

[steg]

what's that in £

[McMouse]

Don't know steg, they operate from Spain and bill in €.

[another-view]

Probably around £700 but only a fool would reply to an unsolicited mail like this.

[mccfluff]

i've had this problem with them, one of the eejits signed it, took me a couple of years but i got rid of them eventually, they still try it on though!

[jake-the-peg]

About £880

Are they doing anything illegal?

[another-view]

Nope. It's in the small print but nobody bothers to read it and so more fool them.

[jake-the-peg]

I guess legislation could be brought in to stop this sort of thing - although certain people would stand up and yell "Government drowning companies in red tape".

[McMouse]

The trouble with some businesses is that a secretary or receptionist with access to company stamp will sign and return thinking they are doing something good. The amount is not huge in business terms and may go undetected for years. Like Fluff it took me a couple of years to break one of these scams, but for many businesses they either can't be bothered or a junior is too embarrassed to bring it to the attention of the boss and just quietly gets the invoice signed off.

[another-view]

Such a secreatry would not be employed for long in my workplace.