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Euro Business Guide Scamming Again

Posted in: Security by Richard Hearne on June 26, 2007
Internet Marketing Ireland

I mentioned this before. I just cant understand how this crowd are still in operation. Total bunch of crooks:

Please print and fill the enclosed document and send it back to:
Euro Business Guide,
P.O. Box 2021,
3500GA UTRECHT,
The Netherlands,
updating is free of charge!

If you want to unsubscribe send an email to unsubscribe@eurobusinessguide.net

The ‘updating is free of charge!‘ really is such an underhand way to hide the following fine print in the footer of their sign-up form:

THE VALIDATION TIME OF THE CONTRACT IS THREE YEARS AND STARTS ON THE EIGHTH DAY AFTER SIGNING THE CONTRACT.

Ooh, how nice – 7 days cooling off period (God forbid they actually break the law).

THE PRICE PER YEAR IS EURO 990. 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.

Wow, that’s good value – €999 per annum with automatic extensions for two further years.

If you receive anything from this bunch of gougers simply ignore it as spam of the most repulsive kind.

If you have signed this form unknowing of the legalese, you have 7 days under EU legislation to cancel your subscription (Distance Selling Directive), and if Euro Business Guide pursue you for payment (regardless of the 7 days) get in touch with your local national consumer affairs body.

Hopefully some day these people will receive their just deserts…

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63 Comments »

  1. I received a couple of them lately too. Web 2.0 scam!!! :D

    Comment by David Behan — June 26, 2007 @ 10:42 pm

  2. Scam 2.0TM :mrgreen:

    Comment by Richard Hearne — June 27, 2007 @ 2:52 pm

  3. Hi there,

    I know a person actually bought that and now receives letters from this site asking for payment.

    Any ideas what needs to be done on the legal side to get rid of this company?

    Thanks in advance

    Peter

    Comment by Peter Dimov — August 7, 2007 @ 5:43 pm

  4. Hi Peter

    I’m not sure if you’re in the EU? If so then get in touch with your local EU consumer office and seek their assistance.

    I honestly don’t know how far the scammers will take it, but I have a feeling that they wont pursue this in court. They may threaten that, but I’m yet to hear of anyone actually faced with court over non-payment.

    Rgds
    Richard

    Comment by Richard Hearne — August 8, 2007 @ 5:10 am

  5. Hi,

    I am from Bulgaria, we are now in the EU, I will contact the consumer office for assistance.

    Thank you for your time.

    Regards,

    Peter

    Comment by Peter Dimov — August 10, 2007 @ 5:52 pm

  6. I would like to know where or what I can do with regards to the EURO BUSINESS GUIDE SCAM. I have decided not to pay and would like to proceed further.

    Do you have any suggestions?

    Regards,

    Lina

    Comment by Lina De Castro — August 28, 2007 @ 11:03 am

  7. Lina

    First thing you should do is contact your local consumer advocate (perhaps a government department, or if in EU then you should have an EU office in your country that deals with consumer affairs).

    I cannot advise you on this, but I imagine that they may threaten you with court, but I doubt they would carry through as I have never heard of anyone actually being brought before a judge.

    Please note I am not offering any legal advice on this.

    Best rgds
    Richard

    Comment by Richard Hearne — August 28, 2007 @ 8:02 pm

  8. Hi everyone,

    My company is from Serbia (not an EU member) and we received this threats bu EUBG’s solicitors Waldberg&Hirsch. We have to pay over 1000 euro, but as we went thru different discussion forums, we decided NOT to go further and face these bastards. Does anyone know whether their “legal action” can affect countries outside of EU or not? Did anyone heard about any company that faced the court re. EU BusinessGuide?
    Thanks for comments and replies,

    George

    Comment by Dragan — November 9, 2007 @ 8:54 am

  9. Dragan

    I’ve now had multiple reports of these guys setting debt collectors on people. This is quite worrying, and I’m going to try to reach the relevant authorities here to raise this issue.

    I will try to report any news here on my blog – others might also have some info on this however.

    Best rgds
    Richard

    Comment by Richard Hearne — November 9, 2007 @ 9:55 am

  10. Hi There,

    The debt collector company is a fake, if you see their postal address you will notice it is one of the old postal addresses eurobusiness guide use for correspondance.

    you can type their name on google and you will see a website but the contact details are actually eurobusinessguide.

    We have decided not to pay , I have spoken with a lawyer in Bulgaria he has advised that there is a law against advance payments in EU.

    Comment by Peter — November 9, 2007 @ 10:09 am

  11. Richard and Peter,

    Thanks for your prompt replies!
    What was suspicious to me at the very beginning is the fact that “company”, as they call themselves, has no business/office address.

    Could you please check with your authorities is it legal that company make a contract with other companies while there are no evidences of company existence?
    To be more specific: as a company, I cannot neither make any contract, nor charge anyone UNLESS MY COMPANY’S PHYSICAL ADDRESS IS BOT EXPOSED CLEARLY (in header of footer on Memo/Invoice/Contract).
    This might be a key fact that company is fraud.
    Also, count on me if you decide to join forces and blow these burglars away!.

    Cheers!
    Dragan

    Comment by Dragan — November 9, 2007 @ 3:24 pm

  12. Hi Richard and Peter,

    I also received a letter by post that if you want to place your company in eurobusiness then please sign and send back the document by post.
    I signed the letter and sent by post.
    And after few days I received a mail with the invoice of 999 EURO.
    They have never informed me about the charges and start sending the invoices.

    I am getting the mails very often now for the money.

    I am from India.
    Please suggest me some way to get rid of them.

    Thanks
    MAx

    Comment by MAx — January 4, 2008 @ 5:19 pm

  13. Max – I seriously doubt they will send debt collectors out to India.

    I cant give you legal advice, but if it was me I’d simply ignore there letters. You could also mark all correspondence from them ‘Return to sender’.

    Best rgds
    Richard

    Comment by Richard Hearne — January 4, 2008 @ 5:52 pm

  14. Hi everyone,

    After ignoring them and saying that I will never pay, they simply gave up. They even started new campaign by sending promo emails to new and old clients (my email was included). It just leads me to conclusion that EBG are just ordinary crooks and they look to cross as many people as they can. I am sure they will never send collectors anywhere, specially not in India.
    Simply – everyone should ignore them.

    Dragan

    Comment by Dragan — January 5, 2008 @ 5:46 pm

  15. Hay,

    We are also quite new to their scam…but we are going to ignore them tooo! I actually talked to our authorities here in Greece and they told me that they can’t do anything about it from there they have to come to your country in order to take legal actions! So that quite impossible…since it’s just not worth 1124 Euros!!!

    Comment by Elpida — February 6, 2008 @ 12:02 pm

  16. We are Travel Agency.We also sign this documnet like most of you!And now we get invoice 990 euro.They wrote us if we did not pay this invoice we get fine!!!!!
    People help…what we should do???
    Best regards,
    Nomija
    04.03.2008

    Comment by Nomija — March 4, 2008 @ 12:18 pm

  17. Hi Nomija

    Seek legal advice if you are very concerned, but if it was me I’d simply ignore all correspondence with them. That’s not advice legal though.

    http://www.stopecg.org/ is a very great resource offering advice also.

    Rgds
    Richard

    Comment by Richard Hearne — March 4, 2008 @ 12:25 pm

  18. Dear Richard,

    Further to my email to you back in Aug 07, I have contacted the European Parliament to denounce this company. It took months before I got a reply from them stating that my company has been added amongs the many companies complaining.

    I would suggest that people direct themselves directly to the European Parliament, Petition number 45/2006

    Kind regards and thanks,

    Lina De Castro

    Comment by Lina De Castro — March 4, 2008 @ 2:49 pm

  19. Hi,

    Our compay has got an invoce from the company (990 euro).
    What is your advice?
    Can they do any legal action against our company if we don’t pay the invoce?

    Mikhail

    [Edit by Admin - sorry Mikhail, I removed one small sentence from your comment as I have to be careful what I publish on my blog]

    Comment by Mikhail — March 11, 2008 @ 10:09 am

  20. @Lina – thanks for that.

    @Mikhail – I cant give any legal advice. If I were in a similar position I would rip up their invoice, and simply ignore all further correspondence with them, including any threats from their so-called ‘debt collection’ agency.

    That’s me however. You should take appropriate advice if this concerns you.

    Rgds
    Richard

    Comment by Richard Hearne — March 11, 2008 @ 11:02 am

  21. Hello,

    I have also problem with this company, yesterday they sent me an invoice to pay 990 EUR. I wrote them e-mail to say that it’s unfair, and their reply was to oblige our company to pay it! They just let me know that it is signed with text about 990 EUR included (small letters). Of course, it is a psychological trick: to let you know about “updating free of charge” and then to make you not reading 5 lines of small letters… I am not going to pay it, on the invoice they even don’t put any VAT EU number. They give you only bank account and adress, it is not a valid invoice!

    What about your suggestions? Have you ever heard about any courts with this company? I suppose this company cannot win any court, any case…

    Regards for all of you!
    Kasia

    Comment by Kasia — March 12, 2008 @ 9:37 am

  22. Kasia

    Seek legal advice if you are concerned. If it were me, and I obviously cant and don’t give legal advice, I’d ignore the invoice and the subsequent follow-up demands from their so-called debt collectors.

    Of course that’s just me :grin:

    Rgds
    Richard

    Comment by Richard Hearne — March 12, 2008 @ 9:55 am

  23. Now I tried the same as you guys. Have recieved, signed during a busy period. Called them and asked if I could regret it. Unfortunately I could not. Now I have recieved the “Second Reminder” and are handing the case onto the ombudsman in Denmark. I’m taking this to the end. This is good fraud from their side, and NOT proper business.

    Comment by Kim — March 20, 2008 @ 10:52 am

  24. Dear friends,

    I want to inform you, that after my letter to Waldberg /Hirsch Global Collections, allready month no letters, but today I have received by post letter from NovaChannel AG, TOURISM GUIDE. I think the same company -different name.
    My advice – simply ignore.
    Best regards,

    Comment by Lucy. — March 31, 2008 @ 8:27 am

  25. Hello again..like I write you 2 month fare,they send me 2 invoices with fine.Today they send me letter that if we not pay they will take legal action..

    Best regards,
    Nomija

    Comment by Nomija — April 23, 2008 @ 1:54 pm

  26. Hi,

    I’m from England- I fell for this scam and have been recieving invoices since December for 990 Euros, I have just received a ‘Final Demand’ and a threat to pass the debt onto Waldberg & Hirsch.
    I contacted my local European Member of Parliament back in December who advised me to ignore all correspondence and not pay! There is movement in parliament regarding this issue but there is little they can legally do to stop them (apparently).

    Chrissy,

    Comment by Chrissy — April 23, 2008 @ 1:58 pm

  27. You know what?
    Either ignore them or write them back and tell them you are taking legal actions against their company for fraud

    this should teach them a lesson

    Comment by anton — May 29, 2008 @ 3:36 pm

  28. Hi all,

    We signed the form and we were taking a lot of mail about payment. When we signed the form we can’t see the 990€ payment. It is written very small letters.

    When we take the mails we are afraid of it. Then we talked our lawyers. They find a lot of complaind about EU Business Guide and we make a decision that we don’t pay money. They try to deceive companies and this is illegal.

    We found a explanation by Turkish Embassy of Lahey. They said that they took many many complaints about Eu Business Guide. And then they tried to communicate the company many times but they couldn’t. They had searched the company in Holland trade registers but couldn’t find the company. And of that, they are warning to companies for “Not to paying money to EU Business Guide”.

    Sorry for my English. Be happy…

    Comment by ALeMCi — June 1, 2008 @ 1:42 pm

  29. Hi,

    today EUBG visited our web site. I checked where the company visited from. they are located and registered in Romania.

    org-name: SC EU Business Services SRL
    org-type: OTHER
    address: Str. 1 Decembrie, nr. 43
    address: Timisoara Timis
    address: Romania
    phone: +40.256201644
    fax-no: +40.256201644
    e-mail: carmen@eucompanydirectory.com

    Also if you check eurobusinessguide.net, you will see that the web site is also registered in Romania.

    Comment by Mikhail — June 12, 2008 @ 1:12 pm

  30. Hello,

    I just wanted to let you know that this scam operation has now targeted Canadians. I work for a government facility and received an “address change” form in the mail from NovaChannel AG. I signed it and sent it back since we do get a lot of free advertising for our facility. The next day I received another form for another of our locations, and this time I read the fine print. I realized my mistake and wrote an e-mail (through the NovaChannel Website) and then sent a letter (well within the ’10 day cooling off period’). Within weeks the invoices started to arrive. I sent another letter to complain that it should have been cancelled, but NCAG stated that they hadn’t received my cancellation letters. I was so nervous about signing a document and committing my company to a debt not authorized, I actually considered paying it personally in hopes that they would go away quietly. Thankfully I checked the company name on the internet and discovered this scam. I hope that this company is stopped and no one actually pays to keep themselves out of trouble with their employers.

    Comment by Dina — September 2, 2008 @ 9:00 pm

  31. Hello,
    my case with Euro Business Guide is now 7 months old. I wrote just one letter to them that I don’t understand this as a binding contract. But they of course were sending me remainders. Now my case was pushed to Waldberg & Hirsch Collections Ltd. I just received one remainder from them. Does anyone here had expierence with this “law firm”?
    Also – I wanna ask all Polish companyes affected with this scum to contact me. Thanks.

    Comment by Pawel — October 1, 2008 @ 1:46 pm

  32. please people i just watched a rte program about this you dont have to pay anything irish law for the consumer is very strong about this

    Comment by mick — November 13, 2008 @ 10:03 pm

  33. Like everyone else we unwittingly signed up to World Business Directory. As soon as the first invoice arrived I contacted our consumer affairs people who advised me to ignore it – they would be unlikely to pursue us here in Australia. 8 months later we are still receiving the invoices plus abusive phone calls and now it has been referred to Waldberg & Hirsch debt collectors. I will be forwarding all their correspondence plus info from this website back to the ACCC so that hopefully no-one else in Australia is scamed by this mob.

    Comment by Julie — December 3, 2008 @ 11:56 pm

  34. Hi, I am from Bulgaria. My name is Paulina Miteva.
    I have signed the form of EURO BUSINESS GUIDE with the intention to confirm the “free” confirmation of our Data that they Had sent to us ( I do not know where they took it from). I was on vacation when they sent the first invoice. When I came back I have tried to talk to them by phone and to explane that a mistake had been occured. But MS ALEXANDRA was on holiday, as I have been told and all this e-mails started.

    Please help me!!!
    If it is possible send to me the coordinates of Organization I can refer for legal advice.
    Paulina Miteva

    Comment by Paulina Miteva — December 18, 2008 @ 12:17 pm

  35. Hello,

    I’ve decided not to pay anything and joined the Petition of EU Parliament.

    Btw. I asked them to send company details in order to verify whom I’m paying to – and they answered me with a “automatic” response, that I have to pay. I’m still receiving notifications.

    I think, that this “company” has to be placed on blacklists for spam filters. I really don’t understand why it isn’t already there.

    Bye and do not pay to those bastards! There is no VAT number, so you can’t pay it without it! IMHO the invoice is invalid!

    Jaj

    Comment by jaj — January 6, 2009 @ 10:44 am

  36. They are still at it. I (also in Australia) got caught with the World Business Directory – ie I signed – because it coincided with a similar free listing and it was pretty clear to me that this was a free listing no matter what they say. I have since been hassled with mail, email and phone calls. Latest is the letter from the bogus collections agency. I got in touch with some others in my area and we are all treating them with the same contempt. Like you, I don’t know why they are not shut down.

    Comment by Joy Claridge — January 20, 2009 @ 6:38 am

  37. Hi dear fellows!

    I will not repeat myself by writing the same sad story… I fell for it by their misleading form and after searching the internet decided not to pay anything to them!
    I am still in the beginning of their ‘procedure’ and have only received a couple reminders for settlement so far.
    Hope to get rid of these bastards soon, as with their actions they ruin the reputation of internet as valid information mean.

    Greetings from Greece,
    Eftichis

    PS. I will visit your blog regularly for any updates on the issue, so please do keep us informed !

    Comment by Eftichis — January 22, 2009 @ 5:38 pm

  38. Just ignore them as much as possible. They will NEVER take anyone to court as they can never win.

    Bunch of losers will fade away if everyone just ignores them.

    Rgds
    Richard

    Comment by Richard Hearne — January 24, 2009 @ 11:47 am

  39. It’s been over a year since i fell for this scam, and for nearly a year have heard nothing from the ‘Euro Business Guide’ after writing them an email informing them that i had contacted my Local MEP and the SAF- a fraud investigation company in the Netherlands. However this morning i received another invoice! It’s ludicrous! I have also been getting spam emails from the ‘World Business Guide’ and the ‘EU Company Registration’. I am worried about the ‘EU Company Registration’ because it sounds quite official, and people may think it’s a compulsery organisation! I really hope epople are not still falling for this!

    Comment by Chrissy — January 28, 2009 @ 1:02 pm

  40. We just received a new “invitation” worded exactly as the prior ones .

    We were so unfortunate as to sign this scam a couple of years ago (being named NovaChannel at that time) :o( … and they kept threathning us with debt-collectors, lawsuits et al.

    We did, however, in return threathen them with a lawsuit after having consulted our legal advisor, being certain that we could have dragged them to court locally for fraud … part of the rather lengthy letters is copied in here for your notice:

    It is considered fraud, – a criminal offence -, if an attempt is made to obtain economical gains by means of contracts or agreements containing misleading information, and as the “place of jurisdiction” issue is part of the general misleading information, any kind of legal action on your part will be counteractioned with legal claims at Domestic Court, including, but not limited to, harassment, attempted fraud and unauthorized use of Intellectual Property, resulting in damage to our business

    … they fell quiet and we never heard from them .. except for new “invitations” to join :o)

    So, I agree, never pay, but counteract with lawsuits based on fraud and scam if necessary, and take steps towards the EU body, governing these issues.

    Comment by Steen — February 14, 2009 @ 7:49 pm

  41. Hi, we’ve also been caught out by this scam and after absolutely kicking ourselves we’ve done some further investigation. We’re also at the stage of receiving threats to be passed onto the collections agency. I called the collections agency to speak to the account manager, funnily enough the ‘secretary’ answered in english (this is supposedly a dutch company!). The account Manager wasn’t in and she couldn’t tell me when he’d be back (any secretary would have access to outlook calendar!). Told me to call back tomorrow and try again. I then asked for the company registration number and suddenly she couldn’t hear me anymore and hung up on me. I called back and again she wouldn’t answer me because she basically couldn’t.

    I looked up on the net to see what other businesses were listed at the address, it’s called the ‘Africa Centre’ for those interested. I called one of the businesses as I wanted to know if the collections agency were physically located in that building. Naturally it’s a business centre and that’s only where their mail goes. I couldn’t get the forwarding address but did try. I guess this further goes to add that this ‘collections agency’ is also a hoax! Like the advice on this blog, I’m in the process of putting together a file to forward to all of the authorities mentioned. I can’t believe that people can be this sick, shame on you WBD and whatever other name you decide to go by today (know you would be reading this blog!).

    Comment by Janje — March 4, 2009 @ 12:12 pm

  42. This is the link for the European Parliament petition (45/2006)
    http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?id=5637122&noticeType=null&language=en

    At the foot of the proceedings it says this:

    MEPs also regret that Directive 2005/29/EC concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market does not cover business-to-business transactions and that Member States appear reluctant to extend its scope. They request the Commission to report by December 2009 on the feasibility and possible consequences of extending the scope of Directive 2005/29/EC to cover business-to-business contracts, based on the Austrian model, in a way that specifically prohibits advertising in business directories unless prospective clients are unequivocally and by clear and graphic means informed that such advertisement is solely an offer for a contract against payment.

    Parliament welcomes the measures taken by several Member States including Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom, but especially Austria, in attempting to prohibit misleading business directories.

    It considers, however, that these efforts remain insufficient and that there is still a need for the coordination of control at an international level.

    The European Commission is invited to:

    - step up efforts, in full cooperation with national and European business representative organisations, to raise awareness of this problem so that more people are informed and empowered to avoid misleading advertising which can lure them into unwanted advertising contracts;

    - address the problem of business scams in the context of its “Small Business Act for Europe” initiative, and to engage with the Enterprise Europe Network, the SOLVIT Network and relevant DG portals;

    - develop best-practice guidelines for national enforcement agencies which may be followed when cases of misleading advertising are brought to their attention;

    - pursue international cooperation with third countries and with the competent international organisations so that misleading business-directory companies based in third countries do not cause harm to businesses based in the EU.

    Member States are urged to ensure that victims of misleading advertising have a clearly identifiable national authority to which they can make a complaint and from which they can seek a remedy even in cases where the victims of misleading advertising are businesses.

    Lastly, Parliament welcomes the efforts made by business organisations to raise awareness among their members. It expresses concern that some of these organisations have consequently been pursued through the courts by the misleading business-directory companies specified in their awareness-raising activities on the basis of alleged defamation or similar accusations.

    Read the whole thing, it’s very interesting.

    Comment by Miffed — March 29, 2009 @ 10:06 am

  43. Hi

    I recently received a phonecall from someone asking if I had paid the European city guide any money as my company is listed in it. The person who called me was investigating this company as he too had received correspondence from them.

    I explained that I have received many such letters from various European guides over the years and have never paid any of them a penny.

    Upon reading this site and others I must say I am surprised at how many people have fallen for the tactics of these individuals. I have received many requests for payements for adverts I have never authorised and requests to update my address details. Within seconds of reading these documents I know they are a scam and I have not signed anything or filled out any details on any forms. I must say I have not had any for a while but my tactic has always been as follows and it seems to work.

    Open the letter and regardless of whether it is an invoice or a request for updated information proceed as follows. Obtain a black marker pen and write in large letters diagonally across the form “FUCK OFF”

    On some ocassions I have also been daring and included other expletives like, “WANKERS” “CUNTS” “PRICKS” and generally whatever comes to my mind first.

    If there is a reply envelope put the document in it and do not affix a stamp so that the recipient has to pay to obtain it from the post office. Addtionaly write on the outside of the envelope “urgent payment documents enclosed”

    If there is no reply envelope then simply reseal the envelope and write return to sender on the envelope and circle the return address to assist the post office.

    I personally have found this method to be 100% effective.

    Regards

    Garry

    Comment by Garry Cornes — April 18, 2009 @ 12:28 pm

  44. Hi All,
    Websites critical of Directory scams are suffering Dos attacks, someone it appears does not want this information online. StopECG.org has been outed along with dozens of other websites hosted on the same server. Another critical site from south Africa is also under attack

    These people cannot win and the best defense is to duplicate the advice about them in as many palces as possibe. Please reproduce the information on your Blogs Etc. You can still access it via Google Cache

    http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:1eXx6C9T6rQJ:www.stopecg.org/eu_company_directory.htm+eucompanydirectory&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk

    When blogging the info please link to the original page
    http://www.stopecg.org/eu_company_directory.htm
    and the Google cache
    with a note that it is kept up to date when not under attack

    Please reproduce parts of the page rather than the entirety and add a note that you are doing this to defeat attempts by online criminals to silence websites that criticise directory scams

    Thanks,
    Jules

    Comment by Jules — May 6, 2009 @ 2:11 pm

  45. Hi

    Reading through all these comments has reassured me. Yep, I was suckered into signing and have had one phone call and a “second demand”. I had gone as far as starting to pay a portion when sense struck and I dashed back to the bank and cancelled the payment. I have no intention of paying them now that I know who they are and what they have been doing. Funnily enough, since I relayed to them a conversation I had with a solicitor, I haven’t heard from them since Friday. I am going to compile more stuff together and threaten them with a counter law-suit.

    Thank you ALL for your comments and to others who fell for it, let’s all learn from this. NEVER sign anything again without reading the small print. Best lesson I have learnt as a brand new business owner!

    A

    Comment by Angus — May 11, 2009 @ 11:56 pm

  46. Hi there. My name is Elizabeth from Australia and I am yet another victim to this scam so I have been busy contacting and writing letters to the main authorities both here in Australia and in the UK. I have to admit that I was very relieved to find this website after doing a google search on ‘Waldberg Hirsch Global Collections Limited’ following MANY threatening emails from them.

    It has been suggested by experienced lawyers here that we should all perhaps consider a “Class Action” in court as victims in this scam as perhaps a legal firm may be prepared to take on a “no win, no fee” case. It doesn’t mean that we have to but it could be a possible option later on as they seem to have bought a lot of grief to a many honest, hard working business people.

    As far as taking any of us to court, they would need to start the legal process through each country’s OWN LEGAL JURISDICTION which would prove to be extremely costly to them.

    Otherwise, now that I know who and what they are, I can now sit back like the rest of you and see what transpires as they are most definately NOT going to get a red cent out of me.

    Comment by Elizabeth — August 2, 2009 @ 6:28 am

  47. Hey guys, so pleased to have found this website!!!! I’m in Australia also and signed the document thinking I was receiving a free listing (we are in the franchising industry and legitimate free listings in directories come up all the time).
    As soon as their invoice came and the bullshit, auto-response emails from “Ms Christina” were received i realised what I had done and DEFINITELY learnt my lesson quickly! I had the feeling they were just scammers so have been ignoring their correspondence and have advised everyone else in my office to do the same. I even tried calling the phone number so I could tell Ms Christina to piss off directly, but had no luck.
    I’ve now just received an email threatening action in 5 days from Waldberg & Hirsch Global Collections Ltd. I Google searched the company to find out if it was legitimate and found this website! You don’t understand how relieved I am, thank you so much for all of your advice and help! I will let as many people as possible know about this to hopefully prevent other honest businesses from beign sucked in also. I’ll continue ignoring the letters and emails and will check this site regularly for updates.
    Thank you again!!!!
    Alicia – Perth, Western Australia

    Comment by Alicia — September 18, 2009 @ 10:19 am

  48. I’m so pleased to find all of your comments, confirming my suspicions on this group. I suggest if you, like me signed their form and are receiving threats to write write and write about it on the web to reassure people that they are an illegal company and it’s ok to IGNORE them! I am from Britain and when we have asked for their contact details to somehow resolve the situation they have conveniently not had their details to hand – what type of company doesn’t have their contact details available?!

    Comment by anna — November 19, 2009 @ 1:54 pm

  49. Oh man, we have been getting invoices for this too.

    But get this:
    Our marketing and salesperson read the fine print and was very careful NOT to sign the “order.” We’ve still been receiving invoices and threatening emails.

    When we asked to see the signed copy of the order, they emailed us the form, and THEY HAD SIGNED IT. The date didn’t match the handwriting on the rest of the form, and the signature was nothing like hers.

    When we called them on this, they went from claiming that she had obviously signed it in error, but oh-well-too-bad now you owe us 1100 Euro, to it doesn’t actually matter if the person who signed this form was authorized. If someone signed it on behalf of your company, it’s still legally binding. So, if someone who isn’t affiliated with our company signed an order for us, why don’t they just pull the info and sign them all themselves, and cut out the middle man? I’ve emailed several times telling them to do their worst, because it will never stand up in court and we’re not paying them. We’ve also blocked their fax number.

    I’ve demanded contact info for their “collections agency” but they always sidestep the question…

    Comment by Katy — December 14, 2009 @ 6:03 pm

  50. Hi All,

    I also singed the form some months ago. These guys are very persistent in claiming the money, but im sure the’ll give up once, right now ive received the first letter from Waldberg & Hirsch collectors. At first the letter looks very official, but the design is clearly from the same designer as the world bussiness guide design and the name down on the letter “K. Van Ruler” Looks like a fake dutch name to me (im Dutch myself, working in Spain)

    I’ve called them on their dutch number, but they dont speak a word dutch, so i guess this line is being forwarded to another country.

    I think that not paying is the only option, i trust they will give up eventually.

    Comment by Jouke — January 5, 2010 @ 10:37 am

  51. I’m in same story. I have recieved this ”offer” for free update in 2007. And clasic story have send to them filled form. After some time I have recieved invoice, and after some time also notes with some extra costs becuase of late.
    I was new in commpany, and I have try to cancell it, but have gat info that is possibel to cancel only after paymant (to cancel future services). So I have made payment (idiot), and it was for insertation in 2008. In 2009 nothing happend, but now I have recieved via fax note that we have not paid for insertation in 2010. I try to send e-mail to them with explanation that I have canceled all furute services but mail was returnet to me (not delivered). What should I do, do anyone have further experiance regarding this, what happend to you guys? greetings to all

    Comment by bosna — April 9, 2010 @ 9:11 am

  52. Hi everyone,
    I also signed this fax and returned it thinking it was a “free update”.
    So far we have received four invoices for the 990euros, and thanks to this website we have realsied that we have been duped too..
    we will not be paying a penny of these bogus invoices, and hope that these scammers are soon brought to justice for their dirty tricks.
    thanks to all of you who have shared information on this scam..
    regards
    mark – england

    Comment by mark — April 28, 2010 @ 3:40 pm

  53. i wonder why such kind of cheater still can survive so well? why no one can stop them after all these years!!!i’m really annoying to receiveing their post and emails once in a while, when can this stop!!

    Comment by azureed — October 14, 2010 @ 6:01 am

  54. I also signed similar way, now I am at the ‘Final Reminder’ Stage. I had a heated argument with Remona, the lady sending the letters, and even my manager also spoke to her. We stick to our same wording, ‘We will not pay’, then she cut the phone. Now sending emails and faxes on daily basis. We are ignoring this. Let us see what happens…

    Rajiv – London

    Comment by Rajiv — February 3, 2011 @ 5:06 pm

  55. Hi There !

    I have friend, Who has same problem and He informed me on – Thanks God I found this forum otherwise he was about to pay this because he is also getting final notice. I wish these fraud people soon get punished !! !! This is so disgusted that these people make people fool.

    I suggest that no one never pay these invoices.

    Said

    Comment by Said Akhtar — March 27, 2011 @ 3:37 pm

  56. Unfortunatelly I suscribed to this company and now I am receiving letters from Waldberg…… Global collections LTD.

    I am from Mexico

    I have not made any payment because since the beginning I felt something was wrong but…

    I have decided to ignore them.

    Please comment.

    Comment by Luis — March 31, 2011 @ 4:32 pm

  57. I do not understand clear why nobody addresses to INTERPOL ?

    In fact in police language it’s called HARASSMENT or CRIME RACKET.

    I call up all to make this step and then we shall destroy these speculators who should sit in prison.

    =Alexander.

    Comment by Alexander — April 20, 2011 @ 4:30 am

  58. Criminals- on freedom and even well live having organized 2 offices of racketeers. The EuroParliament makes a helpless gesture and since 2007-2011 has not stopped their crime business.
    When racket and extortion it is necessary to complain only in police.

    Comment by Alexander — April 20, 2011 @ 4:58 am

  59. Dear friends,

    WE have deal with the INTERNATIONALl FRAUD, threats and extortion.

    Contact to INTERPOL – http://interpol.com/

    =Alexander

    Comment by Alexander — April 20, 2011 @ 5:09 am

  60. Hello All,

    We also signed on this fake agreement. The letters were so small that no one couldn’t decipher what was in this agreement. Now we are getting letters with final notice for the payment. Some lady , name herself Alexandra, ( without surname ) is calling and demands this payment, we’ve expalained that we are not going to pay this contract, Than she cut the phone. Thank you for informing, let’s wait and see….
    Alina , Israel 21.4.2011

    Comment by Alina — April 21, 2011 @ 8:31 am

  61. I received one more form in the post last week. I am going to frame it and keep.

    I commented on Feb 3rd about my first experience. After the ‘Final Reminder’ from the Debt collection agency I did not receive any more letter.

    Spam.. Spam…

    Rajiv – London

    Comment by Rajiv George — June 14, 2011 @ 1:00 pm

  62. Thanks, all friends, who informed us!
    We was stuppid. But : “Study,study and study !”

    I recieved 1-st and last reminder, several calls from UNNOWN telephone # (they are hide their telephone #) to USA.

    Then I answered their – take a flag in hands and go with the shady deal. Then they have asked again – how to take flag?. I have answered them – very simply and then they have taken offence, having told that I roughly speak with them, but have ceased to solicit.

    Comment by Alexander — September 6, 2011 @ 1:08 am

  63. Hi all :-)

    I signed this fax about 18 months ago now, and have had many faxes (wasting my paper only..!), and letters. The last one came just yesterday..

    To be honest, i just smile to myself now as i tear them in half and throw them in the bin without even bothering to open them anymore, and just laugh at their costs in wasted postage..

    These guys cannot chase you for payment as they are acting illegally, so i hope you all can relax also as i now do.

    Let them send their letters and faxes and silly demands. My bin is plenty large enough..

    Keep smiling folks.. ;-)

    Comment by Mark — September 6, 2011 @ 12:58 pm

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