European City guide Scam .... again

alphasounds

Got a letter today from this bogus company.
I would advise to not confirm your data as it means there is a bill coming for 975 euro.
For more information.
http://stopecg.org/
hope its not to late.

smegg26

I got one too,thought it was a bit suspicious.Didn't know it was actually a scam though (chucked it in the bin anway).Cheers for the heads up.

how very dare they

I signed up last April for the European City Guide as I believed it was a free online guide. I have since found out that this "scam" has been going on for years originating in Switzerland. http://stopecg.org I feel like a fool for signing but it really does give the impression that it is free. BEWARE if you get anything from European City Guide and check the illegible small print. I have now received 3 threatening reminder letters. I've read blogs ( http://blog.cadamedia.ie/2009/01/european-city-guide/ ) and the general advice seems to be to ignore the demands for payment, which I intend to do. Has anyone else had a similar experience and have any advice for me?
thanks

Cabaal

Ignoring the letters is best, they'll never bring you to court over any of the "claimed" debt.

They prey on the foolish and people stupid enough to pay up when it comes to the demands

chelloveks

how very dare they wrote: »

I signed up last April for the European City Guide as I believed it was a free online guide. I have since found out that this "scam" has been going on for years originating in Switzerland. http://stopecg.org I feel like a fool for signing but it really does give the impression that it is free. BEWARE if you get anything from European City Guide and check the illegible small print. I have now received 3 threatening reminder letters. I've read blogs ( http://blog.cadamedia.ie/2009/01/european-city-guide/ ) and the general advice seems to be to ignore the demands for payment, which I intend to do. Has anyone else had a similar experience and have any advice for me?
thanks

Send them a nasty email full of curses and tell em to feck off

Hoops McCann

I too stupidly signed this thing thinking I was just confirming details for a free listing. I've ignored all the threatening letters and this morning there was a message on the machine from some posh sounding bitch from a recovery agency looking to settle the bill which is now three times what it was.
I have no intention of paying these bastards a cent and if I get your woman on the phone I'll go through her for a ****ing shortcut !

wmpdd3

You could really be in trouble, the manager of the Dublin branch of a store I worked in, signed this letter too, years ago.

The company's legal dept ended up getting involved, they came over and interviewed the girl. The cost was added to the stores P&L for 2 years. I never found out if the legal dept got out of paying it.

Hoops McCann

It's a well known scam and there's apparently no evidence of anyone ever being taken to court despite a heap of threatening letters - the word on the street is don't pay these guys a penny or enter into any sort of dialogue. If they want to travel from Spain to interview me I'll gladly bring them all out for a night of gimlets and oer d'oeuvres in The Cappagh House Finglas !

Cabaal

Hoops McCann wrote: »

I too stupidly signed this thing thinking I was just confirming details for a free listing. I've ignored all the threatening letters and this morning there was a message on the machine from some posh sounding bitch from a recovery agency looking to settle the bill which is now three times what it was.
I have no intention of paying these bastards a cent and if I get your woman on the phone I'll go through her for a ****ing shortcut !

Is it a uk debt collection company, if so then tell them to get f*cked. They have feck all power here in Ireland

Hoops McCann

It appears to be a Spanish recovery agency as there's a +34 prefix on the number.
Some woman called Ruby James. She actually sounds lovely - if I wasn't married I'd ask her out to dinner where we could discuss the European City Guide by candlelight.

alphasounds

I read if you pay, they have a case in some countries.
If i recall right the rep ire. the law is there need to be the publishing details on the contract in the first place.

Hoops McCann

OK - so I got that woman Ruby James on the phone this morning claiming she worked on behalf of the European City Guide. I asked her if she was aware she was working as part of a scam and she said they were a reputable organization etc. She wanted me to sort out payment for them for €2900 approx. so I basically told her to stick it up her hole - she wasn't best pleased and continued to spout crap so I had to hang up on her.
About an hour later I received an email saying they would be willing to drop the whole thing if I paid them €997.

Cabaal

Best thing you can do imho is when they call you just give them as much abuse as you can, let loose but don't stress yourself out. It should be a feel good exercise

Dan133269

I don't understand what this is. Basically, this crowd contact people individually with offers of a free travel guide book around Europe is it? And if you say ok, and give them your details, then they slap you a large bill?

old gregg

If I received a call like that from Ruby, instead of venting I'd calmly ask her what she's wearing and take it from there

ikeano29

Why do you people let yourself be scammed by these people over and over.

Before you sign these things could you not have just done a search on the net first to see if it is genuine!?

Only takes a minute of your time to find out.

wellboy76

how very dare they wrote: »

I signed up last April for the European City Guide as I believed it was a free online guide. I have since found out that this "scam" has been going on for years originating in Switzerland. http://stopecg.org I feel like a fool for signing but it really does give the impression that it is free. BEWARE if you get anything from European City Guide and check the illegible small print. I have now received 3 threatening reminder letters. I've read blogs ( http://blog.cadamedia.ie/2009/01/european-city-guide/ ) and the general advice seems to be to ignore the demands for payment, which I intend to do. Has anyone else had a similar experience and have any advice for me?
thanks

Yes, got done by this years ago and got bills for over 900. Just ignored them, advise you do the same, don't even reply, that's what they want you to do

ballabooyeah

I am in the same boat. I called them and said to send me the contract that I signed to say that I would pay for the service - still only leagal letters and no signed contract.

I think I will call and tell her to lick my hole - the same response I am going to give the poor idiot that comes looking for the household charge.

Old Grey

Hi all

I don't know whether any of you are still being bothered by the European City Guide? Our solution was to do our research and determined that

the SALE OF GOODS AND SUPPLY OF SERVICES ACT, 1980 deals specifically with this type of "directory scam". See Section 48 (1),(2), (3) and

(4). Check it on Google. We had a solicitor write to the European City Guide quoting the foregoing section and advised them to desist or face prosecution here

under the Act. The annoying phone calls ceased immediately and no further emails or threatening letters were received.

Cabaal

Old Grey wrote: »

We had a solicitor write to the European City Guide quoting the foregoing section and advised them to desist or face prosecution here

Employing a solicitor to write a letter was an awful waste of money,