SalfordOnline
Your local community website
   ;) ;) ;)  Mass mail warning for Salford business
by Tom Rodgers
Small business owners in Salford may want to pay particular attention to a mass mailing form that is doing the rounds at the moment. It appears to offer free listing in a Spain-based business digest called the European City Guide. The return address given on the self-addressed envelope is: ECG, SL c/Martinez Cubells, No.6, 4, pta 8 E-46002 Valencia Our firm's full name, telephone and address details were provided, implying that all that is required is a signature to confirm our particulars. But it is possible that companies may sign in error, with a hefty charge for those that do. Businesses may want to pay particular attention to the note in the small print at the bottom of the page which clearly states that a charge of 997 Euros per year is applicable. If you do sign the form, the contract is set up for three years, so says the small print on the back of the form: "by means of this form and in accordance with the contract conditions stated overleaf, we give the publishing company, European City Guide, S.L., authorisation to record and publish data and information listed above in the next and following two editions of the Industry and Commerce CD-ROM". The cancellation period is, incidentally, given as 15 days. If you want to cancel your now legally-binding contract for some 3000 Euros, your cancellation "must be given in writing...[and] sent by registered post with confirmation of receipt." Some investigation into the ECG reveals that on September 9th 2003 the Catalan authorities fined the ECG 300,000 Euros and suspended their trade for one year. A press release from the Office of Fair Trading from 2003 (view original source: Office for Fair Trading) confirms that the Spanish courts ruled that European City Guide - then based in Barcelona - "was to be temporarily shut down for one year and fined €300,000 (over £200,000) for its deceitful advertising. "Over the last four years the Catalan authorities have received more than 3,500 complaints from companies and professionals in 40 European countries about European City Guide." It continues: "The small print meant that the businesses which signed and returned an enclosed form – even if simply correcting or adding to the details provided – were committed to paying up to £1,455 for three entries and a copy of the European City Guide directory. "The OFT received complaints from over 280 British businesses which claimed they had been misled by the company's mailshots."
Due to problems with spam only SalfordOnline members can now leave comments. Becoming a member of SalfordOnline only takes a minute, just hit the red Join Us button at the top right hand side of the page to create your Personal account. Got a news story? Need help with publicity for an event in Salford? Send it to newsdesk@salfordonline.com or call the SalfordOnline newsdesk on 0161 789 5377. |
|
