Advanced Publishing SCAM - Advertising

[J3000]

Has anyone had a phonecall from Advanced Publishing claiming to run a magazine reaching over 2000 homes in your area? I'm not generalising but the call has always come from a someone with a well spoken liverpudlian accent!

First he tells me about his magazine, then he tells me about how much it costs for a full page £200, half page £150 or quarter page £99 advert and he also says it will be exclusive to me i.e. i will be the only local plumbing business in my area in this rag. I asked for some information and he said he would email it to me and I would get a second call from his colleague ready to discuss payment etc. Low and behold I get the second call within hours and I ask matey boy for some more info which he tells me he will send immediately! Never received anything since.

A month later I get another call claiming to be a charity wanting to advertise my services exclusively in their local magazine/ newsletter. Exactly same format of call but a different company. I tell him to do one.

Today I get another call (unknown number) from a guy saying he's from the metropolitan police and fire service press office. I ask him if he's from advanced publishing and he gets serious and says no but why do you ask. I tell him these scammers having tried it with me twice before and he says let me look into and I'll call you back. That was two hours ago and he hasn't called back since.

Just a warning people stay away, it sounds too good to be true and they will take your money!!! I've googled them and some people have been caught out already...🙁

 

[Blake]

Register your phone number here

TPS Registration

You should start to see a drop in sales calls. I never agree to anything over the phone and politely tell them where to go 🙂

 

[J3000]

Nice one, thanks

 

[swifty]

Be carefull there serveral firms (over400) that carry out this practice. I know i got caught out and conned. They told me they were from Gas Safe Register and that they were running a special promtions, i agreed i was interested and name passed on. I was then rang by advertising agent. As it seem a good deal i paid instantly and recieved a 20% discount. Opps Discount not applied to card reimbursed with incorrect amount led me to suspect them. Advert artwork recieved 3 days later and it looked as if it was completed by Jonnry aged 5. On the back of the artwork proof were the companys terms and conditions in very light greyscale. I had to copy them with a maximum darkness to be able to read them. Interesting T&C's. They offered to send me a copy of the magazine, i never recieved a copy. Again magazine tied to Police Fire Services

Here are some points to mull.

Bank - Visa refused to refund me. As i paid for Artwork etc.
Cops - Not Intersted.
Gas Safe Register - Asked for details but no further action taken as far as i am aware.

Recieved another call from another scoucer a few days later claiming to be a policeman. Yeah right! Advertising Scam again but i tried to get as much detail on the guy. All rubbish, i reported it to police but pointless.

Positive steps you can take.

You can register with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) TPS Registration This registers your buisness numbers and mobiles numbers from cold calling.

This will stop most pucker companies contacting you. However the the sucker companies may still try and hound you and if you up set them, you may end up with daily calls. In which case you may need to speak with the advertising protection agency TAPA | The Advertising Protection Agency | 0844 357 3311 This will cost you a monthly fee but they will pursue these companies and take them to court.

For more details see the websites listed in the links provided.

I hope this helps

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

Never ever agree to anything that offers a discount right now if you take the offer up, if the are genuine and still want your custom they will be happy to call you tomorrow after you have had time to think and look into it further

 

[darrenangel]

I always say, i'm a bit busy right now, email me the info and i'll look into it. of coarse the ripoff merchants never send an email.

 

[dontknowitall]

Or say, "Can you hold for a moment, as I've got to let the dog in?" Then put phone down on side and continue with your jigsaw/crossword or wotever.

 

[SimonG]

It's the way the world is at the minute. Some are struggling for work and these companies see the current climate as an 'opportunity'. I've had three calls in two days and thats just from the local rags. I can't see it changing until we have some sort of upturn.

 

[Guest123]

Distribution to 2,000 homes is a very low amount and for what they're charging is very expensive. Sounds to me like some guy sitting at home trying to sign up as many businesses as he can for a large fee, putting their advert in a cheap booklet with a very short and thus very cheap print run, so he's making lots of money and not having to spend very much.
A minimum print run for this type of thing is 5,000 and 10,000 is the norm. By the way you can get 5,000 full colour glossy leaflets for only £99 and put them out yourself in areas that you think should produce work. Why pay some muppet huge sums of cash when you can promote yourself and your own business better and far cheaper!?
Don't get conned.

 

[Dannypipe]

I've mentioned exactly this happening to me twice now. Yes a Scouser. Yes claims to be affiliated with the police...and sell advertising space on some magazine to do with them.

Last time he actually called my landline, and asked to Dan Evans. My wife asked him who is was, and he rather rudely just repeated himself. Then huffed and hung up. The wife 1471'd him, and I called him back. He started his patter asking me about how my day was going, then just huffed and hung up on me.

I recognised his voice from the last time he called. When I mentioned he shouldn't use the police affiliation to sell advertising he hung up on me.

Unbelievable. I'd like the guy to get nicked. I saved his number incase anyone wants it! Oh and when he calls my mobile he withhold his number, but for some reason he forgot to when he called my landline.