Is the World Business Directory a scam? Depends on whether you feel £980 a year to advertise in its ‘directory’ is good value for your money or not.
It’s one of many ‘misleading contract’ con-tricks that continue to pull in millions of dollars annually around the world.
In case you think these people are credible or have any real case against you, it’s worth reading this 2009 letter from MEP Sarah Ludford. That should begin to reassure you.
The World Business Directory email comes with an attached pdf that you’re invited to fill in for your ‘free listing’.
Boxes at the bottom of the form invite your signature & co. stamp – reinforced by the words “please fill in the form completely” in bold.
One small sentence tells you only to sign the form if you want to place an ‘insertion’ – a deliberately uncommon word.
A dense pile of even smaller print tells you that signing the form constitutes a contract to place an ‘insertion’ at £980 per year – minimum period 3 years.
It’s up to you to decide whether you think this is a cynical fraud or not.
This might help you decide. I know where I stand and so do people of many other countries where this occurs (word for word). Click the thumbnail (left) for a detailed look at their form -and a spanish one for comparison.
This also might help you: a letter from MEP Sarah Ludford to one World Business Directory victim. You might also like to see the letter that same victim then sent to the so-called ‘collections agency’ operating on behalf of WBD. Nice one, Mary.
One thing’s for sure, if you rush ahead and sign and return this form thinking you’re going to get a Google-boost from this free directory listing, be prepared: you’ll end up with on of these (right)
What gets me is that Barclays Bank are happy to take the money. Nasty.
Here’s another variant of this scam offer.
[Update] Now operating out of Utrecht, Netherlands [Update]
PS – if we’ve saved you €980 or helped end your worries, please support our work by clicking through to our sponsor sites (under our picture on the right there –>). Thank you!
Hello…i’m very relieved that I found your article. The problem is, could you help us to get out of this fix? We’re from Indonesia and since we don’t speak English as a first language, we didn’t read the small prints and returned the mail. And now we’re billed for the three years subscription. Is there any way to counter this claim as it is VERY DEFINATELY a scam since in the first sentence they made it out as it seems to be a free order.
I’d appreciate any help with this matter. Thank you!
Hi Lisa, I’m sorry to hear. Do check this website http://www.stopecg.org/world_business_directory.htm and read everything carefully.
In particular, look at the sections on ‘Who to write to’.
They can’t legally advise you what you should do, but they give a lot of useful information.
According to the information on that site, WBD haven’t taken anyone to court. This is probably because they know that their whole ‘offer’ is designed in the form of a trick to fool people into signing a so-called ‘legal’contract. It’s highly unlikely that a court would support a case and they know it.
These scams work on the fact that THEY know they wouldn’t get anything in court, but YOU don’t – and you fear it. So, the process is designed (from first invoices through to Collection Agencies) to intimidate you into settling, say, perhaps a third – which at around about £1000 is still a nice profit for doing, ah, nothing.
I’ll keep blogging about it; do bookmark and link to that site (above).
Take some legal advice too – just a consultation should give you a clear idea about how the courts would see this kind of nasty practice.
Hope that helps
Dear Lisa,
My advice : don’t pay them a dime, and don’t respond to their correspondence ! This will only give them more information on you, and they will send you letters personally.
I work for a small organisation and a few years ago sent the form back to a similar company operating from Austria (Fairguide). Received the invoice, a whole bunch of reminder letters (increasingly menacing) and finally even personal phone calls from a Swiss collection agency (which turned out to be a sister company – they are well organised!).
This only stopped when (after having done some research on the internet, and the website mentioned above is indeed helpful in that respect)I clearly stated we were never ever going to pay, mentioning some of the legal mumbo-jumbo, and that I pitied the guy who called me for having to make a living by scamming people.
Funniliy enough we keep on receiving similar forms, formats are different but the tactics are always the same… and I’m having my personal revenge by sending back the forms from time to time (filled out with bogus company names and addresses, telephone nrs, etc), just to keep them occupied. Only costs me a few stamps and envelopes, but I am very happy in the knowledge they will spend as much time as I did…
So don’t lose any sleep over it!
Great idea, Caroline – filling in the form with bogus company names.
Shit, let’s go one better: why not fill in the form with all the details of one of the OTHER directory scam business names listed on that site!
Ooooh, yes. (But you didn’t hear it here)
I’m Tessa from Indonesia. Our company has offered by WBD to register our detail address to be listed in their directory, last month. We saw in the offering letter that the updating is free. Then we registered our company, 2 weeks later we got an invoice requested us to pay around 900 euro. But, when we cancel the order, they refused and keep sending the email and fax to request the payment. We feel disturb on this situation. In the normal business transaction, once we ordered they should confirm our order through email and inform us that they will send the invoice. I would like to know how to face this situation, since we don’t have budget to advertise our company. Thank you for the advise.
Hi Tessa
I would suggest a short consultation with a good lawyer – someone who knows about internet fraud.
There are many versions of what WBD are doing. Here’s some more useful info to read.
You could try ignoring their demands and see whether they want to actually take you to court.
If it ever got to court (I doubt it would) it’s very likely that they would be exposed as exploitative.
I’m going to go find a lawyer who can help give a free bit of advice on this.
I have harrasement letters from WBD for nearly 2 years. Letters now from Lawyers based in Holland, which I contacted the Dutch Goventment re this and they replied that these were scam and to igonre them.
Just return the letters to them unopened.
Thanks for that advice, V.C. – take note everyone else.
Moral of the story? Contact the government in the country the ‘debt collection’ letters are coming from. It will be in their interest to put you straight.
Generally, I think we’re all in agreement that World Business Directory is a nasty scam and that they only get money out of people by frightening them into paying.
Hope you’re reading this WBD. Actually, that just gave me an idea. Put this out on Twitter.
Hello, I recently (stupidly) signed up to The World Business Guide and I received an e-mail from a lady called Olga today saying that legal/court action will commence!! It scared me but I told her to go ahead! Since then I have sent her an e-mail suggesting I will pay for the World City Guide but please remove me and no longer send me invoices for the European City Guide! Since reading the above I don’t think i’ll pay but get some legal advice although the last solicitor I spoke too suggested I pay up!!
I can not believe that any solicitor that you saw said to pay them. this is unbelievable. I would surely get myself a new solicitor and sugest to your current one he gets a good dose of reality in the real world. Still shaking my head in disbelief
Hi guys!
Great tool! I felt so stupid by filling out this form. I have received 2 remindres from a guy called Chris and he even offered me paying Euros 995 in 3 installments. I have e-mailed him to find out what is his surname (none of the account managers are giving us their surname) and his supervisor’s surname in order to sue them with the European Consumer Rights as well. Will update you on the outcome. Take care and ignore the scammers!!!!
I fell in the same trap as well.
Luckily I did my research on Internet and luckily we can share our experiences on the Internet
Thanks, Elizabeth. Glad you’re not paying up – and do let us know when they (don’t!) take you to court. Rest assured, they won’t
– they haven’t got the balls.
Take care and good luck
I am compiling a list of people/companies who are being harrassed by WBD and their lawyers for payment.
We would like to prepare a class action suit against them in a Dutch court (they claim to be based there).
The publicity eminating from a court action against their scam should scare them.
We are also confident that we will receive damages and that their defence of a minor insertion in the small print will not save them.
If anyone would like to join our group action against WBD please reply to the email
netre@matav.net.il
Excellent news, Barry – thanks for posting here. Good luck with the list. Out of interest, did Netanya Real Estate get hit by WBD?
Hi,
My company is also become a victim from WBD and we’ve been receiving invoices from them for quite some time right now. The strange thing is that we cannot contact them either by e-mail or by phone, and even after we sent some letter to their lawyer based in netherland too…is there anyway we can stop them from doing this kind of stuff?
We have e-mails and faxes from this organisation/ You reply for it to bounce back. We are now being referred to a debt collection agency in Holland.
We have asked for a transcript or confirmation of a signature fron the organisation as proof. We believe there was a phone call at some stage offering a frren lineage.
Just tell them you will se them in court sometime and file all correspondence then close the file.
David
Having just read all the above i have decided to send them a large carton of shredded paper via DHL.
regards
David
Yayyyy. Heh heh. Way to go David!
Yep, had the same as everyone else. My lawyer advised it’s totally misleading as to how they offer it’s free and it’s not. I’ve completely ignored them and I suggest you do the same.
We did advise them that your offer of free “updating” of your directory which is clearly misleading as free updating conveys the meaning that the directory will be updated with our name for free and contrary to this your conditions unlawfully seek to impose an exorbitant fee of 995.
This act contravenes MCAD 84/450/EEC, is contrary to Section 42 in Fair Trading Act (in Australia) or section 52 Trade Practices Act (Australai), Dutch Civil Code (see especially article 6:195 and 6:196) and Spanish Consumer Protection Law.
We also advise to notify the Dutch Consumer Authority in the Netherlands and the Instituto Nacional De Consumer in Spain which shows a recent judgement of the authorities in Netherlands are taking misleading conduct cases seriously and can impose fines of up to 100,000 Euros per mailing.
I am so happy to find you guys
I can’t believe they charge me for 980 pound
So I will ignor them even tough my attorney keeps cheking this case and get ready to deal with it
What a nightmare
you cannot even cancell the order they force you to pay
Paz, keep looking around the web – you’ll find loads of people hit by loads of versions of this scam. Expo Guide, World Business Directory, World Business Register, European City Guide… All of them are scamming people.
If you want reassurance, look for one thing: evidence that these people have taken someone (anyone!) to court successfully. I suspect you WON’T find that evidence.
Take heart from that!
All the best,
Sam
Look at their new message after we asked to provide their registration documents:
————-
I wish this girl think about changing her work:)
Amanda, thanks for this.
Everybody (especially newcomers to this thread) read it and re-read it. €5,000 for what Amanda thought was a free listing in their directory. Filthy scammers.
HI
I TOO HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS DISEASE FOR A LONG TIM NOW SO I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH.
WHAT I FOUND OUT IS THAT THIS “COMPANY” THAT IS LISTED TO BE BASED IN THE NETHERLANDS IS ACTUALLY BASED IN ROMANIA, MORE EXACTLY IN TIMISOARA, A WESTERN CITY OF ROMANIA.
THE COLLECTION FIRM WALBERG AND HIRSCH IS NOT A REAL COLLECTION COMPANY, IT IS JUST THE SAME “EMPLOYEES” ANSWERING THE PHONE BECAUSE EVERYTIME I CALL THERE ARE ALWAYS OTHER PEOPLE ON THE LINE CLAMING TO BE MR VAN RULER’S SECRETARY ( THE LEGAL ADVISOR ) AND HE IS NEVER THERE TO TAKE CALLS. THIS PERSON DOESN’T EXIST!!!
SO DON’T PAY, DON’T GO TO LAWYERS, DON’T MAKE COMPLAINTS, DON’T BOTHER TO DO ANYTHING, YOU ARE SIMPLY WASTING YOUR TIME AS THEY ARE NOT SCARED OF THREATS, THEY WILL JUST CONTINUE TO SEND YOU EMAILS, FAXES, TO CALL YOU ON EACH AND EVERY NUMBER THEY CAN FIND. IF YOU ARE SICK OF THE HARRASMENTS JUST CHANGE YOUR LINES AND IGNORE THE JUNK MAIL FROM THEM.
Thanks FoundAngel. Agree with your conclusion but would go one step further – don’t make the mistake of contacting them by phone in the first place!
The problem is that sites like mine can only either preach to the converted or console people who have already become victims of this scam. The people we’d really like to warn aren’t aware of the kinds of scams going round and don’t use the web to research things that come at them out of the blue like WBD’s spam.
Of course, these scammers exploit that lack of general awareness to their advantage. If you want to do something to help then do what ever you can to publicise this kind of scam offline. Do a 10 minute presentation at your local chamber of commerce or talk about it at a breakfast networking event or some other real-world gathering.
Hi,
This is wonderfull news to have you all on the web. In my case the “small fonts” form I signed was totally unreadable. I clarified this to WBD and even suggestd a compromise due to the “effort” they had made. Thanks haven they refused and after several threatening letters, mails and faxes I decided to ignore their correspondence. They increase consistently the “debt”, threaten with legal steps and with debt collectors.
P.S. The “lady” writing to me in their name is a so called Andreea (No family name).
Just do not waste your time and health and IGNORE. barking dogs do not bite!
Exactly, Ilan. Keep on ignoring them!
They are after us aswell. We are a small company providing cheap international calls, and we were approached by the WBG for 4,287 EUR. for a free listing! Not responding to calls or emails.
i have just received invoice from wcd- for EUR 980.00
Hullo I just come to this site by the internet. Who is this Mr Sam Deeks!
I’m just someone providing a platform for people who have been scammed to share their experiences in the hope of reassuring other scam victims and encouraging them not to pay.
And why do I do it? Because I can – which is a bit of a pisser for WBD and Expo Guide because a few people who otherwise would be bullied into paying end up not paying after they visit here. That’s very satisfying – and worth taking the time to do.
And who are you? And why the disposable email address? Hmmmm?
I’ve also been had by the World Company Directory.
I had no intention of paying this company 1 penny but it’s nice to read all the comments on this website to give me reassurance.
I’ll be popping back on a regular basis.
Just to reassure everyone out there. These people NEVER prosecute, because they know they can’t.
DON’T, EVER, EVER pay a penny. NEVER!
If you do feel like responding to one of their daft letters, particularly if you’ve received a nasty one from one of their “Legal Representatives” (or otherwise known as THUGS), then please feel free to get in touch. I have a superb letter which my MEP helped me to draft, which you can copy if you like. Since I sent them my letter, I have NEVER been contacted by them, ever again.
But if you really can’t be bothered to waste precious ink, paper, postage and time, don’t worry about it! Simply ignore them.
Best wishes everyone.
regards
Mary
Great idea, Caroline – filling in the form with bogus company names.
Shit, let's go one better: why not fill in the form with all the details of one of the OTHER directory scam business names listed on that site!
Ooooh, yes. (But you didn't hear it here)
FAO: THE PERSON CALLED MARY
COULD YOU PLEASE SEND ME A COPY OF THE LETTER WHICH YOU SENT TO THE WORLD COMAPNY DIRECTORY, PLEASE SEND IT TO xxxxxxxxxxxx [edited to save you from spam - see reply below]
REGARDS, DECLAN
I’ll pass your request on to Mary directly Declan
Mary kindly sent me through a couple of great letters that will reassure any of you worrying about whether or not these people will take you to court.
The first is from Sarah Ludford MEP demonstrating that government is aware of these scams.
The second is what Mary sent back to the ‘debt collectors’ acting on behalf of WBD, counter-suing for her own costs. Nice one Mary
This is another email they will sent:
Ugly.
can’t believe i also fell for this. Great to find this site and would like to follow what happens. I for sure will not be paying them anything.
Welcome, I. Hope you find other peoples’ experiences useful & reassuring.
From Thailand.
can’t believe that just the same persons and same words to say
Dear Sir/Madam,
Thank you very much for your email.
Please read the Paragraph above your signature again, which you confirmed by signing this order.
You will also find in this Paragraph the costs for the registration in the World Company Directory.
Nowhere on the form does it say, that the registration is free of charge.
It clearly states, that the updates during the contract is free of charge.
Therefore it is not possible to cancel the contract in accordance with our terms and conditions.
Please make sure to transfer payment in time, to avoid further expenses.
Best regards
Susanna Corazon
Account Manager
World Company Directory
bad people
Hi Nitiya,
Have you got any letters from them yet or is it just an e-mail?
I am sure they will not be able to do anything to you in Thailand. I lived in Krabi for 18 years
Hi Header,
Thank you. I got letter to remind by post sent from USA.
FINAL REMINDER
Anyway I throw it away
Nittaya
I also got scammed, here in South Africa. I never read the fine print. How can you have the price of your service in the fine print? It will never stand in court!
I am glad I found this block to confirm that these people are scammers, very good scammers. Thank you Sam.
Regards
Colin
Hi Colin, you’re right – it’ll never stand up in court
Thanks for the comment, and my advice is don’t make contact because, as I’ve pointed out many times, making contact marks you out for further attention.
Does anyone know how to go about getting the site closed down. I work in an advice centre and one of my clients has been hassled by this company. We have told him not to pay anything and If it is possible I would give it my best shot to stop them.
Hello, Rita. Made me smile that you put http://www.worldcompanydirectory.com/ as your website. I’m assuming that was a sort of joke?
Of course, http://www.worldcompanydirectory.com looks like yet another one of these scams only this time, it claims to be based in the UK – apparently here:
World Company Directory
100 Pall Mall – St James
London SW1Y 5NQ
United Kingdom
Looks good in Google Street Map. Wouldn’t it be funny if it really WAS located there?
Amusingly, 100 Pall Mall is, according to Wikipedia, the former home of the National Gallery. Very grand. Just the sort of prestigious mailing address you’d invent if you were some offshore scammer.
I have been billed for in the first instance 980 Euros and they have added a late payment fee. I have used the letter Mary put together, informed the FBI, the MEP and the European Commissioner. These people need to be closed down as they are causing untold misery to hard working people.
Phony directories or yellow page scams usually target small to medium sized businesses. The scam manifests itself in the form of solicitors calling businesses and seeking to verify the company’s name and physical location, and allegedly calling to “renew” or “re-enroll” an existent yellow pages listing or advertisement. Many companies or their employees are misled into accepting the alleged “renewals.” The illegitimate directory provider immediately sends an invoice for this service, usually in the amount of hundreds of dollars, and threatens businesses with collections or credit report damage should they dispute the charges or decline to pay.
Harassing calls, threats and use of obscene language can pressurize you to the edge and moreover, a collector may embarrass you by contacting your employer or even be pursued to disburse for a debt that is not rightfully yours.
There are limits on how far telemarketers can go, that is why we provide information on how to put an end to telemarketer calls and more efficiently, how to correspond with them about your account and/or to dispute a collection action and can teach you what are your rights in terms of privacy.
You can find out more information on our website: http://www.spgconsultants.com
By informing each other, we protect each other
Hi Sam, so pleased I found your site. I have felt so foolish and anxious about all of this. I have received emails and copy correspondence from World Company Directory over the last few weeks. I called their offices and left a message for the same lady Susanna Corazon. She called me this week and said it was being referred to legal. I will be taking the advice given on this site. Thank you everyone!.
I have used some points from a letter that Mary (another business owner who has fallen victim) to these scammers sent to me. I also wrote to them namely a woman who goes by the name of Susanna Corazon who is their Accounts Manager. In my letter I confirmed I will not be paying up and any calls they make to me will be recorded. Since that they have not called me but it is still early days. I’m at the point that they are threatening legal action in the Czech Republic. I’m sure that they will continue with their unethical ways.
Hi Michelle
I’m glad that what you find here shows that you’re not alone, and that whatever you’ve done (mistakenly signed a form) is nothing compared to the people who set out to profit from making people like you feel worried, ashamed and stupid.
I keep on saying it, but this kind of scam isn’t going to go away. We’re no closer to holding legitimate companies like PayPal to account, let alone criminals who just need a phone line, a printer, some cash-hungry kids to man the phones and a bank account to process the money they extort.
I mean, hell, it’s such an easy way to make money with NO consequences. Why WOULDN’T they do it?
I have JUST received an email informing me that after completed a very bad copy of a fax (expecting to be added to a free search engine) that I owe World Business Directory £1113.00. Thanks to all your help I have now written to their complaints department, the Finance Minister in Nevis (apparently where they are based), my local counsellors, the office of fair trading, advertising standard agency, national press…let’s hope this company gets closed down – It’s awful to mislead innocent people – thanks for all your advice – glad to know I’m not the only one!!!
Thanks, Chloe – glad to hear you’re not paying. For those who HAVE written to Expo Guide (like Chloe), I’d be interested to know whether or not this stopped all contact with Expo Guide OR whether it brought you further unwelcome attention.
Anyone with any experience – (perhaps you, in a couple of months, Chloe?) – please let us know.
Ciao a tutti,di seguito la seconda e-mail della w.c.d.
la prima l’ho postata nell’altro vostro forum, però vedo che qui si parla di più della w.c.d.)
Dear Sir/Madam
This is to inform you, that we submitted your file to the Arbitration
Court of the Czech Republik.
You agreed to this procedure by signing the contract and approving to
the following paragraph:
THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE SUBSCRIBER AND SERVICE PROVIDER WILL BE
GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC, ESPECIALLY ACT. NR. 513/1991
COLL., COMMERCIAL CODE AS AMENDED.
This paragraph means, that you have to appear personally or being
represented by a Czech lawyer in front of the Arbitration Court in the
Czech Republik because the contract is governed under the laws of the
Czech Republic.
Furthermore, according to the laws of the Czech Republik the contract
you signed is a valid contract, this means, that you have to pay all the
expenses for the Arbitration Court, your lawyer, our lawyer and all
interest starting on the due date of the payment of the invoice.
We still have the possibility to draw back your file from the
Arbitration Court
without any further expenses for you, when we receive the payment
of the outstanding invoice
within 4 days after receipt of this email.
Best regards
World Company Directory
Fra voi chi stà al mio punto?
Angelo
Thanks Angelo, good to hear from you again.
You’re right – WCD, WBD, Expo Guide are all scams and all use the same approach although I have no idea whether they have the same people behind them or not. They seem to invent names as soon as they start getting recognised (and blogged about!), so I’m sure many are related.
All I can say is: non pagare, mantenere forte e buona fortuna!!
(Thanks again Google Translate!)
Yes idg-wbg.com (world business guide) have been trying the same on us. they are now demanding 3 years payment after my marketing manager failed to read the illegible size 2 font small print in the subscription contract with her electron microscope. after reading your site i have told them to kindly go away (in a manner of speaking).
the girl who i talked to seemed new, so i sent her some links to this site and sites like it. perhaps she will think better and get a nice job with a respectable company after reading.
S, glad to hear that. It’s very sweet that you’re prepared to give the girl on the phone the benefit of the doubt and send her links – as if she’ll suddenly wake up to the fact that she’s working for a bunch of crooks and go get a proper job
I wish…
But we can always hope.
More likely is that we’ll get a pile of threats and abuse, but sadly that’s what you have to expect when you mess up someone’s criminal revenue stream, no surprise really.
just today get this :
Dear Sir/Madam
This is to inform you, that we submitted your file to the Arbitration Court of the Czech Republik.
You agreed to this procedure by signing the contract and approving to the following paragraph:
THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE SUBSCRIBER AND SERVICE PROVIDER WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC, ESPECIALLY ACT. NR. 513/1991 COLL., COMMERCIAL CODE AS AMENDED.
This paragraph means, that you have to appear personally or being represented by a Czech lawyer in front of the Arbitration Court in the Czech Republik because the contract is governed under the laws of the Czech Republic.
Furthermore, according to the laws of the Czech Republik the contract you signed is a valid contract, this means, that you have to pay all the expenses for the Arbitration Court, your lawyer, our lawyer and all interest starting on the due date of the payment of the invoice.
We still have the possibility to draw back your file from the Arbitration Court without any further expenses for you, when we receive the payment of the outstanding invoice within 4 days after receipt of this email.
Best regards
World Company Directory
Nittaya, that’s a *standard* wording of the threat from *all* of these variants of the scam.
The point is to try to make you believe that unless you agree to pay them something, they will take you to court. If you’re scared, you’ll pay – the logic is simple. So, for the price of a few mailings, calls and emails their goal is to scare you enough to pay something. This approach – operating outside of any laws – pays. It’s as simple as that.
If you want to set up a do the same, here’s how you do it:
Email pdfs to a million businesses across Europe. Cost? €200 in labour / database costs? Probably less.
If you only get back 0.1% of forms completed (it’s probably WAY higher than this) = 1000 forms.
Of that 1000 forms, bully all for payment. Cost? Wave of letters & emails – maybe €500?
Of that 1000, maybe 100 contact you back to negotiate / complain.
Increase the threats against that worried 100 people.
Eventually, generously agree to “settle” with them (settle = ‘let them off with just 1 year’s payment’). Maybe 20% agree to that. Make €18,000. Minus costs of €700 leaves profit of €17,300 for doing nothing but bullying a self-selecting group of vulnerable people.
Why do I say ‘self-selecting’? Because if you follow that logic (above) you can see how someone ‘selects’ themselves at each stage. The more worried you show you are, the more bullying you qualify yourself for.
Then, repeat with next million businesses…. and so on.
You won’t get caught. Governments are doing nothing because you keep moving. Your ‘debt collection call centres’ are temporary, unofficial offices staffed with cash-hungry native language-speaking youngsters who don’t care what they’re doing for money.
Keep this up and you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank – Barclays, for one – a bank that *appears* not to mind processing money from these people. (Disagree, Barclays? Let’s hear from you stating that you don’t and have never processed money for Expo Guide, European City Guide, World Business Directory etc). If you don’t actually process their money, you should be annoyed their demands for money seem to imply that you have.
I joined the “club”.
I am SOOOO glad to find this web site. Thanks a lot, Sam.
I see here that I am not the first one from Israel to be hit by these scummers.
When they approached me, I don’t even remember how they did, I saw it as a nice opportunity to publisize my business. Then, on the same week, I got another invitation, by International Directories Register. I knew immidiately that this is a scum, and read the small letters at the bottom of the forms. Naively, I didn’t read it thru.
So, what is described here about what World Business Directory is doing, I get it doubled.
Thanks everybody for the good advices, I’ll follow them, and keep you posted if a new reaction by these scummers will pop up.
Keep up with the great job you are doing, Sam.
Tal
Hi All
This is very simple I had the same problem years ago with them when they were based in valencia. Someone in my office signed the document and sent it off.
the whole campaign started……as you all know…… I sent them a letter stating that the opening and reading of my letter would incur an administrative charge of €1000.00 and processing one of theirs was €5000.00 : phone calls were €250.00 per call: and €20.00 euro per minute thereafter (even if I called them) Sending them a itemised bill for €25000.00 approx stopped the letters calls etc.
PS I told them I would bill later for sending the bill for €25000.00.
This is the only language they understand using rational is a very flawed strategy…… this is bullying with a capital B.
Don’t waste your time… even engaging with them tells them you might pay something…… return all to sender and put them in the post box hang up on all calls( which they rarely make unless they think they have you hooked) ( rememeber i was clocking up €250 per hour by talking to them)…Well they stopped fast when they realised I was beginning to enjoy annoying them.
On a global note if you want it to stop this imagine if big legal firms, government departments, the EU started having to deal with this. They only pick on the small and vulnerable maybe they need to poke a bear or two
Thank you
Kuhn Sam Deeks
Hey Nittaya, hope all’s well
Hi,
My company is also become a victim from WBD and we’ve been receiving invoices from them for quite some time right now.
is there anyway we can stop them from doing this kind of stuff?
Best Regards
Ramesh Babu
I had to add my comments to this article it is such a shame that companies like Business World Directory can do business in this way. It gives companies like myself a bad name in the industry. I our team work very hard to offer quality business listings in our directory. I have also come across another company who charge huge amounts of money to be listed in their online directory.
Here is a free tip for all potential businesses who want to list on a online directory do your home work look at what page rank they have also look at what type of companies are listed within the directory also go to Alexa and get more detailed information before you part with your cash.
Michael, thank you for your comments. I’ve seen your directory before. I’m going to take you at your word that you ‘work very hard to offer quality business listings’.
If that’s the case, then it makes it all the more sad that:
1) Your site looks exactly the same as the websites for World Business Directory, Expo Guide and all the other directory scammers out there. That’s a big marketing mistake!
2) Your global directory has exactly 132 business listed and some of them don’t seem to exist. Yeow. Not very confidence-inspiring!
3) Your directory fails EVERY part of the dreaded Deek-O-Matic Online Directory Test. Ouch. No discernible benefits.
I’m not going to go into the details here except to say that the test is very simple, very effective and is pure common sense. I tested a ‘paid listing’ in your directory and found that it gave no useful Google visibility for the company in terms of people searching for the kinds of products they were offering. Doh.
The reason for this is because the keyphrase you’ve used for his directory page title is his company name. And anyone who understands the first thing about Google knows, that using a company name as a keyphrase is practically useless to the company.
Why? Because the point of online marketing (yawn) is to connect that company with people who don’t already know it who are searching for the products and services it offers. Logically, anyone typing that company’s name in Google already, er.. knows about it, in which case, the only possible value of your directory listing is to help those people go straight to that company’s website.
It’s easy for any company to get the No1 listing in Google for its own name (since it’s an uncompetitive term) and sure enough, your advertiser’s own website already has the No1 spot in Google for their own name as well as a range of listings across most of the first couple of pages. By contrast, your directory listing for that company’s name appears half way down page 3.
Far from helping him to get new business, this test proves that your listing fails to effectively direct someone who already knows about him to his website.
So what’s the point? Or is there some benefit I don’t know about?
Dear friends,
The same thing hapen to me, they trick me with there form, and now they are menacing with legal actions, that the only way out is to pay the GBP 980.00 before erracing the second and third year, bla, bla, bla…
What should I do?
Dear Giovanni D Alessandro,
you don’t have to do anything
keep ignore it
Hey guys! Cyprus calling! I am so glad I found this webpage! You saved my life! I have been using the internet for 15 years now and this is the first time that I was cought up in such a fraud… I was so depressed and angry with the whole situation I almost cried. Has anyone managed to make them stop sending all these annoying faxes and emails, and if so, how can my company do that as well? Please help…
Maria, I’m pleased to hear
There are two schools of thought about how to make these people stop. Some people think that the best way is to write to them to tell them that you know they’re scammers (Jules Woodell has some guide letters on his site http://stopecg.org).
Others, like me, think the best way is to ignore them completely.
When they work out you’re not going to be frightened into paying, they will stop because there’s nothing further they can do to get money from you other than scaring you.
Keep strong, spread the word so other people don’t get ripped off – and thanks for commenting. Knowing I saved you from worry makes doing what I do worthwhile
I have just received my twice yearly email from world business directory. To me it automatically look like a scam, firstly with the address 100 Pall Mall, then with the references to Czech Republic. Then with one quick look at the website there is nothing on the site that can justify paying £1000 for. As the Yahoo directory only costs $299 a year anyone paying more than this for any other directory listing really needs to think twice…
You’re dead right Barney
but the problem is that no-one here *thinks* they’re buying a directory entry in anything when they sign the bit of paper. If anyone said “It’s €1100 a year for three years” of course they’d run a mile. What catches people out is the carefully designed form aimed at convincing them it’s a free listing when in fact the small (almost invisible) print says otherwise.
Hi Sam
It is a relief to know I am not on my own (unfortunately for everyone else I know).
I have copied and pasted my correspondence I have had so far to share with you all.
I don’t think I will responed to any more emails from them know, knowing that it is a scam.
===========================================================
Dear Ms Joanna
As you may or may not agree, the email we were sent with the pdf form to fill in, which I have pasted below IS misleading and does not CLEARLY state anywhere that there is any charge what so ever. So the form was filled in and sent off to yourselves, we believing that the listing was free. We did not hear anything back until AFTER the 2nd of June (cut off for free cancellation) from you with an invoice for Euros 995. As soon as we received this invoice, we returned it back to you by post along with a letter of cancellation. Therfore I would appreciate it, if you would cancel ALL listings with no payment to be paid.
Thank you
Joanne
Ladies and Gentlemen.
In order to have your company inserted in the registry of World Businesses for 2010/2011 edition, please print, complete and submit the enclosed form (PDF file) to the following address:
WORLD COMPANY REGISTER
P.O. BOX 3079
3502 GB, UTRECHT
THE NETHERLANDS
email:xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
FAX: +31 20 203 1129
Updating is free of charge!
If you are not the intended recipient, please submit an email to xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Your request shall be dealt with accordingly.
—– Original Message —–
From: Joanne Reay
To: ‘International Directories Group Ltd / Ms Joanna’
Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2010 2:10 PM
Subject: RE: Invoice no 57799 FAO the Accounting Department
Dear Sirs
This entry to the directory was cancelled last week and the invoice returned.
Kind regards
Joanne
Hi Ms Joanne
I guess the bottom line is that whether you do or whether you don’t reply ultimately doesn’t make any difference – since they can’t do anything to you anyway.
I’ve always said that if you reply, you ‘qualify’ yourself a little bit more for their continued attention. I.e. by replying, they know you exist. Since they’re going to try to bully people they know are alive and at that address (rather than people that might be dead or not at that address), then by replying, you select yourself into that first group.
Make no mistake about this scam. Each of the following steps marks you out as worth bullying further:
From that list, it’s OBVIOUS why I recommend that (assuming you’ve already done #1 on the list) that you DON’T DO ANY OF THE OTHERS!
Hi Mary,
would it be possible to send me your letter? my company keeps being harassed by world company register, and would appreciate getting them off of my back.
Thanks.
This is the third website/ forum I have found discussing this scam and others like it dated back and updated over the last three years.
I received a phone call today to say that the debt collecting company was going to deal with us from here on in.
I have registered this scam with the online fraud website and will continue to hang up when they call in the future.
Thank you for the info,
Dublin,Ireland
No problem, Jean – don’t be afraid, they can’t do anything to you. Keep Googling – you’ll find lots of reassuring information out there. And keep looking for evidence that anyone, ever has been taken to court over this. I’ll bet you that you won’t find that evidence
Here I am, another victim of WCD.It is misleading and Unfair trade practice :
The first email received form WCD.
—–Original Message—–
From: info@worldcompanydirectory.com [mailto:info@worldcompanydirectory.com]
Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 8:47 PM
To: info@ekovehicle.com
Subject: Registration of the World Company Directory 2010/2011
Madam/Sir.
In order to have your company inserted into the registry of World Company Directory for 2010/2011, please print, complete and return the enclosed form (PDF file) to the following address:
WORLD COMPANY DIRECTORY
100 Pall Mall – St. James
London SW1Y 5NQ
United Kingdom
email: register@worldcompanydirectory.com
FAX: ++44 207 321 3738
Updating is free of charge!
If you feel that you have received this email in error, please send an email to unsubscribe@worldcompanydirectory.com
Removal requests can be sent to this address and will be honored and respected.
From: susanna [mailto:customerservice@worldcompanydirectory.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 4:04 AM
To: info@ekovehicle.com
Subject: Final Notice 10833
Suddenly this letter landed :
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to you in reference to your outstanding Invoice.
I have to inform you that WCD can not and will not cancel your contract and
You are obligated to pay the outstanding Invoice.
This will be the final notice before your file will be send to our legal department which will add more legal fees to your account.
It would be in your best interest to pay your outstanding Invoice immediately.
Please submit your payment within 24 hours.
Thank you,
Best regards
Susanna Corazon
Account Manager
World Company Directory
From: susanna [mailto:customerservice@worldcompanydirectory.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 4:04 AM
To: info@ekovehicle.com
Subject: Final Notice 10833
Latest is this letter
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to you in reference to your outstanding Invoice.
I have to inform you that WCD can not and will not cancel your contract and
You are obligated to pay the outstanding Invoice.
This will be the final notice before your file will be send to our legal department which will add more legal fees to your account.
It would be in your best interest to pay your outstanding Invoice immediately.
Please submit your payment within 24 hours.
Thank you,
Best regards
Susanna Corazon
Account Manager
World Company Directory
Dear Susanna,
Regret the delay in replying to your email as I have been traveling.
I had overlooked and not read the fine print in your form.
Seeing the bold head line in the form I was under the impression that this is only an update of our company’s information.
I request you to kindly cancel our order and the corresponding invoice and do not take legal recourse .
I deeply regret for the inconvenience and request your understanding.
==================================================================
From: susanna [mailto:customerservice@worldcompanydirectory.com]
Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 8:22 PM
To: info@ekovehicle.com
Subject: Legal Procedure 10833
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to you in reference to your outstanding invoice.
I have to inform you that W.C.D World Company Directory Ltd.
can not and will not cancel your contract.
Due to your signature on the contract, you verified our Terms and Conditions, therefore your are obligated to pay the outstanding invoice.
This will be the final notice before your file will be send to our legal department, who will then submit your file to the Arbitration Court of the Czech Republik.
By signing the contract, you agreed to this legal procedure!
This legal procedure will add more legal fees to your account.
It would be in your best interest to pay your outstanding invoice immediately.
Please submit your payment within 3 days.
Thank you,
Best regards
Susanna Corazon
Account Manager
World Company Directory
From: susanna [mailto:customerservice@worldcompanydirectory.com]
Sent: Wednesday, July 07, 2010 6:24 PM
To: info@ekovehicle.com
Subject: Arbitration 10833
Dear Sir/Madam
This is to inform you, that we submitted your file to the Arbitration Court of the Czech Republik.
You agreed to this procedure by signing the contract and approving to the following paragraph:
THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE SUBSCRIBER AND SERVICE PROVIDER WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC, ESPECIALLY ACT. NR. 513/1991 COLL., COMMERCIAL CODE AS AMENDED.
This paragraph means, that you have to appear personally or being represented by a Czech lawyer in front of the Arbitration Court in the Czech Republik because the contract is governed under the laws of the Czech Republic.
Furthermore, according to the laws of the Czech Republik the contract you signed is a valid contract, this means, that you have to pay all the expenses for the Arbitration Court, your lawyer, our lawyer and all interest starting on the due date of the payment of the invoice.
We still have the possibility to draw back your file from the Arbitration Court
without any further expenses for you, when we receive the payment
of the outstanding invoice
within 4 days after receipt of this email.
Best regards
World Company Directory
===================================================================I welcome suggestions on how to handle this further.
Hi Lalitha. Thanks for your comment. What you’ve posted is their standard way of threatening you. I predict that if you stay in communication with you, they might ‘generously’ offer to settle for just one of the supposed years’ payments (around 1100 euro). Lucky you!
Please read through all the comments here and on other sites and notice that they don’t (and can’t) take anyone to court. The reason is simple: they are a well-known scam and therefore have no legal grounds to bring any action against you. If they did, they would end up behind bars, not you.
Someone in my company has already signed the paper, gotten invoices, and “qualified” a number of our email addresses here by responding to them. [Sigh]. To redirect them from my colleagues and to my thicker skinned attention, I’m considering sending something like Mrs. MA. Cummings’ response. Does anyone have a U.S.-based set of laws to cite as being violated by this scam?
a company lawyer
Does anybody actually know for a fact that they went to court against any subscriber? If they have done so there should be a mark left somewhere!
If they did, there should be a sign somewhere, like you said. Haven’t see it yet
Yesterday i have complained wbg to their account holding bank.
they said that it is not an illegal action so go to police or lawyer else! Maybe many people complain the bank and bank will defunct their account.
Recently bought in to this “Updating is free of charge” world of pain. Oh what a hassle, and WHY in god’s name didn’t I check this company out before?!?!? Like every small business owner doesn’t have enough on his/her plate to keep them occupied on a daily basis. Makes a “smart business owner” feel really gullible and stupid to fall prey to these artists!
Have just today (July 26/10) received their fax for PAYMENT Today, from of all places, a Dallas Texas USA fax number. Things that make you go Hmmm!
Will keep you abreast of developments as best as possible.
We are recently in receipt of yet another Invoice (of a different number) from WBD. We simply reminded them of the mail we had sent them in 2008.
It is reproduced below.
Sirs,
We recently received your invoice# 12527 with the notation “FINAL REMINDER” .
However, we wish to point out that at no time did we subscribe to, contract to subscribe to or even promised to subscribe to the WBD directory.
On April 15, 2008 we received an e-mail from WBD inviting us to “UPDATE” the information that you have on us. We were assured that this updating was for free. We therefore had no compunction in providing the information. There are many directories that include the names of companies for their business reasons and like you, they ask to be updated with current information FOR FREE.
We would like it to be very clearly understood that we did not and do not wish to be included in your directory FOR A FEE. As well, because we did not contract with WBD to include us in the directory, we certainly do not intend to pay this invoice and ask that you desist from contacting us on this matter.
We wish for you and WBD all the best in the future.
I’ve also been had by the World Company Directory. I feel very much relieved reading through this tread and very much appreciative to you all.
Good for you Hoonkoo, don’t be bullied
Don’t pay, they can’t do anything to you.
Yes, another one!!! what can I say, fell for the same scam in 2009 however did manage to get a verbal that the subscription would be cancelled, to be sure I confirmed this back to them in writing.
Surprise, surprise they claim never to have received this email and sent out another invoice for listing 2010. By telephone I again argued the case with Andreea but now they claim the subscription can’t have been cancelled as they did nor issue a cancellation number. In rsponse I sent copies of the original communications by both email and fax teling them we won’t pay and asking for a reply and this so called confirmation number. Needless to say Andreea is no longer communicating with me but trying other members of staff including my Finance Director who is not very happy.
Intend to use parts of the letter by Mrs Cummings – including reference to EU Directive which she correctly cites – and tell them nicely to go away.
This is not to give them recognition but simply to provide our company with a formal written record of closure should they ever try to take us to court.
Hi Kay – sorry to hear you got sucked in. However, keep your chin up – there’s nothing they can (or ever) do to anyone. They’re c-r-o-o-k-s. That means they don’t enjoy the favours of the legal system as you or I do
Of course they’re going to try other people in your office. That’s part of the plan once they’ve hooked you to find someone who will crumble and pay. Think about it from their point of view: it’s either that or give up.
I’ve said this many times here already, but the only factor in whether they get money out of you or not is… you. I can tell from your comment that you’re worried – and I’m not even scamming you
Can you see what that communicates to them? From their point of view you’re a pretty warm lead now.
Honestly, save yourself the time, expense and trouble and ignore them. Then, come back and tell everyone else how, despite their continuing threats (you’ve already crossed that line, so expect more) they do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
Even when you get a letter from their ‘pretend’ debt-collection company, ‘ICAA Ltd Cyprus’ – or whatever they’ll change it to next since I jumped this blog above them in Google lols – (try doing this Google search lols), it’s just them carrying on the bullying. You’ve got to keep this thought in your head: THEY CAN”T DO ANYTHING TO YOU; THEY’VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING TO ANYONE and that’s despite catching literally millions of people in their nets over the last 10 years or so.
They simply make money by sending letters, making the occasional call and waiting for scared people to reach for the credit card and given it’s that f****g easy, it’s surprising there aren’t more people doing it. Ah, bugger. There are.
Ok, that was about 6 thoughts, but I hope you get what I mean
Best of luck
I have received my second postal reminded from the Netherlands. The email I have for them is alessia@internationaldirectoriesgroup.com and she only writes as Ms Alessia, account manager. I only got her emails by writing to info@internationaldirectoriesgroup.com that I found on google. The email address on the invoices (info@worldcompanyregister.com) does not work!
This has been published in the BVI Gazette:
International Directories Group Ltd
BVI COMPANY NO. 1429105
12527 Pursuant to subsection (3)(b) of Section 213
of the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004, NOTICE
IS HEREBY GIVEN that International Directories
Group Ltd, will be struck off the Register unless the
Company, within thirty days from the date of this
notice, appoints a Registered Agent.
Dated 13th August, 2010
At http://www.bvigazette.org/notices/government/pdf/G00317.pdf
you need to register for free for standard access but you can read the above pdf file once you.
Hi Chris… that looks interesting. This is the parent company of World Business Directory unless I’m mistaken… (it’s hard to keep track of these).. Quite what this means in reality, I’m not sure – i.e. whether or not this is good news or simply the scammers shifting elsewhere, I can’t tell. What do you reckon?
Hi Sam,
I emailed Alessia telling her the above but have had no replies since 2 weeks now! So it seems like good news. I got a postal second reminder but emailed and left a message on their spanish phone number saying I won’t pay!
Well Sam if they do change their registration address they will have to print it on their postal letters and will put it on their website too so we will know where they have gone to!
I have just rung their Spanish number spoken to a woman who sounds Romanian but who says she is in Spain! I asked her if she is in Romanania and why she sends invoices from the Netherlands but she said just send an email as the account manager, Alessia,is on holiday until next week. So they are still “in business” !
Hi, collegues!
I’m from Russia, and I’m too was so stup.. I did talk with Alessia several times. It was a few week ago. Yesterday I received a letter from Waldberg&Hirsh Global Collections with threats and the requirement to pay. I very glad to see your discussion and I’m not planning to pay. I will to watch your news with interest.
I have just read on the BVI Gazette that IDG have been struck off on 13th September 2010 and the gazette edition is dated 30th September 2010.
http://www.bvigazette.org/notices/government/pdf/G00324.pdf
you need to register for free to view the above gazette edition
If you read the World Business Directory website they state clearly in the ABOUT US section that:
The World Business Directory online is a product of the EU Business Services Ltd, a corporation organsized and existing under the laws of Nevis, West Indies!!!!
We have just gotten a email and invoice requesting payment and we are not going to pay. It is truly a well worded scam designed to look like they are gathering information not selling listings.
Someone should direct all the people on the directory to this information web page. If all of the above agreed to send a standard email to say 20 listed companies we might have a chance of shutting them down or at least making the returns so small that they will shut down. Sure they will start up again but its a good start to disrupt them as much as they are disrupting all of us!
Have I a story to tell. I sent of a signed agreement THREE YEARS AGO. Within days I decided to let them know I did not want to have my business listed so I wrote a LETTER and sent all INFO BACK to them VIA REGISTERED MAIL. I kept all this and subsequent info. THEY TOOK MY LISTING OFF. so all seemed well. Then the next year came around and they started again harrasssing us about payment but I had all my info and that they had accepted my Registered letter re cancelling . Now they are at it again. They are obviously getting some flack and resisitance as this time I have been sent the terms of agreement. NO 6. states to get your listing cancelled you need to advise them two months before. They had mine TWO YEARS AND EIGHT MONTHS BY REGISTERED MAIL. I Had an email back stating I had to pay despite this. SEEMS THEY think they can change the rules!! I am not paying as I have done the correct thing and I am looking at suing them for a lot of money for harrasment. I have checked with a solicitor and because I sent it by registered mail and they accepted it and removed my listing they have no leg to stand on. We all need to inform many others and MY SUGGESTION send all cancelling info via regsitered mail and keep all correspondence. I agree WHAT ARE THEY OFFERING for the money charged. You can list on many sites for lest than $150 US and get value for money. Do your Homework and they cannot do anything. They need to be closed down. I can tell you they have made a lot of money for nothing.
If you to http://www.ipaddresslocation.org and search for an email address of alessia@internationaldirectoriesgroup.com you will get:
IP Address: 85.9.14.179
Hostname: mail.eurobusinessguide.net
and if you then search the IP address above you get an ISP of GTS Telecom in Bucharest. They have switched to this new ISP from Spacenet SRL in Timisoria in Western Romania.
I phoned and spoke to two women and they sounded Eastern European, not at all Spanish. The last one still insisted that I had placed my order for the listing and thus must pay but I said I would never pay and hung up!
Server Used: [ whois.dns.com.cn ]
http://www.worldcompanyregister.com = [ 200.115.112.234 ]
Domain Name………. worldcompanyregister.com
Creation Date…….. 2010-03-03 12: 47: 29
Registration Date…. 2010-03-03 12: 47: 29
Expiry Date………. 2011-03-03 12: 47: 29
Organisation Name…. EU BUSINESS SERVICES LTD
Organisation Address. PO BOX 2021 3500 GA UTRECHT
Organisation Address.
Organisation Address. Nevis West Indies
Organisation Address. 3500
Organisation Address. WG
Organisation Address. NL
Admin Name……….. EU BUSINESS SERVICES LTD
Admin Address…….. PO BOX 2021 3500 GA UTRECHT
Admin Address……..
Admin Address…….. Nevis West Indies
Admin Address…….. 3500
Admin Address…….. WG
Admin Address…….. NL
Admin Email………. toppk7863@yahoo.com
Admin Phone………. +1.203824833
Admin Fax………… +1.203824833
Tech Name………… EU BUSINESS SERVICES LTD
Tech Address……… PO BOX 2021 3500 GA UTRECHT
Tech Address………
Tech Address……… Nevis West Indies
Tech Address……… 3500
Tech Address……… WG
Tech Address……… NL
Tech Email……….. toppk7863@yahoo.com
Tech Phone……….. +1.203824833
Tech Fax…………. +1.203824833
Bill Name………… EU BUSINESS SERVICES LTD
Bill Address……… PO BOX 2021 3500 GA UTRECHT
Bill Address………
Bill Address……… Nevis West Indies
Bill Address……… 3500
Bill Address……… WG
Bill Address……… NL
Bill Email……….. toppk7863@yahoo.com
Bill Phone……….. +1.203824833
Bill Fax…………. +1.203824833
Name Server………. ns4.jynxweb.com
Name Server………. ns3.jynxweb.com
Here is info on international directories group:
http://www.internationaldirectoriesgroup.com = [ 207.5.89.123 ]
=-=-=-=
Visit AboutUs.org for more information about internationaldirectoriesgroup.com
– a http://www.aboutus.org/internationaldirectoriesgroup.comAboutUs: internationaldirectoriesgroup.com /a-
Registration Service Provided By: Domains.com Limited
Contact: contact@domains.com
Domain name: internationaldirectoriesgroup.com
Administrative Contact:
eu business services limited apollomanagement@yahoo.com
+1.31203120477
Fax:
mainstreet
charlestown CH 10000
KN
Technical Contact:
eu business services limited apollomanagement@yahoo.com
+1.31203120477
Fax:
mainstreet
charlestown CH 10000
KN
Registrant Contact:
eu business services limited ()
Fax:
mainstreet
charlestown CH 10000
KN
Status: Locked
Name Servers:
dns1.name-services.com
dns2.name-services.com
dns3.name-services.com
dns4.name-services.com
dns5.name-services.com
Creation date: 25 Jun 2009 14: 31: 39
Expiration date: 25 Jun 2011 14: 31: 00
Get Noticed on the Internet! Increase visibility for this domain name by listing it at http://www.whoisbusinesslistings.com
=-=-=-=
Version 6.3 4/3/2002
The above International Directories Group seem to be a registered domain in the BVI.
http://www.worldcompanyregister.com has stopped working!
http://www.worldcompanyregister.com is back online now and just mentions that it is governed by the rules and laws of the BVI but does not now have the BVI registration number as they have been struck off. They don’t mention the fact that they have been struck off but I expect the BVI told them to take it off their website.
Still no emails or letters from them for about a month now!
I received an email from them again but now under Europe Business Guide. Same scam but the terms and conditions are the same as before. DO NOT ENTERTAIN these good for nothing low life.
Here is the details
Ladies and Gentlemen.
In order to have your company inserted in the registry of Euro Businesses
for 2011/2012 edition, please print, complete and submit the enclosed
form (PDF file) to the following address:
Europe Business Guide
P.O. BOX 2021
3500 GA, UTRECHT
THE NETHERLANDS
email: register@ebg2011.com
FAX: +31 (20) 524-8107
Updating is free of charge!
If you are not the intended recipient, please submit an email to
unsubscribe@ebg2011.com
Your request shall be dealt with accordingly.
Message ID: Pdajpei
Small print reads
ORDER
THE SIGNING OF THIS DOCUMENT REPRESENTS THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS AND THE CONDITIONS STATED IN “THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR INSERTION” ON WEBPAGE: http://WWW.EUROPEBUSINESSGUIDE.NET THE SIGNING IS LEGALLY BINDING AND GIVES YOU THE
RIGHT OF AN INSERTION ON THE ONLINE DATA BASE OF THE EUROPE BUSINESS GUIDE, WHICH CAN BE ACCESSED VIA THE INTERNET. AND A CD ROM WITH EUROPEAN BUSINESSES IS GRANTED, ALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONTRACT CONDITIONS STATED IN “THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS FOR INSERTION” ON WEBPAGE:WWW.EUROPEBUSINESSGUIDE.NET THE VALIDATION TIME OF THE CONTRACT IS THREE YEARS AND STARTS ON THE EIGHTH DAY AFTER SIGNING THE CONTRACT. THE INSERTION IS GRANTED AFTER SIGNING AND RECEIVING THIS DOCUMENT BY
THE SERVICE PROVIDER. I HEREBY ORDER A SUBSCRIPTION WITH SERVICE PROVIDER EU BUSINESS SERVICES LTD “EUROPE BUSINESS GUIDE”. I WILL HAVE AN INSERTION TO ITS DATA BASE FOR THREE YEARS. 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. YOUR DATA WILL BE RECORDED. THE PLACE OF
JURISDICTION IN ANY DISPUTE ARISING IS THE SERVICE PROVIDER’S ADDRESS. THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SERVICE PROVIDER AND THE SUBSCRIBER IS GOVERNED BY THE CONDITIONS STATED IN “THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR INSERTION” ON WEBPAGE:
http://WWW.EUROPEBUSINESSGUIDE.NET
I also registered to WBD but never pay them….!!!
Gentlemen, a question.
If the statement is not worth printing, whether it is considered in court? After all, the name, phone number and website can be found on the Internet.
Hi Igor – I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you’re asking here? As far as I know, nothing is needed in court to defend against these scams – since they don’t take people to court.
I am glad I found this site. After being an online marketer and writer for several years now, I have read and seen many dubious schemes and scams out to cheat people. When I received an email from world business directory, I immediately became suspicious so I did a google search and found this site. My suspicions have been confirmed! Great job Sam! I will blog about this and link to this site. More people need to know that this is nothing but a scam.
Thanks Sors. That’s kind of how I came across Expo Guide / World Business Directory and similar. And I decided to do what I could to relieve some of the misery that these people put decent folk through. It’s not right that so many people suffer this stress, shame and worry from these scammers. I did what I could. Hope you can to.
Hi, I am Wiwin from Indonesia, have same case with WBD.
I have stupidily paid for 2 times to them, tried to send some cancellation letter, and still trying to do that but we feel they ignore us completely. We received some comment according to our cancellation request, see what they say (amazingly hillarious and doesn’t make sense).
At first year of our cancellation :
“We have not received your written request of cancellation that is why the second invoice has been issued and cannot be cancelled. Please send me the proof of the bank transfer for your second invoice together with your written request of cancellation.I will register them to our Credit Department and the same day your payment reaches into our bank account, the Credit Department will issue the Cancellation Note and we will consider this matter closed.”
After paid and sent written request of cancellation, we still receive another invoice with their explaination on our cancellation requested :
“….as I have already explained to you, since you have not received any Cancellation Note, issued by our Credit Department and signed by our General Manager, your order is still valid and we cannot cancel the invoice that has already been issued…”
[Yes, because it is very impossible that their General Manager will approve of something could reduce the company revenue. Am I right ???]
So, should I ignore them and not pay any cent again, and make sure that i’m not going to jail ???
Wiwin, you’re NOT going to jail. In all the thousands of reports, stories, comments and posts I’ve read from around the world, nobody has ever gone to jail for not paying these scammers. Relax. Keep researching, you’ll see there’s nothing to fear – except fear itself (and that’s what they depend on for their dirty money).
Regretably we too have been had by World Company Directory Ltd, the one based at Pall Mall, apparently. Here is the email we received on 12th December 2011. Steer well clear if you receive the same!:
“Madam/Sir.
In order to have your company inserted into the registry of World Company Directory for 2010/2011, please print, complete and return the enclosed form (PDF file) to the following address:
WORLD COMPANY DIRECTORY
100 Pall Mall – St. James
London SW1Y 5NQ
United Kingdom
email: xxxxxx x x xx x xxx
FAX: ++44 207 321 3738
Updating is free of charge!
If you feel that you have received this email in error, please send an email to xxxx x x x x xxxxx x x x
Removal requests can be sent to this address and will be honored and respected.”
As you can see it clearly states that “updating” is free of charge but then 1 month later we received an invoice for €980 followed but a FINAL reminder with late fees and charges the FOLLOWING day! Interestingly the final reminder was dated 20th January and I received it on 19th January! They are clearly time travellers as well as low life scammers!
The terms and conditions only turned up when they invoiced us and it turns out that if we don’t pay the €980 for the first year, then 3 years worth of subscription will become due immediately totalling €2940!!!
We have absolutely no intention of paying. Any tips from anyone who has stood their ground against these people recently would be gratefully received!
Wish these people would go and get a proper job and leave the rest of us to get on with earning an honest living!! I don’t have time for this nonsense!
Greetings from Florence, Italy!
I have read some comments, not all of them as there seem to be many victims of this fraud. I was/am one of them. I filled in the form in August 2009 and then the persecution started (faxes, emails, letters -BUT NEVER REGISTERD LETTERS!!)and they scared me. I had a lawyer friend write to them to scare them off as well. They reacted in a very nasty way. Anyway, as my friend explained, the way they add the penalty money is completely arbitrary. When the collecting office wrote a letter to me (not a registered letter, I would like to underline)I wrote an email back to them where I said that if they would not stop I would report them to the police in Italy, in Spain and in the Netherlands. They stopped sending letters in 2010. I was surprised they would start at the beginning of the second year again…. but they seem to have given up now… I suppose they will bother me for 3 years.. in the meantime I have grown stronger!
Good for you Violetta! They probably will bother you again, but just remember, they are POWERLESS.
Our company is called Global Business Register Limited. We are legally registered in Ireland and our business involves the selling and distribution of official company information that is sourced from the national company registers around Europe. We are an official distributor for the EBR (European Business Register). EBR is an official EU organisation involved in the integration of business registers across Europe. (http://www.ebr.org)
We would wish to advise your readers that our company should not be confused with either World Company Register or World Business Directory or EU Business Directory. We have no association whatsoever with any of them and wish to clearly state that we do not condone in any way the activities of these organisations.
It is free to use our service to search for company information and should you wish to order an official document on a company there is a small fee associated with that. We do not offer to include any company in a directory and charge fee for it.
If anyone would like further information I would be very happy to help them with their query.
Hi Rob. It must drive you nuts that your legitimate project is surrounded by all these scams with such similar-sounding names! Happy to publish your comment.
just like everyone i have also been a victim of this scam and would also like to join the revolt to put an end to these scammers i found a complaint site of bbb publications http://www.complaints.bbb.org/welcome.asp [This doesn't work - Sam] and on one site i.e inflatablepromotions.com/target_publications/target_publications.htm. They have steps as to what has to be done if you indulge in these scams.
Hope this will help many as being a business man i know how much time, energy, and sleep i have lost which affects my work and me.
Hi Moiz. Thanks for the comment. Appreciate the intention but the information you’re supplying is quite out of date I think. http://stopecg.org/ is a better resource for people to start with (even that was last updated 2009!) – although I disagree with any advice encouraging correspondence with these scammers for the simple reason that it plays into their scam and sets you up for further bullying.
Hello, I am writing from Croatia
I’m a victim prevare.Naime person who works in a company filled out and sent
form, although not authorized for signature.
All of the above, I wrote to Messrs. but they seek 995.eur
How to proceed?
Thanks for your reply.
Thanks guys – got this offer from World Business Directory, did a google search and you saved me from completing it! Thank you for sharing the information – much appreciated!
Our pleasure, Natalie
Hi, the company I’m working in is one of the victims too.
I was so worry previously as they send me the invoice and bunch of reminder emails saying that I need to pay them. I consulted my company lawyer and they suggested me to pay, saying that it was my mistake that I do not read clearly.
I’m very glad that I found this website. With all the comments and suggestions from all of you I’m now more confident to deal with the situation. Special thanks to Sam.
Hi Jessica – glad to hear. I’m pleased that this collection of everyone else’s experiences has helped you. That’s what the internet is good for
Just an update: We sent in our reply (registration request to these SCAMMERS sometime around May 2010.
When we realized what had happened, of course, like everyone else, we researched this company which has changed named more times than one can count and realized the huge mistake we’d made.
We sent ONE letter (email) to the company advising that we believe we were fraudulently misled into signing a document with their company and that we had no intention to pay their demands.
November 2010 was our our last “official letter” from their legal department/lawyers (remember these documents and emails were coming weekly between July until November).
Aside from this last hard copy mailing sent last November, we only receive the sporadic email requests now to sign up for their “new business register” – under SEVERAL different names:
- Business Guide Update
- Business Guide Register
- EU Business Register
- Business Register Update
- World Company Directory http://www.worldonbook.com. (The website was founded in 2010)
- International Directories Group
Hope that helps some. We just ignored these requests and they went away. We’re based in North America, so perhaps they figured the cost of filing a lawsuit and actually getting us to pay 900 euros or whatever it was, was not worth the effort.
Best to you all.
We have just been hit by these at our company. One of my administrators completed the dreaded form for the World Business Guide and again did it under the understanding that this was a free listing. I’ve just sent them an email threatening them with going to the Office of Fair Trading and that if I am to receive any further emails I shall be invoicing them for my time. Which I will do. I’ll keep you posted. What a set of Con artists!
I’ve just reported them to the Office of Fair Trading and to the Justice department at the EU Commission. They need to be stopped.
Hi,
Do you have some idea of the time scale when they give up, there must be a point whereby they think we are not going to get anything from this person. I have WBD and this EU business directory chasing me!
I just don’t respond to their demands, please advise.
Thank you,
Hi Ian – no, unfortunately I don’t. Once they know you’re at the other end, then from their perspective it’s probably worth a couple of letters a year and the odd phone call. Who knows? Maybe forever?
You’d think there would be a point where they (and you) realise that they’ve been threatening you with ‘court action in your country in the next 7 days’ for so long that it becomes completely ridiculous. The problem (as they well know) is that reason goes out the window when fear is in town… and what someone like me (who never got caught up in this) can see clearly, their scared victims can’t.
If you’re worried, my advice is simply stop worrying. Step back and look at the facts. These people are known worldwide as scammers and they have NEVER taken anyone to court ANYWHERE, for the simple reason they can’t.
Hi Sam
Thank you for your comments, could send a letter like Mary’s see if that works? if any knows if they do eventally do give up, it would be intersting to know for people coming on here.
Thanks again
Hi
I am so grateful to you guys. I received the e-mail yesterday and thought I would do a bit of research before filling in the form. Thanks a million as now I will not have the hassle that many of you are having. All I have to do now is press delete and wish everyone else could do the same.
Thanks again
Good to hear, Gilly. You’ve saved yourself a pile of grief
Hi,
Our company is from Latvia. And we are a victim of WBG too. I’ve got the letters from them by post and fax. I’m so glad, that I’ve found your articles. I was so worried, I didn’t know how to react and what to do, pay or not to pay.
As I understood, just not to answer them and ignore.
Thank you.
Hi again, I originally posted on here last June or July and it would seem that the WBD scam is getting bigger by the day with more and more people getting caught up with it.
Well on Friday I received a letter, which came from Greenford in Middlesex. When I opened it it was exactly the same as the emails I had been deleteing for the last 3 or 4 years. So maybe this is another tactic they have started. Anyway the reason I mention this is because if soemeone else deals with your incoming mail rather than you, then you need to make them aware of this scam. It only takes a second to put the office stamp on and put it in the post…
Hi Barney, thanks for visiting and commenting again. I don’t know whether this scam is having a surge or whether it’s just the normal churning out emails and direct mails… but it’s definitely NOT going away. Why would it? There’s too much money to be made from doing nothing to stop. Especially when no government anywhere has the BALLS to do anything about it.
After a couple of years blogging about these people (and saving businesses millions in the process) I have to say that I am disgusted that no authority anywhere has the courage to take these people on.
dear all,
we as well are victim of this situation.
have sent some replies on e-mail, but they sill conitnue to send reminders. We also are not going to pay, but this is getting very annoying to deal with this.
I also wonder if there is not leagal instrument to ask responsibility fm these people. Why we pay tax to feed our goverment and european institutions. there should be the way to go further. just need to know whom to address. Sam, as you know so much about it, maybe you can find out, I am sure many poeple will give you support.
Hi. I received one of these and have been in email discussion for the last few days. Finally I started threatening them by sending the following emails:
Dear Sir/Madam
I have now taken further legal advice and have also investigated your company. I am instructed to inform you of the following:
1. Your original form and email was misleading and so we are looking at the trades description act for guidance both in the UK and the Netherlands as the original email and form indicated that the Upgrade insertion was Free of Charge. No doubt the Trading Standards Office from either of these countries will be in touch with you shortly about this.
2. As you did not send an order confirmation/acknowledgment within the times laid down in the Distance Selling Regulations Act, you clearly did not allow me the correct period of time with which to cancel the order. As you failed in your duty of care by not confirming the order received nor by sending the invoice within the specified days, the time for me to cancel is therefore extended under law to 30 days. As I emailed the cancellation upon receipt of the invoice you are obligated to cancel the order.
3. You further failed by not completing the contract by not issuing (a) Order Confirmation, (b) Terms of Trading, (c) Copy of a Contract duly signed by a company representative and/or (d) supply of goods in accordance with your own terms; therefore you have failed to fulfil your part of the contract thus allowing me the right to cancel. You can be prosecuted under the Fraud Act for failing to submit these documents which is a legal requirement on the part of your company under Law.
4. It appears that your actions in approaching me and the documents used were not in accordance with the requirements of the Distance Selling Act so as such the contract is null and void. I have been selling under this Act since its inception and as such I am fully aware of any obligations to it.
5. I recommend you visit the following website: http://stopecg.org/world_business_guide.htm. This obviously indicates to me and others that you may not be a genuine company with professional ethics but who appear to be endeavouring to entrap customers. As such you can and may be prosecuted under the Fraudulent Acts Law.
I now look to receiving your confirmation that the invoice has been cancelled and that I will no longer receive any further correspondence on this matter.
Should I do so I will have no hesitation in pursuing retribution in a court of Law for harassment and for your lack of duty of care.
This is the reply I got:
Dear Sirs,
International Directories Group Ltd strongly rejects these allegations which are totally unfounded and have no legal basis. We have no intention to deliver our services to companies that do not find them useful and have never inserted a company into the World Business Guide against their will or out of our own initiative. Our company operates by means of direct marketing which implies sending our offer directly to clients and letting them decide whether they order or not. It is a widely-acknowledged and accepted form of marketing functioning all over the world.
The email you received does not affect in any way the agreement concluded between our two companies which is based on a legally-binding document that bears your legal signature and represents the legal proof of you having ordered our services for 3 years.
We have done nothing but honour your request for our services, reason for which our position is as previously advised.
Since your company benefits from our services and we have honoured our part of the agreement, we ask of you nothing but to honour your financial obligations towards our company as well.
I remind you that the invoice is already overdue and to avoid the addition of late payment fees the payment should be made as soon as possible.
Furthermore, allow me to point out that the internet cannot be used as a reliable source of information since everyone is free to publish any type of information regardless of its libelous nature. For further reference, please be so kind and refrain form making such allegations which we strongly reject.
Taking into consideration all the abovementioned, our position remains as previously advised. We will consider this matter close only after the amount due for this year reaches our bank account.
In the end I told them I was going to report them to the Trading Standards Office in the UK and Netherlands and would be instructing my Solicitor for action under the Frauds Act.
Just waiting to for a response now.
PS I noted some of the comments about reading. But the writing was so small it was easy to misinterpret the wording. even so you are allowed a period of time to cancel but only if they acknowledge the order.
Hi Ann.
Please tell me you’re NOT surprised! These people are hardly going to say “Ooops – you rumbled us, missus – fair cop, we’ll leave you alone”.
As I’ve said more than a few times before, the psychology is simple:
The one thing that this scam depends on is that decent people, slapped in the face unexpectedly, react by thinking it was somehow something they did to deserve it. And that reaction is exactly what this scam is founded on.
If you want proof, look at what they say in all their reply (and more explicitly in the comments of the occasional ‘trolls’ on this site). They demonstrate time after time the underlying mentality that they think gives them the right to rip people off.
“You’re too stupid to see our small print? You deserve to be ripped off to teach you a lesson. It’s your own fault”
They’re not afraid of your threats, Ann. They’re effectively outside the law (they have over 10 years of successful, largely unhindered scamming behind them to prove it).
The only way to fight them is to ignore them and leave them wasting their money sending letters and calling.
On the other hand, if you’ve got €1,000 to pay to stop their bullying, go ahead – that, of course, is exactly what they’re hoping this comes to.
Dear WBD Victims,
We all are simply confronted with international swindle, which are really illegal, fraudulent and punishable. But we need to confess – it is very nice organized.
In any case – take it easy, do not worry, and have a look here just for information:
http://www.mukaumedia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/SarahLudfordMEP.pdf
Conclusion:
1. Do not arrange any payments.
2. DEFINITELY!!! inform local authorities, especially attended in financial crimes investigation.
Alex,
Vilnius, LITHUANIA
Alex – good link
Hi Sam,
we got again letter stating that if we dont arrange payment within 5 days they start legal action + they add 300 eur on top for administration.
Is there anything should be replied to them?
Elena
Hi Elena. That’s the way they ‘up the pressure’ – but it doesn’t mean anything. Don’t reply. They WILL continue to try to bully you though. You have to ignore it. Read all the comments on this post and also here and you will see that this happens to everyone, but nobody needs to pay.
Hello Sam,
I am also a “victem” from this WCD. I also follow your forum. Thanks you made me see that I am not alone en how to handle these people.
I also got post from Gothiagroup. Did you already contacted Lisa Domican for more information?
I am curious what she has to say about her new “client”.
Regards Tony
Thanks Tony – I’m emailing you to find out a bit more about your mail before I make contact with them.
Hallo Sam,
Strangly I got 2 e-mails with requests for more information about Gothia. Both mails want to have een scan of the documents?
Can you explane ?
Tony
Not strange at all Tony, one sent by accident from my home address, one from my work address because my email client went bonkers.
I registered the blog http://eurobusinessfraud.blogspot.com/
as it had been taken down! Have a look Sam.
What are you hoping to do with it Chris?
Hi Sam,
we got final of final reminders, to do payemnt till end of month, or our file will be passed to:
Waldberg & Hirsch Global Collections Ltd.
Hoogoorddreef 9, 1101 BA Amsterdam Zuid-Oost, The Netherlands
Are you familiar with the guys?
rgds
Elena
Elena – all the research shows that these people are not real debt collectors.
Nobody has ever been taken to court. No evidence anywhere of any of these scams ever going near a court; no bailiffs, no debt collection, no process-serving. They’re just people on the end of the phone paid to pretend to be debt-collectors to frighten you. Don’t let them bully you.
Expo Guide (another scam) pretends to be a debt collector called ‘ICAA Cyprus Ltd’ to call and bully IT’S victims. The reason they do it this way is because it works enough of the time to be profitable. Simple.
Hi Elena
I’m in the same situation as you are. I have received faxes, emails and today – a call from the credit department.
I’ve too received the fax from the legal counselor
Waldberg & Hirsch Global Collections Ltd.
Hoogoorddreef 9, 1101 BA Amsterdam Zuid-Oost, The Netherlands
Anyone can advise?
Many thanks
Sherine
Sherine, all the evidence we’ve seen suggests that Waldberg & Hirsch is not a bona fide company and they’re more than a little connected to European Business Guide (one version of this scam) and probably World Business Directory, World Company Directory, World Business Register, European City Guide, Fairguide… the list is endless.
Several of these scams create ‘debt collection’ company names to try to convince you that they have the power to take you to court. They don’t – and there’s also no evidence of anyone ever being taken to court by them.
For anyone interested, W&H ‘website’ (the ‘debt collector’ for European Business Guide) fails to even materialise in the first few pages of Google search results for the keyphrase “Waldberg & Hirsch global debt solutions”. That’s spectacularly bad going.
And to prove they’re fake, I did a quick search on a line of text from their website “Van Dellen noted that ED’s reward-based system” which immediately showed they’ve stolen the text from this site (and used it again on this spammy site).
Dear Sherine,
they postponed us payment till end of May. So maybe later they will call. At this momet we only have spam e-mails where they again remind that we have contract for 3 years and that we must pay till end of May, so 2 weeks to go. Will see. I just wonder, if they ever give up?
well will see, at this stage we will not pay.
what this legal department asked you, just courious….
brgds
Elena
Hi Sam
Many thanks for your advice! You’ve been a great help
I had enough of them. Just wish they can stop.
Thanks
Sherine
Hi Elena
I wont be paying either… Its lot of money.
They said they are Credit Department calling on behalf of their client. They are taking legal actions on us on the overdue amount of Euro 1000 plus and if we do not pay by end of the month, it will increase to Euro 2000 (with the legal fees included).
I start to get worried. Since I’ve Google and found this website till did I realized it was a scam!
Regards
Sherine
Hi
I’m being hassled by the World Business Guide too. The last email I received contained some sort of vague threat to issue ‘the Notice’ and take the matter ‘a step further’. Whatever that means.
According to the swift code on their letters (CEKOSKBXI) their bank is CESKOSLOVENSKA OBCHODNA BANKA A.S. in Slovenia. So I emailed them at info@csob.cz asking them how they can justify providing bank services to notorious scammers and have yet to receive a reply. I also contacted my local MEP, Nigel Farage, in Guildford, and he replied:
‘there is no need to worry. Companies like ECG have never sued anyone and depend entirely upon empty menaces to make their grubby scheme pay. Indeed, they have been successfully sued themselves, for misleading advertising, on several occasions.’
Are there any other bodies that we can report the World Business Guide too? Does anyone know of some kind of banking regulatory body in Slovenia that we could hassle to get them to close the business account of the World Business Guide? I’m utterly disgusted at their tactics and I don’t want to just sit around and wait for their next bullying email.
Thanks!
Back again, recieved a few faxes and emails blah blah blah, I then sent a email to them pretty much calling them unethical scammers and questioning how they sleep at night. Their response was this:
Thank you for your email and I apologies for my late reply.
First of all, allow me to point out that we have delivered the services
based on your request. As you have not sent us an enquiry or asked for
assistance before signing and sending the order, nor did you send us a
cancellation request, we considered you agreed with our conditions.
Regarding the link you have sent, please allow me to point out that the
internet cannot be used as a reliable source of information since everyone
is free to publish any type of information regardless of its libellous
nature. Therefore, we strongly reject these allegations, which are totally
unfounded and have no legal basis.
Moreover, to my mind the real problem is that people should not sign any
documents without asking for further information or without legal advice.
However, this is a problem out of our reach, and we cannot be held
responsible for the fact that someone accidentally missed to read the whole
contract.
Since you stated your opinion, allow me to say that we share different views
on this matter. To my mind, life cannot be always seen in black and white,
in fact, in real world situations are almost always shades of grey.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I appreciate it.
Have a beautiful weekend.
Best regards,
Ms Hanna
EU Business Services Ltd.
Hi Evan.
This is them in ‘good cop’ mode.
Yes, of course they’re going to say that
Think about the psychology behind this. If you really think they’re crooks, if you’re really not afraid, why would you email them telling them you think they’re scammers? You’d just ignore them or tell them to ‘fuck off’ one time.
The subconscious message you’re sending them (and me) is that you don’t really believe they’re crooks and that a part of you really does believe you made a mistake.
They then home in on that in their reply. They’re burrowing into your self-doubt and using sweetness and niceness to get to the core of your secret fear that perhaps you WERE wrong.. perhaps they DO have a right to have money from you.
This is exactly what they’re trained to work on, I promise you. It’s exactly what I’d train people to work on too, if I was a scammer.
They will only stop when they KNOW they’re getting nothing. In my view, the quickest way to get to that point is to ignore them completely. Hang up when they call and tear up their letters.
Oh, and let them try to sue people like me for libel. That would be the perfect platform to raise awareness about this disgusting global scam – and cost them a hell of a lot more money as a result.
Hey Sam,
Thanks for your concern, but I assure you that I have no fear of them.
To be honest I’m just having too much fun right now. I know they can’t do anything, it’s just funny to see what they come up with next.
Excellent – that’s good to hear.
hi Sam,
after many reminders we are passed to other level
got first fax fm Waldberg & Hirsch…. and laos additional charges now applies, like never ending
new dealdline in 2 weeks will see what comes next.
brgds
E
My company also been scammed by them! I’m from Singapore. They are now calling us with threats of legal action. Anyway to stop this harassment apart from actually changing out number and address????
Hi Sonja, I don’t think there’s anything you can do to stop them. The thing you have to remember is that they don’t ever take anyone too court; it’s just their way of bullying. I’m still looking for any evidence of a court appearance … but no sign.
My Wife signed the form last year, thanks to sites like this I told her to ignor it. We then got threarening letters followed by phone calls. I told them my MEP is on the case and to take me to court in the UK. It stopped the phone calls and the letters for a while. Letters have just started again this year, I’m almost waiting for the phone calls to tell them where to go.
Love the idea of filling in the form with their company details.
I’m just going to keep shedding the letters and donate it to someone with a hampster.
I think we need a lawyer (preferably deceived by WBD, WBG …). I am willing to pay 20-50 euros for his services, and bringing legal action against WBD. Perhaps the appropriate rules are found and others cheated to join with a fee. Any offers?
I had a bit of fun with this crowd. When I received their misleading “Order Form”, I read through it, and discovered the hidden 995 euro annual charge.
So I used a pdf editor and changed the small print, so say that if I agreed to them using my details in their Guide, they would pay *me* 995 euros per year…
Then I printed and sent off the form, duly signed.
In due course, I received an invoice for the first payment. Since they clearly hadn’t read the document carefully, I decided not to immediately tip my hand. Instead I emailed them back as follows:
“Dear Ms Denisse,
Please could you explain the situation to me – there seems to be some confusion over what was free of charge, who pays who, etc.
Regards,
M G
P.S. It seems your enquiries phone number is some sort of Premium Rate number. While I am sure everyone would agree this is both profitable and unethical, is it in fact legal?”
They, predicatbly, wrote back and demanded payment, so I wrote again, for clarification:
“Dear Ms Denisse,
Could you please confirm on behalf of your company that my signing the order, is considered binding on both yourselves and my company?
Secondly, do I understand correctly that your company maintains that even if either party fails to read the small print, or think it was intended to deceive, they are still bound by all the terms???
I don’t mean to be difficult, but I am sure you understand the feeling that you have somehow been cheated!
Regards,
MG”
And finally, after another rather confused reply from them:
“Dear MsDenisse,
Before any money changes hands, I just want simple confirmation that the contract that I signed is binding on both parties, regardless of whether the small print was read or not! A simple yes or no will suffice. If yes, the first payment should be made no later than Friday 23rd October.
Regards,
MG.”
As you can see, I had fun building in the ambiguity…
Shortly afterwards, I had a phone call from “Denisse”, who told me she had the signed contract in front of her. She REALLY didn’t know what to say when I made her read it to me, slowly and carefully, and it dawned on her what it really said. She put the phone down on me, and I then received another email from someone else, threatening me with dire consequenced for fraud etc. etc. (But still demanding payment).
It was fun while it lasted, but of course it all just got put in their system, and I still receive annual demands from their shyster collection agency.
Of course I never had any intention of binding them to their payments (I *was* intending to deceive them), but I am amused that they are trying to demand payment despite the “contract” reading the wrong way!
I’ve just received an email from the email address update@intercable.eu, a company calling themselves The Global Intenet Business Register – looks like they’re doing the exact same thing as has been described on this page, just under a different name.
In the email they’ve asked me to confirm company details that they’ve already got, by completing a form. There’s a form attached to the email, actually on the form it says at the top ‘For a FREE listing return this form unsigned’ then it has all the space for you to fill out your details and sign, with small print saying if you sign the form you’re contracted to 5 years of listing in their directory at a cost of 970 EURO per year.
What a ridiculous scam! They also have an option at the bottom of the email to ‘unsubscribe’, but i don’t want to email them back as i guess that would just verify my email to them and they’ll send me more rubbish.
I’m grateful i found these pages with information on similar scams, and just hope many more people find and read what’s here before they sign up.
Meg – thanks for the comment and the heads up on that name – Global Internet Business Register. I’ve not heard that one before, I will add it to the list. What did you type in Google to arrive here – can you remember?
Dear All,
today just tried to find via google WBG web page, and seems it is not working anymore…. doest it mean our friends are on vocation???
Or maybe they are working on other income source.
brgds
Jelena
Hello all,
Stupidly I signed up with WBG and am now subjected to the phone calls, emails etc you have all described.
An earlier post by Mary describes a letter she sent from her MEP that stopped the harassment – I was wondering if I could get a copy? Does anyone have any legal type letters that might help?
Thanks very much, a sheepish Tom.
Hi, I stupidly signed the “contract” with the people of World Company Directory. Since I saw that it was a scam I have not replied to an e-mail from WCD, I have not answered the many letters that arrive by mail, by raising the price of “annuity” in a few weeks. It really is a scam because any kind of contract it is possible to withdraw and not continue, so I think that is a farce. I also noticed that the “contract” NO explicitly refer to Court but it is a simple arbitration of the Chamber of Commerce of the Czech Republic, I deserve all the respect but has no ability to dictate court ruling. Therefore, everything that goes next is mere verbiage. The saddest condemn the insignificance of these people do suffer WCD by many people with their scams.
Thank you very much
Pope (Spain)
Hi Just to conmfirm what evereyone else says its a scam, just ignore the letters and faxes from them and their ‘Legal advisors’
you can make some horrible phone calls to ‘Ms Christina’ she is very calm no matter what you call her (I found) but you feel much better afterwards, I quite like asking her is she was a crook, and if she could advise me of a court date as I would like to meet her, but she wouldnt bite so I just called her names for fun
Hi Paul.. they have a lot of practice not biting. Their money depends on it after all. So long as you’re not actually paying them, you might as well observe how they operate, get under their skins a little bit. These are real people, going to sleep every night knowing they’re ripping people off. Some part of them doesn’t feel good, no matter what nasty armour they put on. They’re worthless scammers, unable to do anything more constructive in their lives. Yet. Everyone has time to learn, to make amends and be redeemed.
Hi thank you to everyone for these comments, its great to see I am not alone. Im busy with this company right now, today. Today I decided to investigate further as I did not like the tone of the emails sent to me. Last year I was stupid enough to pay this year I am not, I have now researched this thoroughly and I will not be paying this company a cent nor will I have contact with them. I have blocked them on the phone and via email, if anything gets through to me I will delete.
They are now wanting a second year payment. Something today made me decide to research them and I wish I had done this last year. Thanks to everyone on this list for sharing your experience with these company. I feel much better knowing I am not alone. regards Alison
Ah, Alison – sorry to hear you paid these people the first year. That, of course, is why they’re back bullying hard. But please to hear that you feel better knowing you’re not alone. But it’s not just the knowledge that these people have scammed tens, if not hundreds of thousands, of people just like you that should give you reassurance; you should be reassured that it’s a SCAM, period. A scam designed to scare people into paying. It’s as simple as that. And because it’s a scam, it is illegal and cannot, has not and never will take anyone to court.
Dear Sam,
I can tell you that after I ignored all mails and letters, i didnt hear them. I alos chekced before, thier web was notworking as well. something happening there, maybe reorganisation.
will see…
thanks
Elena
Hello everyone!
Thank you for all your comments and information given here. If not your help lots of companies would pay and pay to this organizations.
Well, our company is from Spain and we have also inserted this form in WCD and World Trade Register, that were sent at the same time.They tell you in the letter that what you need to do is just fill in the form and send it to the following address…. And the whole process is free of charge.Here are some examples:
De: support@worldcompanydirectory.com [mailto:support@worldcompanydirectory.com]
Enviado el: miércoles, 01 de junio de 2011 11:37
Asunto: Registration of the World Company Directory 2011/2012
Madam/Sir.
In order to have your company inserted into the registry of World Company Directory for 2011/2012, please print, complete and return the enclosed form (PDF file) to the following address:
WORLD COMPANY DIRECTORY
100 Pall Mall – St. James
London SW1Y 5NQ
United Kingdom
email: register@worldcompanydirectory.com
FAX: ++44 207 321 3738
De: Anne – World Trade Register [mailto:info@eubizservwtr.com]
Enviado el: viernes, 08 de julio de 2011 5:52
Asunto: Business Registration 2011/2012
Dear Madam/Sir,
In order to have your company inserted in the World Trade Register’s 2011/2012 edition, please print, complete and return the enclosed form to the following address:
World Trade Register
3502 GB Utrecht
The Netherlands
Updating is free of charge!
To unsubscribe, please send an email to unsubscribe@worldtrade-register.com
Fax: +31 205 248 107
In two-weeks they send you the invoice by post and e-mail, that we shoul pay these invoices. I have written the letter first to the WTD telling them that we are not going to pay this amount and we ask them to cancel the contract/order. They said that it is imposible to cancel it and please proceed with the payment of the invoice.
After that I wanted to investigate the information about the WCD, i have tried to enter the Web page, it was out of service, and after that I have found out the commentaries of lots of people about the scam of these companies.
These days the World Trade Register are still sending letters and calling us, but I don’t reply to their emails and I don’t answer their calls. We didnt pay anything. Hope that we are on the right way! Could you please recommend me if we should contact some authorities in Spain or in Europe in general and comment them about this matter? Some email addresses would be welcome.Or we should follow the same way that now: just ignoring their letters and calls and do not pay?
Your answer and help would be appreciated.Best regards, Maria.
Maria – simplest approach; just ignore.
When you respond / mail you’re just telling them 1) You’re alive 2) You’re at that address and usually 3) You’re worried. That’s like inviting them to bully you some more. Just ignore and they’ll eventually give up.
Hi Sam,
I am from Indonesia, and have the same problems with WBD. In 2009 we thought that it was free of charge, and we paid GB 980 for the first year. The account Manager was Ms Olga Kelemen and also MR Van Ruler as their Legal counsel. We directly sent back the CD ROM and make cancellation for the following years. Since we did not cancell by formal letter (only email), they did not give any respond, till the second year (2010), the invoice our company again!
I sent a formal cancellation letter August 2010 and get no respond at all.
Until last week, someone called Dana (the new Account Mgr), called me and push my company to pay.
She said that my cancellation letter in 2010 was too late and they already published.
I have discussed this issue with out internal legal counsel, and we sent all evidences (email conversations with Olga) and also our copy of the 2010 cancellation letter).
After this, Dana wrote (wednesday Nov 16th 2011):
Dear Ms Sintawati, Ms Santi,
thank you for your email and for providing us a copy of letter enclosed which is not in our possession yet.
Having double checked and discussed the details of your account with all the relevant departments within our company prior to my email answer sent to Ms Sintawanti sent on the 29th of September, 2011, I am able to provide you the correct information regarding this matter.
We regret the inconvenience but a cancellation request, in order to be effective and validated should have been sent by registered post with confirmation of receipt two months prior the next contractual year comes into force. Any other cancellation request is not granted to reach our relevant department, just as your request did not reach our Contracts Administration Department in order to be validated.
The mistake was made by both sides (Ms Olga and your company) in agreeing the cancellation for the 2nd and 3rd years. Your company did not request the cancellation in accordance with the Terms and Conditions governing this agreement and she did not inform you to review these aspects.
We could have not cancelled the 2nd or 3rd year services without such a request.
We could have always cancelled the 3rd year of the agreement (on the basis of your formal cancellation letter dated the 19th of August, 2010) and remove your advert from the 2011/2012 edition of our Directory, provided your company would have paid the invoice no. 61508 covering the costs for the advertisement provided at that point.
The invoice issued in 2010 is outstanding into our bookkeeping’s system since the 13th of August, 2010, therefore your cancellation was not validated by our Management.
The invoice no. 97551 was issued for the 3rd and last year of the agreement and was due on the 29th of August, 2011.
Considering all the above we have advised Ms Sintawati that in order to mutually solve this matter and conclude our business cooperation, we are willing to advertise your company at no charge for the 2011/2012 edition of our Directory should we have your cooperation this year and receive the payment for the invoice no. 61508.
Should you reconsider your position and decide to cooperate in solving and closing this matter, we are looking forward to your reply.
Best regards,
Ms Dana
Accounting Department
Tel: +44 207 849 6825
Fax: +44 207 806 8157
This is the last communication with WBD. according to our internal legal counsel, this is not our fault, since the missed communication is on their side (Olga did not follow-up this issue properly).
If we decided not to pay, what is the risk to our company?
Thankyou for your advise Sam.
Best regards,
Sinta
Sinta – there IS NO RISK to your company. These people are just scamming. They make money ONLY on your uncertainty / fear that perhaps they can do something legally to you. They can’t – but many people are unable to believe that; so they pay. It’s a nice scam if you’re willing to bully people and cash in on their fear – which these people obviously are.
I have looked everywhere for the last 3 years for credible evidence that any of these scams have ever taken anyone to court and I can find NONE. From hundreds of thousands of people worldwide in the last 10 years who have been scammed by one (or more) of these operators, don’t you think there would be someone saying “Yes, the actually took me to court and here is the documentation to prove it”? There isn’t – for the very simple reason that they can’t.
Sam Deeks, you are a living leg end!.
I have beem scammed by World Trade Register, getting the emails and letters and upping the cash demanded every time. I foolishly made replies early on, and eevn requested them to cofirm that shoiuld I take up thier offer [which said, basically pay this amount from this date and this will matter will not be forwarded to Waldberg & Hirsh Global collection agency], would this totally discharge the 3 year contract.
No reply naturally.
I foolishly began replying to their emails and pointed out the search words on the dreaded “application form” had not been set up.. They replied they had and sent screen grabs as proof.
Er, searched the site yesterday again, the only way to find me is to type in my company name: very useful. To see how extensive thir listings are, try their website and search for, say, “dentist” “United Kingdom” and be amazed by the vast choice!
Be aware that The UK Trading Office are well aware of thes scams. Their advice is a bit woolly, but it’s good to let them know when the scam starts. One great guy who was really genned up on this, and told me of the latest one I might of heard og, actually sain, “Don’r worry, just ignore them.” Belatedly, I’m taking his advice.
I have wasted time and worry over this. My advice is this. I wish I’d done it right at the start.
*Do not reply to anything.
*Block their emails.
*Destroy any letters from them, don’t even read them, they’ll only wind you up.
*If you feel a desire to reply, a simple “Fuck off” will suffice.
Hi Ray – thanks for the comment and nice words. Ignoring them is the only way to go. Glad to hear that you’re not intimidated by them – why should you be? They’re just scammers without a leg to stand on.
Thanks Sam.
Problem is I have been intimidated to the point where the whole thing was stuck in my head all the time and has only now began to recede. I’d worked out exactly how worked the scammers tactics didn’t but seeing how others, too, had all sussed out how these thieves played on our insecurity, closed this whole episode in my head.
I know I am not alone, but I implore any others caught up in these scams to be brave, take steps to keep them out of your computer, and chuck all their post, unopened, on the fire [a cathartic gesture]
Remind yourself what scum these people are. Then carry on with the rest of your life.
No worries, Ray. Just do whatever you can to raise awareness about these scams
Hello i recived the first invoice.
Thanks to this blog i know now how to do. -nothing
Do they speaek italian too at the phonei need TO inform my collegues!
I really cant understand why we cant ma ke something TO stop
Sam why do you promote something
Hi Filippo – you’re welcome.
The answer to your question is that you CAN make this stop, by refusing to pay. That’s all these people care about.
“Sam why do you promote something” – not sure what you mean there… but I don’t really promote anything here (except my occasional services and some sponsor ads)…
I want to join world business directory.But i can’t find entry.
I’m sure if you wait long enough, they’ll spam you with their form.
Well, no, it’s not the same but it IS a scam.
Dear Sam I’m from Egypt, I have paid the first year and then asked to cancel the contract but they did the same as mentioned above but after reading this I will not pay anything just want to thank you and thank everyone has posted on this website
Hi,
Why isn’t their operation shut down? Is there someone we can complain to, such as, for instance, in cases of phishing? Thanks.
Hi Alex. Why isn’t their operation shut down? Because the countries they operate out of don’t care enough to investigate. Because the banks they channel their money through don’t care enough to research where it comes from. Shut them down by not paying them, not engaging with them and doing whatever YOU can to raise awareness (generally) about this kind of scam, whatever name it comes under.
Thanks Sam. I’ve ignored them, but they still keep sending faxes and letters. It’s annoying, but what can you do? Treat it like threatening spam, really, because basically that’s what it is.
We won’t pay them, never…
Hello, Sam
I would like to ask you is EU BUSINESS REGISTER the same like World Trade Register?
Because we have paid the first year and then asked to cancel the contract but they did the same as mentioned above.
As I understand we have just to ignore them.
Hi Anna
They’re all variants of the same basic scam, yes. There are a few key people behind them all. Sorry to hear you paid – just ignore them from now on. They can do NOTHING to you, nothing at all.
when will people learn..ALWAYS READ THE SMALL PRINT!!
And as for people thinking it’s a free offer..it’s obvious to anyone with a brain that it’s not..it clearly says ‘updating’ is free…ONLY SIGN IF YOU WANNA PLACE AN INSERTION!! no-one is gonna put your company in a directory for free!!
Then above the small print (in larger print) it says ORDER…anyone should know, if u place an order..u have to pay!!
I say anyone who got caught by this deserves it!!
Hi Andy
You really don’t realise how transparent your comment is, do you?
First of all, you use EXACTLY the same justification that our friend ‘Vespasian’ – or should I say Danielle Bailey – used on the Expo Guide thread to justify her own part in scamming people from her little Expo Guide office in Cyprus. Secondly, your name appears in connection with other scams in the Czech republic. Five minutes of Googling showed that up. Thirdly, you fit the profile of the business directory scammer as an ex-pat Brit working in Czech Republic. Makes me think you went to the same ‘training’ course as our friend Danielle.
You’re right that people should read the small print more carefully but that doesn’t make it ok to take part in a scam designed specifically to trick people and to bully them until they’re at their wits end with fear and worry.