Internet listing scam

[hifi_dave]

At the beginning of 2014, being fed up with false listings and old listings about Radlett Audio, I contacted the various companies hosting these and gave them up to date info. I believe it was with 3 of these companies, that I paid them around £200 each to make sure that I would appear at the top of their search listing from then on.

This appeared to work OK but at the start of this year I started to get phone calls from people purporting to be from the companies I paid, all asking for the second instalment. Now, being a mug and too busy to check through last year's accounts, I took them at their word and paid again.

However, since then I get at least one phone call per day, saying they are from Scoot, Yellow Pages Local, Bing and whatever, all asking me for the second instalment. I have been refusing to pay and have asked each for paperwork to prove who they are and proving I signed up with them. To date, I haven't received any paperwork or any form of confirmation.

Now, being vague on such things, I have decided that this is all a scam and have said this to each and every caller. The usual response is that they hang up.

Has anyone else been similarly scammed or am I the only numpty on the block ?

[Desmo]

Hi Dave, This is a common enough scam aimed at small businesses like yourself who are too busy to really check the validity. I'm in the garage trade, and our trade body the Retail Motor Industry (RMI) http://www.rmif.co.uk/ regularly issues warnings against such practices - and worse. Be very careful what you sign up for as there are some very dodgy practices out there! Garages are sometimes not too internet savvy. If the caller immediately hangs up when you question them, then this is usually a pretty good indication that they are not legit.

Good luck!

[skimminstones]

sounds like youre now on the "suckers" list. I remember reading about it, (or may have been on watchdog or something), that when you fall for it once these people share your details around so you get bombarded by others.

[southall-1998]

I'm sorry to read this, Dave. When these prats call you, is their number withheld?

S.

[Darren]

It's becoming really common Dave. I had a caller seeking payment for my entry in an Internet directory the other day. I told him I wouldn't be paying as I hadn't authorised any advert. He told me it could 'go to court then' I laughed as I put the phone down..

[hifi_dave]

Yes, I'm definitely on some sort of 'suckers list', judging by the number of calls I am getting. The initial payment to the various search companies was quite effective as I now find several correct and relevant entries when I Google "Radlett Audio", it's all the scam calls I am now getting which are annoying.

Most of the calls are 'number unavailable' or 'witheld' but I really can't be bothered to call back the numbers which are logged.

I am, usually, aware of any possible scam such as the entry in the mythical Police Inspectors diary or Hospital Managers diary. The sponsorship of a local magazine supporting a well known charity which is never published and so on but this one caught me out as I am totally ignorant about how search engines etc, function.

I have had a couple of callers say that they will take me to court, to which I say - "go ahead" but nothing has happened to date and I doubt it ever will.

I will not be paying, ever again, for internet listings.