Business Watchdog » Business Alerts

BT Business Wholesale

Watchdog — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:19:09 +0000

Ever had a call from these people pointing out that you could be getting cheaper calls by taking advantage of their bulk buying. They say they can do it because of their purchasing power -and it seems like it could actually be a BT subsidiary calling. Nothing to do with BT. They are brokers trying to get you to switch telecoms suppliers. You may get a price reduction but if you are still in a contract with BT watch out for early termination clauses which could cost you hundreds. Only consider if you are nearing the end of a contract period or it will cost you dearly.

Free Trial Services

Watchdog — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:27:53 +0000

Watch out for companies offering free trial listings in directories. If you fail to cancel before the end of the trial, you can be charged £695.00 or whatever fee was quoted. It appears they need your credit card details to get the trial. Fail to cancel and you’ll get charged without further notice. One such company appearing in various forums is QSL Tenders.
Our advice: There’s nearly always a catch to free services – and never give card details to cold-callers.
For more info – http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/rip-off-c353046.html

But also see this – http://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/www.qsl-tenders.co.uk. Make up your own mind.

See the full QSL T&Cs here – http://www.qsl-tenders.co.uk/tandc.php. There seems nothing onerous here as long as you had read these first and know what you are agreeing. So often we fail to read the small print!

Advertising, marketing and search engines

Watchdog — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:52:05 +0000

For some time we have been considering the future for this web site. We are as incensed as you when we get sold a service that doesn’t deliver or comes close to being an outright scam. There are genuine providers and there are scammers – pure and simple. However having identified that a company is not delivering what it promised, can the problems be resolved by resorting to a web site such as this? Some companies have responded well to some critical comments on here. To that degree this site has been useful and we are grateful for those who have sought to raise their game and deal with the issues raised.

While we typically get genuine comments we run the risk of publishing comments that are simply out to create mischief – perhaps from an ex-employee with a grudge. The other issue is that people only come here after they have had a problem. By then it’s far too late. So we need to find a way of raising awareness of some services before they are purchased. So we will be modifying the way we operate.

In general terms you need to be aware of some general types of services being offered by reputable companies but are often sold by rogues who do little more than take your money and tie you into to expensive binding contracts with no real service delivery.

1) Google Search Engine specialists. If you really can’t do this kind of work for yourself – and you can – then be 100% satisfied that you’ll get what you paid for. Bear in mind that you can’t all be top of Google.
2) Yellow Pages look-a-likes. A number of companies play on the Yellow Pages brand – and quite a few are based overseas. They generally tie you into long and expensive contracts and actually offer you nothing.
3) World Business Directories. Once again these are characterised by long and expensive contracts that are rarely of any value to small businesses. Watch out for those who offer “free updates”. Signing up is not free or cheap!
4) Wedding Brochures, Wall planners, diaries. While some offerings may be of value make absolutely sure you read the small print. Never rely on the words of a salesman either over the phone or in person.

We strongly recommend that you never use a credit card for any of these types of services, especially over the phone. If you do have a problem, trying to get it cancelled is a nightmare.

Many sales pitches rely on making you feel you’ll be left out and your business will suffer. Why let someone else tell you what your business needs? Make your own assessments and make your own decisions and only spend on marketing according to your own business plan and not as a result of someone else’s bright idea. It could be more costly than you think. It’s your business. Don’t let someone else get into the driving seat.

Facebook Advertising

Watchdog — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:21:41 +0000

Facebook offers access to a huge market place. It may be just what you need. Within 5 days we know one advert had 200,000 impressions so it may help to raise brand awareness. Click throughs about 20; business – none so far.
Be aware that some companies are now phoning round offering to manage your Facebook advertising. Even with the above information they still tried to push their service – £69.00 a month. It’s easy to do yourself in a matter of minutes so why pay someone else? This could end up causing the same grief as those selling Google Adwords.

Beware Yellow Pages & Yell Scams

Watchdog — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:26:00 +0000

Trading Standards, together with Yell, have issued a warning to businesses – both in the local area and throughout the UK – over companies impersonating Yell’s products and services, particularly Yellow Pages and Yell.com.
Three scams have come to light that mislead Yell customers into signing up to fake advertising contracts which result in repeated requests for payment. Most customers are duped into thinking they are taking out or renewing existing Yell advertising.
Order forms are sent by e-mail or fax and contain lookalike “Yellow Pages” branding. Customers who return the form subsequently receive invoices and requests for payment.

Some businesses have received threatening telephone calls. In one instance, scammers have even set up a copycat website resembling Yell.com.
The scams are sophisticated and run by complex overseas networks. Yell customers should be particularly alert to any correspondence they receive containing contact details based in Holland or Germany.

Some of the names to beware of are:

· Yellow Page UK or Yellow Page AG, which displays an inverted “walking fingers” logo
· Yellow Pages 24
· UK Yellow Guide

Yell’s lawyers have recently sent a warning letter to The UK Yellow Guide, warning them regarding possible civil & criminal liability.

The fake emails and websites look very much like the genuine article. If you have any doubts, please contact your local Trading Standards Service.

This is a copy of material published on Leicestershire Trading Standards web site

More UK Yellow Guide information here

Copyright on Images

Watchdog — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:39:54 +0000

You may have noticed that I have changed the images at the top of this page. These were declared to be licenced for use by me, as the purchaser, on any web site I build. However, there is a storm raging on the FSB Forum as many web designers have used photos they thought were free to use. They have been sent invoices for Thousands of Pounds by Photo Libraries such as Getty Imaging and Corbis. The photos were not copyright free. Nothing on the web is free to use and someone somewhere owns the copyright.

Never ever use any images you find on the web. Some photographers place images with the big boys. They might also place them on Flickr or a low-cost library. You use it legitimately, you think, and then find Getty Images on your back. Make sure you know who owns the copyright and get permission before you use anything. So my legal to use photos have gone – just in case – and been replaced by one I took on my own camera.

If you engage a third party to build a web site for your business, or buy an off-the-shelf template, can you be 100% satisfied that the images used in the design are being used legally? Many templates are designed in USA, India or Russia using images obtained from who knows where. If you can’t get the photos you need, get someone to take them or buy them from reputable sources with the correct licence. Otherwise you could end up with that dreaded invoice.

Crime Prevention Team

Watchdog — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:14:25 +0000

A friendly person phones from the Crime Prevention Team and thanks you for agreeing in a phone call last February to participate in the scheme. I simply said someone had given him false information. But as usual they have published something and want to send it to schools – and want to collect money from you. A charity might get 5% but the chances are the Crime Prevention Team – whoever they are – pocket the lot!

eNomCentral Support

Watchdog — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:13:45 +0000

If you receive an email from “eNomCentral Support <”tech @ enom.com”>”, with subject of “Maintenance at eNom.com – attention!” – do NOT click on the link, bin the lot.
The link address is “www.enom.com.com94.net” which is nothing to do with the registrar “enom.com” – it is a subdomain of “com94.net” which was only registered on 25-10-08 with a Russian address. There is no “com94.net” website. It will either be a phishing page or will try to install a trojan downloader.

EU Company Registration

Watchdog — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:12:41 +0000

If you receive an email with the subject line of “Registration of EU Companies 2008/2009″, and an attachment “euform.pdf” just make sure you read the small print or you may be in for a shock. “THE VALIDATION TIME OF THE CONTRACT IS THREE YEARS”, “THE PRICE PER YEAR IS EURO 995″ and “THE SUBSCRIPTION WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY EXTENDED EVERY YEAR FOR ANOTHER YEAR, UNLESS SPECIFIC WRITTEN NOTICE IS RECEIVED BY THE SERVICE PROVIDER OR THE SUBSCRIBER TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF THE SUBSCRIPTION.”