is there anyone that can give me advice. An internet company made a sales call, their pitch was that they had a database of potential buyers interested in the exact model, make, year, price of my vehicle and that if I registered with them I would receive phone calls re car viewings etc. My registration fee of £79.99 would then be refunded as they don't make any money from the sales of the vehicles, they make their money from the finance. During the registration phone call the operative said that if I was unhappy with the service that I had received my account would be refunded.
One week later....No phone calls from any potential purchasers...appalling customer service...operatives with extreme attitude...and now they are not happy to refund me and said that they only ever agreed to credit me - which is no use whatsoever as I would never choose to use them again.
I feel like I was lied to, and am never likely to see my refund...
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Edited by Pugugly on 24/04/2008 at 18:52
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I think this is a years-old scam. Your last sentence about sums it up.
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OF COURSE YOU WERE LIED TO.
And they will carry on ripping people off until people like you wake up and engage your brain
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i suppose it would seem better if you paid your registration fee only when they had people intrested and not before.
stick to ebay at least then you have some fallback should thing turn hinkey
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You were lied to.
Send recorded delivery letter telling them that you hold them in breach of cotract as they rerpresented to you that they had buyers for your car and none have called. request a refund (as promised by them) within 7 days of the date of your letter. Advise them that if the refund is not made you will issue a summons against them in the small claims court.
Google "small claims court" for the form to fill in - it is very easy.
You will get your refund - and it you do not then go ahead with the summons.
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This is a very old scam that caught me out about 20 years ago in my youth.
A: Company looks for overpriced cars in the autotrader type mag
B: Company calls to ask if car is still for sale as if they want to buy
C: Company offers to sell the car as they have 'so many buyers looking for just that car'
D: You hear no more from any buyers (of course) then get landed with a massive bill as you 'failed to cancel the agreement' or some other rubbish like that
Scammers!
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Recently I sold my car, following HJ's FAQ advice to the letter. I got two or three calls from these agencies. As soon as they established their identity I just pushed the disconnect button. No hard sell, no explaining, no defending.
Think about it. If a commercial organisation really had all that demand under its control, and had identified a ready supply to meet it, would it simply enjoin the two in holy matrimony for the sheer Christian pleasure of a commission? Or would it become a principal, purchase the asset and re-sell to this guaranteed market in order to maximise profit?
Following HJ's advice I sold the car for exactly the sum I had asked to the first viewer.
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I'd follow earlier advice - it may not work this time, but the more ammo trading standards and the like have, the more chance they have of shutting down these ripoff artists.
Also report them to whereever your advert was.
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I know you don't want to hear this - having parted with £80 for nothing....
but did it not cross your mind to wonder why these "potential buyers interested in the exact model, make, year, price " did not simply reply to your advert instead of registering on a database ????
But - hey all is not lost, with any luck you may get an email from a pretty decent straight honest guy in Nigeria who will send you a bankers draft for more than the cars worth and you can simply deduct the price of your motor and send him the difference. So it may turn out ok after all.
J
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But - hey all is not lost with any luck you may get an email from a pretty decent straight honest guy in Nigeria who will send you a bankers draft for more than the cars worth ...
>>
Or, like me and a probability defying number of others, you may find that you have won £850,000 in a lottery you didn't enter. Twice in one week. I wonder what odds are against that?
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