School Books Scam | Adscams.co.uk - Charity Advertising Scam Warning

School Books Scam

Posted on April 15th, 2009 admin 145 comments

The school books scam has been around for years and seems to be making a comeback.

The scam starts when you receive a phone call from someone “thanking you” for supporting their cause and “agreeing” to advertise in a school booklet that will be distributed through local schools “of your choice”.

They claim you agreed to advertise and support them some months ago and the booklets “are now ready”.

This is of course a scam and they are lying to you, simply tell them you dont ever recall agreeing to this and that you are not interested. If they threaten legal action (very rare they normally just put the phone down) let them take you – every case we have ever heard of from visitors to this website has been thrown out of court.

School Books Scam School Books Scam
145 responses to “School Books Scam”
1. Peter Smith September 24th, 2009 at 17:29
  
  Another “company” getting in on this scam – Sunny Meadows – Manchester phone number 01612355112, although number is usually withheld.
  
  I’d strongly recommend anyone receiving any calls selling advertising in Community type publications to just put the phone down – if you show any interest at all, they’ll just keep pestering you.
2. Nelson October 27th, 2009 at 01:24
  
  I have recived a call from Bright Start Solutions on the same 0161 235 5112 with the same scam only for a ‘community safety yearbook’. They claim to be recording the conversation. How can I stop them pestering me?
3. admin October 27th, 2009 at 12:27
  
  Hi Nelson,
  
  Thanks for the comment.
  
  It is hard to stop them from calling, the best you can do is just end the call politely as quickly as possible.
4. Aaron November 14th, 2009 at 20:29
  
  Their are a lot of these scam companies opperating at the moment and personally i know somebody who has been scammed out of thousands.
  
  On a more serious note and from experience legit advertising companies don’t tend to approach you.
  
  You have to approach them.
  
  The companies that the peron i know have been scammed by are
  
  Sunny Meadow
  Supportng Care
  Clear Sky Communications
  Access
  Peterson Leigh
  
  they have been threatened with debt collection agencies and court action.And have told them to try
  
  i am doing this to explain most of these companies seem to operate out of the manchester area
5. Terence Osborne December 4th, 2009 at 14:02
  
  Just had someone on the phone with this scam- £189 for 35 books to be put into a secondary school of my choice… I apparently agreed to this 6 months ago. Aha. AHAHA!
  The caller told me they were “The Child Protection *mumble* (sounds like ‘council’) *mumble*
  I say I don’t recall, they say they have records, and she herself remembers me, I say I would remember sponsoring books, thankyou and g- then she hangs up.
6. Alan January 22nd, 2010 at 14:48
  
  I have had Sutcliffe & Co trying the same scam with me.
  
  They are talking about a police booklet in which they consider I have agreed to advertise and have told me that they have the agreement recorded via taped phone message.
  
  Bring it on!
7. Alan February 17th, 2010 at 22:38
  
  I am involved with a small buisiness that operates a train, the lady that owns it is such a nice lady & falls for these all the time, the latest one besides all those that have already been mentioned is a company called Safety 1st, the contact is always Sarah, today she left the telephone number 08453886384 the number is always withheld it’s supposed to be safety info for kids, very agressive on the phone today
8. Tom March 9th, 2010 at 15:14
  
  I recieved a call today from somebody telling me they were from Books for Schools campaign / The Child Protection group. Witheld number. Kept calling, insisted I spoke to them 6 months ago, and agreed to pay for a number books to be delivered to a local school of my choice.
  
  Everytime I told them I was not interested, don’t want anything to do with etc etc. They hang up and call back 10 mins later. I think they have finally stopped now.. I hope!
  
  My question is: How do these people sleep at night.
  
  The sad fact is that a lot of people fall for it… and send the money over to them willy nilly.
9. Terry Gardiner March 17th, 2010 at 17:21
  
  From the comments above this sounds very like a call I had today – which was an echo of a call 5 months ago.
  I do not support charities, I leave that to my caring wife, and therefore know positively I wouldn’t have agreed to any financial obligation.
  I apparently agreed to sponsor a publication to be put in local schools – the work has been done and £195 is now due. I can expect an invoice, I was told. The tone was aggressive, especially when I disputed my agreement to such action, becoming threatening.
  What are peoples experiences of ‘proof of contract’ actually being provided? Anyone can generate an invoice and claim to have recorded a commitment.
  Terry
10. Simon Pedrick March 25th, 2010 at 10:44
  
  Terry,
  
  In these examples businesses haven’t previously agreed to buy anything, so there is no way of these people providing ‘proof of contract’ because there isn’t any.
  They are simply trying to bully us into paying using threatening language and behaviour, hoping you will be ignorant of your position and pay up.
  
  I have had several dealings with these types of scams and on one occasion, when asking for proof of my agreement, was told that the earlier telephone conversation when I allegedly agreed to support the publication had been recorded and they would contact me with the tapes. “Go ahead, I look forward to hearing it“ I said. Needless to say I never heard anything.
  
  My advise is get as much information as you can about them, get them to send you the invoice, don’t worry, having the invoice in your hand does not commit you to anything, and contact Trading Standards and other interested groups with the information. That way we can all help to get these operations shut down.
  
  Simon
11. Simon Pedrick March 29th, 2010 at 21:38
  
  A new school book scam company?
  
  Having been called around 5 or 6 times over the last few years by companies operating this scam, I have become familiar with the script and methods of these people.
  
  Recently, a new one has targeted me. They are called Cannon and Co ltd. They operate out of the North West – no surprise there then. A quick bit of research has shown the company was incorporated on 12/12/2009 and has a registered office in Liverpool.
  
  I received the usual, “Thank you for supporting our schools campaign, etc. The books are ready for printing, etc, etc” call. I asked them to send an invoice, which I received. Over the last week or so I have had 4 or 5 calls and messages chasing the payment and a reminder letter.
  
  I have reported them on the Consumer Direct website, and my next step is Trading Standards.
12. Sally Cairns April 8th, 2010 at 12:19
  
  My partner was contacted by Safety 1st, Manchester claiming he had agreed to participate in a Fire Safety & Awareness book for schools. He denied this and the invoice has just arrived for £351.33! No sign of a copy of the book of course.
  
  Trading Standards here we come!
13. Adam April 9th, 2010 at 19:13
  
  We have to crack down on these scammers.
  The companies that i get calls from are always THE NORTH WEST 0161 on 0121 number or withhed. it very annoying as it stops potential customers calling me and stops me doing my work as an electrician. here are the companies that are scammers from my unfornutate experiencies:
  
  sunny meadow
  millenium media
  BRIGHT START SOLUTIONS (have an invoice for one payment. but another 99 pounds has been debited for no reason)
  CIS NOW DATATRACK
  porter publications ltd
  imperial media
  EM Educational media ltd
  Midlands post
  Esm design ltd
  Independant journals ltd
  Ten alps publications- ( They bill you before you’ve recivied any documentation then send you a nasty debt collectors letter saying someone will coem round your house to collect the outstanding funds)
  
  My advise is:
  If there manc or scouse hang up straight away.
  
  Do not give them a chance to talk.
  
  IF the number is withhled do not answer leave it to go to answerphone
  
  DO NOT give your card detials out over the phone
  
  i have never had any work come of these ‘advertisements’ as there where never published
  they say they will send a copy and how many wallplanners/ booklets/ magazines are there in you company so they sound like there going to send you them. but i’ve not recieved one.
14. rat tattoo May 27th, 2010 at 18:35
  
  we have been inundated with calls from these companys and have fell for a few of them,school drugs books,fire safety awareness campaign to name a couple.
  imperial media are now using the name excel media and are currently chasing us for 600 quid for an ad we know nothing about.they have sent invoices and ring us 3 or 4 times a day threatening legal action and allsorts.the invoice has a po box number,they ring from with held numbers,and have no website we can find.when i rang today after 2 calls that they hung up once i mentioned police and trading standards they denied having rung for weeks and that they have no female staff so it couldnt be them.however the woman mentioned the date of the latest invoice!!do they think we re stupid? just say no to them all straight off
15. KAREN June 4th, 2010 at 12:18
  
  I have had the exact phonecall today at 11.45am. claiming my partner agreed to this advert back in Dec 09. they were very sorry that they had ran over with there delivery date, so therefore they would deduct £50 off bill and only charge me £149.00. When i questioned this and said my partner would have to check it with the other two partners before committing to the add he said that the books were in a warehouse ready to go out as soon as i paid the account. i could decide who these books where to go to. When i asked him to explain in more detail, he said he had to hang up the phone as he was over his alloted 10 mins time and his supervisor was standing at his shoulder. i replied If you hang up the phone and dont explain this in detail then you have no chance of getting any money because. (the phone went dead). What i was going to say was Because my partner does not recall placing a verbal order (not company policy) and we do not do much advertising.
16. Jim Gibbs June 19th, 2010 at 14:00
  
  Have been getting letters demanding payment for an unauthorised advert by excel media. Latest one today threatens legal action. I hope they do take us to court, it’ll be a pleasure to meet them face to face. People like this lot need to be dealt with.
17. Neil Whitby June 22nd, 2010 at 15:53
  
  Had a guy call me yesterday 21/6/10 with an offer of an advert in a safety magazine, silly me listened to all the jargon and got suckered in by the price. Being an expanding company i thought for the price of £95 for a quater page ad was quite good price so also £165 for a permit to park on any single yellow line without getting ticketed (silly me) said o.k put me in. I was told I would not have to pay anything till I see the ad myself in the magazine and I am happy with it. Today I got a call from Excel Media Ltd (08453096181) confirming my details which she got all wrong and asking for payment, I told her what the guy had said yesterday and I wont be paying anything till I see my ad, now I have received an invoice asking for direct payment, after digging around as I thought something fishy going on I found this site, so I thought I would make anyone else out there aware of them EXCEL MEDIA LTD (Safety Awareness Campaign) 08453096181
18. David Wardle June 23rd, 2010 at 12:02
  
  I was caught out a while back and took a couple of these up… big mistake, I have been plagued by calls from different companies and the one time I gave them a code name for the order, some how this has been shared with a number of other companies (makes me think they are all the same one).
  Today I have had a card statement and Sunny Meadow have taken 2 payments from me (on the same day) for almost £700.00, just going to call my card, then off to the police!!!
19. David Wardle June 23rd, 2010 at 17:19
  
  Sorry, correction to the above, sunny meadow have been one phoning me… Brightstart solutions took the money from my card
20. Del June 28th, 2010 at 15:54
  
  I got a call today from Safety 1st with unclear gibberish about agreeing to details in school fire saftey books. I have a real bad memory but during call finaly remembered a similar scam attempt before. Told him he full of (you know what), go F off, hung up and had no more contact yet.
  
  Next time I’ll toy with them- ignore every word and try sell them double glazing or slaves
21. Del June 29th, 2010 at 13:31
  
  Well they’ve not re-attempted but in the last 24hrs I have had several nusciance calls with a private number dial me then hang up instantly. I -assume- it is a scouse out for revenge.
22. kate scott July 6th, 2010 at 15:00
  
  had a phone call for a bully campaign due to be launched in september the company are looking to put small companies around their wallchart in the form of postcard sized advert. Having looked on here for their website I found interestingly all this information!
  I shall be telling them where to go on their next call or perhaps ignoring it!
23. wilf July 13th, 2010 at 13:59
  
  had numerous phone calls recently about SAFETY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN year planner advert I have supposed to have agreed to. recieved artwork and blagged price down. read up kmowing it was all tosh and just called the number on a witheld phone, the person paused probrably not sure which bogus name to answer the phone to, ha!I then told them I have not placed an advert and would like the calls to stop please, the guy just said “ok” and i put the phone down.
  this was EXCEL MEDIA LTD.
  ignore them when they call
24. J Harvey July 16th, 2010 at 16:13
  
  I have been contacted by Peterson Leigh. It is rare i take calls from cold callers as i get them filtered at my reception. Reception stated it was about an order for the Childcare books. As we deal in Childcare, i felt there might be some credence in the story. As my marketing lady was off i couldn’t check this out. They stated as mentioned by others that i had placed an order some time ago, apologised for it being late and therefore would offer me a discount. I could also have a discount for card payment. I asked for an invoice which would give me the opportunity to confirm the details later. Ever more suspicious checked out their web site (nothing to see there!) and called, no answer at first, then a simple hello. I aksed them to confirm the details of my order, but doubt i will recieve any. They were slick and persuasive, which makes me think, why not do this as a proper job! They gave a London address but had manc accents (beware!)
25. H Gale July 22nd, 2010 at 13:29
  
  I am furious my Partner M D of the Company received a call claiming that he agreed to in March 2010 a sponsorship for Drugs Awareness in Schools have received invoice and certificate so I telephoned the company and explained that nothing had been agreed as I and the Manager are the only ones that deal with advertising and they were adoment that my Partner had gone ahead with it they then phoned him again to ask for a password as he did not communicate with me he gave a password so now they are saying we are still laible for payment yeh it is only £99.00 but that’s not the point I know for sure we never agreed to anything the person on the phone spoke to me today and when it got heated he said it was nothing to do with me it was my partner that ordered it I am the Company Secretary therefore it has everything to do with me as I look after the financial running of the Business they are called D.A.T.A from Stockport please beware do not speak to them just put the phone down!! They will not get a penny from me I will just go to Court that’s what I told them so bring it on!!
26. Del July 23rd, 2010 at 10:57
  
  Second call this year about school fire safety earlier. He hardly got started, I just used every vulgarity in the dictionary, told him we were on to them and go google yourself.
  
  Previous plan was play it cool and wind him up, but I’d not had morning coffee/fag.
27. David July 31st, 2010 at 09:07
  
  I have almost been caught by Peterson Leigh… they called a month ago and claimed I had agreed to advertise in Keep safe and Sound Fun Book. I was busy with a customer at the time and it was also the first time I have ever received this type of phone call and kinda agreed to it, mainly to get him off the line. I received the invoice and the threatening phone calls demanding payment, I haven’t paid and asked for the book that i was advertising in. They have sent me one and it is pants. There is no mention of mine or anyone else’s company. I am in design and print and it is the worst design and print job I have ever seen. Totally unprofessional and not worth 29p never mind the £129 invoiced. Thanks to this site, they will never be getting £129 from me! Invoice in the shredder!
28. Jennie August 3rd, 2010 at 12:38
  
  Hi everyone,
  
  my husband recently started a company (in June) and has had letters from two different ‘companies’ claiming he’s agreed to sponsor adverts etc. One company “The Child Safety Initiative” is a well known scam as I found out when I Googled them, I was suspicious as I know my husband would never agree to pay any money without checking with me (I keep the books) first. They have sent three or four letters getting more and more menacing, the latest one arrived this morning threatening to take him to court. I have replied to each letter, requesting an invoice and full details of their claimed ‘agreement’ from my husband. They have ignored our letters. My reply to this latest letter is to write to them saying the same as last time, enclosing the other two letters I’ve sent and sending it recorded delivery. I will also be contacting Trading Standards or the police.
  
  The other letter arrived this morning from Excel Media Ltd, which is what led me to this forum. Being suspicious of the first company I thought I’d check these out too. I’m glad I did. They look much more professional than the other company, they have an email address etc, so I’ve e-mailed them cancelling the ‘order’. We’ll see what happens now. I’ve contacted my husband (out on a job site) and told him if he ever gets phonecalls about sponsoring anything to just say NO and hang up.
  
  Thanks for all the posts guys, you’ve helped me out.
  
  Jennie
29. Alan August 10th, 2010 at 11:32
  
  Another similar story. I was approached by Peterson Leigh a few months ago stating that I had agreed to place an advert with them in a “Keep Safe and Sound Funbook” due to be issued to local schools. Being a relatively new business and wanting to support the community I agreed to place an add at the discounted cost of £159.00. I received an invoice with a London address, and when I initially refused to pay without seeing evidence of the actual book I was told that the publication would be posted immediately on receipt of payment. Foolishly I paid by Credit Card. Suffice to say I have never seen the finished goods. Since this time I have received 4 more calls. On every occassion the sales patter is identical – “you will be pleased to know that we have just finished our succesful advertising campaign and thankyou for agreeing to support us!” They always have a northern accent. I received another call this morning from a company claiming not to have heard of Peterson Leigh but quoted my credit card number! When I asked for their phone details the guy hung up. Having undertaken some research I find that the London address is a “virtual office” and a credit search reveals their address as being Whitefield, Manchester. Their website reveals absolutely nothing. Scamming people under the pretence of supporting children in the community is in my opinion the lowest of the low. I have just reported them to Trading Standards. These people need to be stopped.
30. Peter Lewis August 10th, 2010 at 13:16
  
  I just had a call off them , had a few last year aswell. I told them they had to speak to my colleague Mr Mike Hunt. Im waiting for them to call my mobile and ask for Mike Hunt !!!!
31. Sally August 11th, 2010 at 16:31
  
  I posted back in April about Safety 1st, we are still being pestered by this firm to pay the invoice of £351. I complained about them to Trading Standards but it doesn’t look like its made the slightest difference so I think I will complain again. I have also spoken to the school they alledgedly sent the Fire Safety & Awareness books to and they have received nothing…. more fuel for me!
32. Sally August 20th, 2010 at 10:08
  
  Hi guys,
  Finally a result!
  I sent an email to them asking for a recording of my partner placing the order. I received a reply back with a recording attached, this was the second time they rang when they claimed that the order had been placed. I emailed them back asking for the first recording, not the second and guess what… they’ve decided to cancel the order and the school won’t be receiving any books (they’d already said on 2 occasions that the school had received them) and we won’t be considered for any more advertising initiatives … do I look bovvered?!
  
  It’s been 2 weeks now and we’ve heard nothing else (fingers crossed)So my advice to you all is to insist they send you a recording of the order…it might work for you too
33. Jane-Louise August 26th, 2010 at 11:02
  
  Hi we are a small one man company and the company hassling us are now calling themselves ‘Safety in Schools’ and claiming to have produced leaflets for a local school on our behalf and asking for £195.00 for this unrequseted service. We have been invoiced today and given 7 days to pay. My husband is far too polite so I took up the cause…. the next phone call from them was greated with as much aggression and expletives as i could muster and threats of legal action and trading standards against them and so far it has gone quiet! Be firm with them, lock horns if you have to or if you feel you can’t then return all invoices etc. to sender marked as ‘Unsolicited Mail’. They are closed down on average every 12 weeks but set up again. they are a scam.
34. Jane-Louise August 26th, 2010 at 11:03
  
  Hi we are a small one man company and the company hassling us are now calling themselves ‘Safety in Schools’ and claiming to have produced leaflets for a local school on our behalf and asking for £195.00 for this unrequested service. We have been invoiced today and given 7 days to pay. My husband is far too polite so I took up the cause…. the next phone call from them was greated with as much aggression and expletives as i could muster and threats of legal action and trading standards against them and so far it has gone quiet! Be firm with them, lock horns if you have to or if you feel you can’t then return all invoices etc. to sender marked as ‘Unsolicited Mail’. They are closed down on average every 12 weeks but set up again. they are a scam.
35. Jane-Louise August 26th, 2010 at 11:27
  
  A further note, I have tracked the Safety in Schools company through Companies House under their Company no. 07224484 and surprise they are indeed ‘ARKAAN LIMITED’ subject to dubious dealings and when you google Arkaan they have many other companies which feature heavily on these scam web-sites
36. M Pickering September 8th, 2010 at 17:02
  
  Hi – just received an aggressive call today from Ben saying I had agreed to advertise in a Safety Awareness magazine (I hadn’t) & then I looked up the ad I had placed for a year planner with them & the company Excel Media is mentioned in previous emails! I have lost £94 but will never advertise over the telephone again. I was caught before by the sounds of it with a drug awareness booklet being sent to a school of my choice – I had the booklet but I bet they didn’t! I wondered why they didn’t ring me to say thanks!!! Luckily that was not my own company but now I am self employed I cannot afford to keep getting scammed.
37. sue September 16th, 2010 at 19:54
  
  oooh dear i feel so stupid i’ve been had !
  usual story busy shop on my own could’nt 100% remember if i had talked to someone -obviously had,nt so really stupidly ( & i’m really embarassed to say this) gave my debit card details over the phone !!!
  my worry is now will they just take the amount i agreed to or will they use it to deduct more payments i hav’nt authorised -
  cant even remember the name of the company & when the shop quietened down & i got my brain in gear i tried 1471 -no. withheld so nothing to go on
  -keep checking my online banking to see whats been taken out but do i need to do anthing else as they now have my card details?
  any advice gratefully recieved
  
  (Stupid) Sue
38. James Watts September 18th, 2010 at 13:11
  
  I’m afraid I fell for these scams and sent Weinstein Williams/Imperial Media a total of £1,300.
  
  Any ideas how I get my money back please?
  
  Cheers
  
  James
39. sue September 19th, 2010 at 17:01
  
  Really sorry to hear you’re out of pocket by so much James – hopefully some of the more ‘experienced’ members than myself on here will have some advice for you
  
  just an update on my ‘mistake . After adding my first post decided to cancel my business debit card – abit of hassle for me for the next 10 days until i get a new one- Theres no way i was letting them have
  my card details on file that they could use for other publications
  they may say if agreed to in the future
  yesterday recieved my copy of the booklet – with a sticky label with my details on in the sponsorship section- not even my phone no. & have no doubt the school wont get anything but they did send me a debit card receipt & the following details which i’m posting in case anyone else needs to get in touch with them
  still feel stupid but for £189.00 i learnt my lesson -i’m soooo ready for anyone who phones me with the ‘usual’ script of thankyou for agreeing ,the advert is ready etc
  DATA NORTHERN LTD
  0161 494 6263
  http://WWW.DATA-LTD.CO.UK
40. Huw Sayer September 27th, 2010 at 14:51
  
  If putting the phone down on them doesn’t work – invite them to meet you at your nearest police station with their evidence to discuss the matter.
41. Andrew Bestwick October 4th, 2010 at 12:46
  
  OMG.
  
  How crap do I feel now. I am going to double check my bank statements. I have advertised on various projects and have recieved wall charts but feel like a muppet for going down this route. We are a new company and advertising was big on our agenda. I am going to see if I can get a list from them where these posters have gone too.
42. seamus October 5th, 2010 at 23:01
  
  to all , a company using the name peterson leigh are a scamming company who will lead you to belive that you have promised to pay for advertisments. they scammed me out of 3 payments of £199 !!!!!!!!!!!! before i caught on they were full of bullshit ! we do advertise with another company for a childs charity and i thought they were connected, they will threaten legal action but nothing will come of it. there should be some law to stamp out rogues like this !!
43. Gel October 27th, 2010 at 10:39
  
  Hi
  I was caught out last year by these companies thought they were connected Peterson Leigh and Safety 1st Did actually pay some money to one of them. I am now getting calls and letters from Safety Support supposedly doing a fire safety booklet for schools. I contacted the fire service and they do all this for free so don’t fall for it. This company are also based in Manchester. Had another call from someone else didn’t catch the name but when I said I didn’t agree to any sponsorship this yeat they just put the phone down.
44. James Watts October 28th, 2010 at 17:22
  
  Thanks Sue and others for your comments.
  
  I am trying to get money back under credit card insurance.
  
  Cheers
  
  James
45. Paula November 11th, 2010 at 16:39
  
  Had a phone call this morning thanking me for supporting the child fire awareness campaign, and providing a password (Husbands Name) that i had apparently given them a few months ago when I agreed this order.
  
  I was advised that cancellation was not an option, and that if i didnt pay in 7 days further action would be taken.
  
  I asked for the transcript of the original call, and they advised that it would be provided but the higher advertising rate would therefore apply, and got very agressive.
  
  I actually started to doubt myself for a moment, but I am now furious and would like to get my hands on the silly B**ch that called,I am ready for the next one now!!!!
46. Belinda Archer November 23rd, 2010 at 12:32
  
  Had a call from these jokers this morning. Was reasonably polite to them on this last chance saloon for any politeness ever! Looks like they’re on the cold-calling circuit again.
47. Francis Kirkham November 30th, 2010 at 18:50
  
  I just got a call – same format as the messages above – they would send out 30 books, in which an advert for my company appeared, to schools and colleges of my choice. Didn’t catch the name, they said they were now offering a discount, £129 instead of the ‘previous’ £140. I said I wasn’t in the market for advertising as I was winding down to retirement. They offered me a price of £90. When I said I couldn’t remember committing myself to this (“when we rang in June, Francis”)and that anyway I wasn’t going to pay until I had seen some books because I had no guarantee that they actually existed, the bloke just said “OK. Good evening.” and hung up. I hope that’s the last I hear of them!
48. John January 4th, 2011 at 12:22
  
  Before Christmas and today I have been pursued by three “firms” saying I had agreed to placing advertising in a fire safety booklet, a crime awareness booklet and a wallplanner. I have had call from all three today 4/1/2011 in quick succession.
  
  The fire awareness booklet is by a firm called Wilson Haynes. They may be genuine. They have sent me paperwork with due dates for payment. I have now requested a copy of a previous booklet. Next time they call I will request a copy of the recording of my “agreement” to advertise with them.
49. Rosy W January 10th, 2011 at 14:43
  
  I’m so glad to have found this site but only one of the earlier posts mentions Educational Media Limited. Does anyone else have experience with this company? Long story short – I agreed (verbally) to advertise on an “Anti-Bullying Awareness Wallplanner/Poster”. I was sent copy by email and amended it and returned it. I was then chased (still am being) by this damn company for payment for a wallposter I’ve never seen – nor have I seen a distribution list. Now I’m being threatened with court action if I don’t pay in 7 days. Does anyone have advice about what I should do?
50. Alan January 12th, 2011 at 14:20
  
  I posted that I had been targeted by the Police Scam on 22/1/10 and now almost exactly a year later (ten days short) I was targeted with the CIB School Book scam.
  
  Fortunately, I just told them that I knew of no such agreements and they hung up.
  
  Annoying that these scams are still doing the rounds.
51. Danny boy January 14th, 2011 at 14:53
  
  How do these people believe this is a way to live their life?
  I got a call in December with the same speech as you all had “thank you for supporting..”
  I asked for proof that i had but heard nothing.
  Just got an invoice for £99 from Neutral Support Ltd for Safety Awareness Campaign
  Am just in the process of composing my email to the boss now!
52. Danny boy January 14th, 2011 at 16:11
  
  I sent an email to this company asking for proof and also quoting “it is a criminal breach to demand payment for something I have not ordered or agreed to”. I also said don’t bother trying to intimidate me with court summons or Baliff letters.
  I was told by Manchester trading standards (who I phoned for advice) to specifically say “it is a criminal breach to…” and it obviously made them back down immediately.
  With in a hour of sending the email I recieved a phone call from Tom O’Shea at Neutral Support Ltd saying that they have checked their records and there was a mistake on the original order so they will cancel my invoice due to their error.
  He insisted that he would send a leter to me confirming this. I guess to get them out of trouble if it went to the police.
  I did ask the guy on the phone if he felt bad working for a scamming company and wondered if he should try getting a proper more productive job that didn’t try to rob people of their money. He said he had to go as he had work to do!
  scum the lot of them.
  Trading standards were very helpful. advised me what to write and then said they would report the matter to the relevant police / trading stardards department etc.
  good luck all of you and fight them all the way don’t get scared or intimidated
53. Patrick January 17th, 2011 at 12:38
  
  Have been send ‘certificate’ by Teenage Information Bureau but this does not seem to exist, booklet for local school. Letter said I was a sponsor.
  
  Intend ignoring, address in Stockport
54. P.I.P.P.A. January 19th, 2011 at 14:38
  
  We were contacted by Summy Meadows Ltd on Friday, 14 January 2011 and informed that we had a verbal agreement with them to take out advertising in a publication about Crime Prevention to be issued to schools. The caller bombarded us with a long speech so that you were not able to question them as to when an agreement was made. I informed them that I did not have the authority to agree to the advertising costs that they quoted and was informed that that answer ‘did not fit the script’. Despite telling them over and over that I did not want the advertsing they kept calling and preventing our clients from calling us.
  
  We are a small locally based charity for the disabled run by disabled volunteers and have limited funding. We are waiting for the letters informing us that they are going to take us to court. If they call you tell them to go away.
55. Suspiciouslady February 3rd, 2011 at 11:18
  
  Hi we were contacted by a company called Ten Alps who say that they are producing a brochure for building control (we will be one of only two advertising) at our local council (we are a renewable energy company) all sounds very interesting, no monies exchanged but very quick to confirm details and dates for going to print. Your comments here made us think twice and we contacted the local council offices to confirm the details. They say that Ten Alps DO produce publications for them at no cost and redeem their profits from the advertisers. I still feel uneasy trying to speak to council again for copy of their previous brochures to see if satisfactory. The company works out of Manchester but not able to contact direct yet. All contacts via email. Sounds too good to be true?
  
  Any comments appreciated.
56. Suspiciouslady February 3rd, 2011 at 11:42
  
  Update to my comments Ten Alps are completely legitimate spoke to Manager of Building Control in our Council offices! But thanks to this website I have learnt to take a few steps back and ask many more questions.
  
  Good luck to everyone.
57. Will February 4th, 2011 at 14:46
  
  I had a phone call today from someone claiming to be from TIB (teenage information bureau) I just told them that I’ve never agreed to anything and she hung up.
58. Ron February 7th, 2011 at 11:17
  
  We were approached a while ago by Barry Twyford of UK Portfolios Ltd to advertise in a booklet that was to be handed out by the local NHS Trust to people over the age of 55 when they leave hospital. We contacted the hospital & they confirmed that an agreement was in place, we scoured the internet for any bad comments about the company, and all looked very plausible and in order.
  Well, guess what? We can’t find any evidence that the booklet has ever been printed, and the company fobbs us off and doesn’t reply to letters and so we are starting the court process to recover our money. Coincidently, we now find on the BBC News website that a chap with the same name from the same town, of about the same age was convicted in 2003 for £170,000 of Giro cheque fraud. Wish it had been available at the time. Our local solicitor fell for it as well, it shows how good conmen are.
  So, if you are approached by Barry Twyford of UK Portfolios of 40 Back Street St Annes on Sea Lancs FY8 1RD, be very wary, as you are possibly about to be scammed. He travels all over the country.
59. Violet February 10th, 2011 at 15:33
  
  I Recently got contacted by ~Ian from Excel media and to cut a long story short, I found this website after he started asking for payment and wouldnt allow me to cancel the order…Anytime i talked about cancelling he would say he would give me a call back later, after authorising a payment, i came to look them up only to find all the information here and other websites. After telling him he is a scam, he then said he would forward the details to a debt collector. I got a final demand notice from Daniels Silverman saying I had 7days to make a payment.
  
  Now if anyone can give any kind of heads up, that would be appreciated, would I be the first to have to pay a scam using a debt collector? http://www.emergencyservicespress.co.uk thats the only website for Excel Media. Can someone who has dealt with them please contact me and let me know?
60. AdamF February 14th, 2011 at 18:03
  
  Same deal, received phony call from tib (teenage information bureau), and a follow up mocked up e-mail from -
  
  “office@tib-ltd.co.uk”
61. Andrew February 16th, 2011 at 15:15
  
  Just had one of these. A woman who started by thanking me for my sponsorship of the “Drugs Awareness Boolket” to be distributed to local schools. She said she wanted to know which local school I wanted the booklets to be sent to. It was extremely plausible, and only the fact that I was pretty certain I would never have agreed to it in the first place made me suspicious. I think the trick was that if I had actually nominated a school then that could be taken as confirmation that I wished to advertise, and they would then have invoiced me. In the end she said she would “check with the system and phone me back if appropriate”. Surprise, surprise, no call back yet.
  
  Be careful. I consider myself not easily fooled, but this was very plausible.
62. unknown February 25th, 2011 at 19:12
  
  Company No. 07100629, excel media are not to be mistaken for a legitimate company excell media Company No 05139477. I think thats part of there scam to mimic a legitimate company. More publicity on the internet is needed to stop Excel Media. Why arn’t the police or trading standards doing anything about this company?
63. Helen February 26th, 2011 at 20:45
  
  This all sounds so familiar, don’t feel quite so stupid that it’s not just me. I got the bill 2 weeks ago from “Edu- care” for Right Start Books for an advetisement I allegedly agreed to last November, they basically bullied me over the phone until I agreed to their terms. I wish I had put the phone down, I was really uncomfortable and suspicious. I have decided not to pay the bill – they don’t have card details- I don’t believe its genuine and have seen no artwork. I just worry they may take me to court.
64. Paul March 7th, 2011 at 14:09
  
  Have just taken a call from a Dave Smith stating that I pre booked and advert in some school books in December last year which I did not! He stated no emails were sent and the it was all carried out over the phone. When I pushed him for evidence he ended up putting the phone down on me. Watch this one as we also took a call from a company claiming to be Ecommerce and asking whom to contact. I beleive this is how they got my name.
  
  Truly wish more could be done about people like this!!
65. Kirsty mccole March 15th, 2011 at 19:08
  
  I to have fallen for the old advertising through schools anti -bullying campaign edu care Liverpool accent he tied me into a contract dec and within two wkd was sending invoices for £99 which I ignored as had become suspicious and no proof of what I was advertising in was sent. They sent demanding threatening letters bailiffs courts etc I then sent cheque which said did not rec?? I canc with bank and offered to pay
  credit card told broken so sent chq.
  Then today march 15th he called telling me campaign successful I said I dint want any more advertising with company he started to say I still owed him/them frm dec I started listing debt letters accountant calls and said I owe you nothing he became quite rude said he’d call again at my office I hung up !!!!
66. sharpcookie March 17th, 2011 at 22:22
  
  a friend of mine, a small business owner in Sussex, has been scammed by Educational Media. he agreed to take one advert on a wallchart last November and has since been Pro Forma billed and money taken from his account using his credit card details half a dozen times since, each time for more money – up to around £1000 now. You have to be really on the ball to spot these things. They should not be keeping his credit card details, they should not be scamming – shout loud, shout long, why are these people still in business?
67. Steph March 25th, 2011 at 13:40
  
  My husband has just had this phone call, when he bluntly told them he didnt agree to anything and wouldn’t be paying the woman on the phone got aggressive and told him ‘children will die because of you!’
  That’s just disgusting!
68. Pete March 29th, 2011 at 13:29
  
  Just had a call today Brightstart. Of course I didn’t remember agreeing to it however I had just done a fair bit of advertising and thought it was unusual to forget what I’d agreed to. I felt suspicious after the phone call as it was a private number and here I am. Just waiting for the invoice which I may pass on to police.
  I did ask for a copy which they said I would get 6-8 weeks time why the penny didn’t drop then I don’t know…
69. Chris Parsons March 31st, 2011 at 10:09
  
  31st March 2011 – Just had ‘Child Safety Bureau’ ring up and ask me for £189 for 5 books. very professional lady and knew all the local schools. I queried agreeing and asked for some info to be sent on the web – mainly as I drunkenly purchased £750 of art at a recent charity auction and am feeling less charitable now. Reading through this I realise I have been called by the Police advertising guys as well. Very pleased I looked into it before doing anything.
  
  They’re still out there people!
70. Ben Andrews April 4th, 2011 at 19:35
  
  Had a call from Sunny Meadow followed up by invoice and paperwork in the post today, including artwork they would employ in advertising. Did some research; their business is run from an end terrace just outside of Manchester. Their on-line ‘publications’ are just poor photocopies of outsourced information leaflets and there are no included adverts from subscribers. A second sheet allows you to nominate 10 friends to be included in the scheme who will be contacted by Sunny Meadow for an advertising opportunity. Pyramid scamming!! My solicitor has a copy of paperwork as well as Trading Standards.
71. Barbara April 14th, 2011 at 13:15
  
  Has anyone ever been approached by T I B Limited re Promoting Sexual Health via books in Schools?
  
  Barbara
72. Carl April 20th, 2011 at 14:51
  
  I have received a number of these calls all from Cheshire asking us if we will advertise on Wall Charts for the Police or Firebrigade ‘again’ this year. We have never advertised with these people as it is clearly a scam. The latest call received today was for books for a drug awareness campaign for schools. We buy the books and either donate them to a school or they would deliver direct. When I asked for a copy of the book the girl said “certainly” and hung up without taking my details. The Company Name given was Data Northern and the girl claimed they were tarketing our postcode area this month which might account for the number of different calls we have received. The company details are at Companies House and surely they can be investigated if this has been going on for so many years.
73. Kris May 4th, 2011 at 15:59
  
  I have received a phone call from SAFETY SUPPORT ( Claire ) chasing for money, and discovered no records on my purchase Ledger so I have requested a copy of an Invoice,
  but they sent me a Proforma Invoice instead for “Allocation of Fire Safety for kids booklets” totalling to £299.
  
  Obviously no one has ordered this stuff in our company, but what made me suspicious is the fact that they put on the Invoice contact details of the manager which leaved the company 2 years ago.
74. Keith May 6th, 2011 at 10:38
  
  They are still operating – call themselves DATA Northern Ltd. Nearly got caught – just going to ask them to send confirmation of when I supposedly agreed to sponsor drug awareness books for 4/5 year olds!
75. Lauren May 9th, 2011 at 12:53
  
  I had a call this morning from the ‘Children’s Drug Booklet’. I have also received calls from the Crime Prevention team and after looking on this website found out it was a scam. Luckily I would never give out my card details to anyone over the phone. I wonder if can get an address and assemble our own ‘Scam Army’ and visit these idots in person.
76. Rachel May 10th, 2011 at 16:32
  
  I run a couple of small local directories in West Yorkshire and some of these idoits have either used my website or got hold of one of my mags are are targetting my customers. Not sure if there’s anything I can do except warn people and ask my customers to contact Trading standards and the police. the 2 I know about are both Liverpool based: Educational media Ltd (www.educationalmedialtd.co.uk) and BCS Multimedia (http://www.bcsmultimedia.org).
  Has anyone got a guide of what you should do if harrassed by these guys that i could send out to my customers please?
77. Dave May 16th, 2011 at 13:42
  
  We have just received an invoice from DATA northern for £99.00 for a drug awareness book for a local school we were meant to be sponsoring,we contacted the School and they have no knowledge of this,these people are getting worse and we now assume all calls of this nature are scams.
78. ursula May 20th, 2011 at 21:41
  
  My dad has been targeted by these people recently they have took about £2000.00 out of his account for various puplications i am absolutely gutted he is 79 years old and i am sick of people ripping him off. We have cancelled his card but i dont know if we will get it back from the bank.
79. Holly May 23rd, 2011 at 10:00
  
  In reply to Barbara (april 14). I have been contacted by TIB about sexualy health books for schools. I knew it was sounds strange when they said they contacted me in January and I agreed. Funny seeing as though i wasn’t at work ALL january. They have now sent an invoice for £195, fat chance of them getting that!
80. Craig May 24th, 2011 at 16:29
  
  Just had a call from them, the are still pushing this Drug Awareness book. When I said I wouldn’t be interested the ignorant git just hung up on me. Seems like I had a luck escape. Why doesnt everyone just report them to Trading standards and get them closed down?
81. Jamie beaumont May 31st, 2011 at 20:58
  
  Hi i am currently being targeted by safety in schools or akaan ltd, trying
  To say I Ordered books etc around six months ago. I keep getting invoices
  But I haven’t give them any money yet. Anyone else heard of these guys
82. Jacquie June 6th, 2011 at 10:36
  
  What a clever scam!!! I am a nurse working at a secondary school and every few months I receive a pack of booklets called “Are You Taking Drugs” pulished by D.A.T.A. Northern LTD.
  With it comes a letter to say that a local buisness has donated these drug and alchol awareness books for my school to use as a teaching aid when delivering lessons on social education. Now here is the clever bit: they ask me to send a letter of thanks to the local buisness who has sponsered the school, thanking them for the booklets. So I send the letter, local buisness is happy that I have received them and pay the invoice DATA send you.
  The booklets I get sent are A5 size with 20 pages that would probably cost £10 per 10 to print at the most. I have noticed from the pages on this site that DATA invoice anything from £99 to £700 for these booklets and the last batch I received had a total of 14 booklets.
  Even though the booklets appear quite good and I do use them to give out to young people who have drug and alcohol issues, I hate to see local companies ripped off by these people.
  DON’T BE FOOL, dont agree to it.
83. Chris June 13th, 2011 at 12:36
  
  Teenage Information Bureau still calling and verbally aggressive, although he ended up hanging up! Same old story saying that support had been agreed a few months earlier … absolutely not the case but you have to be quite confident to be sure of that. Good that recipients of these calls alert others via this site – but is there any authority to which we should be reporting them? Interesting to read on the site that the scammers may record calls and use what you say as evidence in support of their invoices if you do not firmly say ‘no’ at every opportunity.
84. Paul June 15th, 2011 at 20:02
  
  In response to Jaime Beaumont (May 31st), I have also received letter from Safety in Schools or akaan ltd claiming I agreed to sponsor books for local primary school. They have now sent me a threatening letter stating they will claim compensation for debt recovery costs. I have made no payment nor do I intend to and warn others to ignore such requests.
85. Paul June 15th, 2011 at 20:34
  
  In reponse to Jaime Beaumont (May 31st), I have also received letter from Safety in School or akaan ltd claiming I agreed to sponsor books for local primary school. I have made no payment and do not intend to.
86. Tracey, Perth June 16th, 2011 at 13:17
  
  Been hassled by D.A.T.A. in Stockport. Usual stuff – Drug Awareness Book we are supposed to have advertised in. They have a recording of the boss agreeing to the advert (which I challenged them about, since it sounded like it had been spliced together!). Try to get £200 out of us. I don’t know how these people sleep at night!
87. N Page June 17th, 2011 at 14:49
  
  Hi,
  I have just been contacted on my business mobile from and “unknown number” from a company call safety first, they were asking for the business owner by name, apparently he ordered some books in January…. Funny that I answer all the calls on the mobile, not the owner, so I know he hadn’t ordered any, or even spoke to them in January. We have had a scam like this before demanding money, debt collection agencies etc, I even managed to get out of one of them a few years ago a copy of the so called booklet they reckon we advertised in. It was a joke. Something knocked together on a PC my 8 yr old could have produced something better. They never had any money, and neither will these guys. Ask details about the company, their full name and contact number, they soon hang up on you. They don’t like you having the upper hand!! good luck all!!!
88. peter June 20th, 2011 at 13:40
  
  Hi
  
  I just received a phone call from a very insistent lady with a Northern accent who purported to be from TIB – Teenage Information Bureau – thanking me for my alleged support etc & referring to a mythical telephone conversation of some 4 months ago.
  I have looked at their minimalist website http://www.tib-ltd.co.uk.
  I know it’s a scam and I see that Barbara & Holly above have also been contacted by them.
  I loathe con merchants who try to abuse people’s charitable impulses but what to do?
89. Rodney Noon June 21st, 2011 at 15:12
  
  Just had a call from TIB today claiming that I had agreed to sponsor school books. I took their number and said I would call them back. I checked with the library co-ordinator for the county who had never heard of them which clinched it for me that this was a scam. I have given their address and details to Trading Standards for action. Also telephoned them and told them just what I thought of them. The full name and address is Teenage Information Bureau, Suite 1, Woodbrook Works, Turncross Lane Stockport SK1 4AR Tel 0161-480 9494. Odd how they all seem to be based in Manchester? Seems to be quite a large set up. I could hear other telephone operators in the background giving others the same talk.
90. Lee June 27th, 2011 at 12:22
  
  Okay, I hold my hand up I feel a complete idiot. I received a call from TIB lastweek on a particularly busy day at work (I am MD of a small business). They gave the script as described by so many on here, we spoke several months ago etc. Now normally I would have just cut them short but maybe because it was a busy day or maybe because my partner is a school learning resource manager and as a business we have done things to support the school previously it sounded credible. I was told the books were printed and we could expect our invoice and letters of thanks for this, did I want to nominate a school etc. I didn’t choose to nominate and she said she would pass me to her manager for varification, then said he was busy so could she take a password for later varification. Alarm bells really started ringing when I was asked for a payment by card to receive a discount. I refused and was told I would then be invoiced. Today my invoice arrived with a cheap computer printed certificate and letter of thanks. Again an offer of discount for prompt payment, interestingly despite the company having a VAT registration number (according to the letterhead) there was no VAT charged on the invoice. I then found this site and the full realisation of what a dullard I was dawned on me. So now what to do, should I pay and learn my lesson the hard way or contact trading standards and refuse to pay. I am sure now there was no previous conversation but equally I suspect they can produce a couple of page printed leaflet and send it to a local school then stating they have honoured the verbal contract we have, any ideas?
91. Dan June 28th, 2011 at 16:53
  
  Had same problem as above .Called saying they are from Safety In Schools and are demanding £250.Best bit is my name on the Invoice is wrong!Idiots!How do these people sleep at night?so wrong!
92. stephen June 28th, 2011 at 23:13
  
  I have also been contacted by the TIB today – I googled them before returning their call, read your comments and was prepared. How do we go about stopping these criminals? trading standards reads as if just for consumers who protects businesses?
93. john June 29th, 2011 at 13:17
  
  just had phone call saying exactatley the same as lee had saying we owed £195 For a charity that we agreed to this in march told them we hadnt they threatened us with black listing our business. told them we wanted proof either written or recorded. told us they didnt need to wish i had been on here first
94. louis June 30th, 2011 at 18:19
  
  have just had invoice from tib after looking at what i was sent a 1 year old could do better i will not be paying and the police and trading standerds will be contacted also the school has never heard of them
95. Nick July 1st, 2011 at 10:48
  
  We’ve had numerous calls from these guys now and we’ve finally had it. Being an online marketing company we know how to fight back! We’ve created a blog post that we will rank #1 for ‘TIB Ltd’ in Google. That way we can warn people immediately when they search for the company in question.
  
  But we need your help! Please head on over to our post and scroll to the bottom where you can see how you can help us out rank these scammers!
  
  http://www.smemarketing.com/blogs/dan/tib-ltd
96. Iain July 6th, 2011 at 22:34
  
  Same experience as many of above recently – feel a bit of a twit for falling for first one as they did really good job of creating artwork etc but subsequent calls for similar stuff and using same script on phone started the doubts. Other thing you will find is that they will keep giving excuses for not sending information.
  
  Simplest way to deal is to simply refuse to enter into any conversation regarding advertising over the phone and request full information via email so you can investigate background but also collect evidence for later reference.
  
  I have sent copies of everything to both Trading Standards and The One Show this time round!
  
  Company names / campaign names being used are:
  
  - Range Publishing
  - Target Media
  - Child Safety Booklet
  - Internet Safety Website
  - Child Drug Awareness
  - Studio31 Media
  - Crime Awareness Wallchart
97. Sue July 7th, 2011 at 14:23
  
  Hi – This is about DATA Northern LTD. I have just tried to get a copy of a Drugs Awareness booklet to look at as a potential resource for a youth group I am informally connected with. Someone I know recently had a call to remind them they had earlier pledged to sponsor £200 towards its publication. They couldn’t remember that call but they decided to give the woman the benefit of the doubt because of the subject matter. Anyway, they thought it might be of interest to me. I rang the number on the website and got put through to 3 separate people. I asked each one for a copy and was met by an absolute barrage of questions about why I wanted it, which school was it for, which group was it for and the woman said she didn’t want the DATA name endorsing anything they did not know everything about. That sounded fair, so I gave them my name and address but even that was not enough. I said I was looking for something I might want to use for a youth group but I didn’t want to say which one because it was not that formalised as yet. Even that was not enough. The woman was so completely obstructive that I ended up saying “look don’t bother about it, I’ll get something from somewhere else.” I have come online because I was so taken aback by their attitude and it left me feeling anxious about having given them my name and address. Sadly, this website has confirmed my suspicions. My poor friend who sponsored them!
98. Dave July 7th, 2011 at 15:10
  
  Received a call from Data Northern just today asking telling me about their successful campaign with schools and “did I remember him speaking to me a month ago” or so. I demanded full details of Data Northern and he refused to provide them – said he could provide full details in the post. Jokers, reported to Trading Standards too. Scammers.
  Similar scam tried with us and a “police” publication a few years ago.
99. Bets July 25th, 2011 at 11:02
  
  Just had a call from a Steve Curran of the Met Police re: advertising in their REACT Campaign drugs awareness books being sent to schools.
  I asked for a number to call him back and he quickly hung up, saying he’d call again tomorrow.
  
  We were caught by both these and by Child Protection UK last year and after smelling a rat then are ready and waiting for them now!
  Apart from their rather aggressive phone manner once they are trying to get your money, they are pretty convincing!
  
  I’m about to report it to Trading Standards
100. Bets July 29th, 2011 at 10:09
  
  Just received my second call of the week from Steve Curran of the Met Police and this time asked him for his number, so we could call him back
  
  He gave me an 0800 number, which funnily enough wasn’t recognised when I called it back.
  
  Didn’t have the heart to tell him I’ve reported all this Action Fraud and Trading Standards as I’ll see how long I can string him along for.
  But Trading Standards just said “ah yes, we know that address” when I gave them the address details from the last invoices!
  
  Feel so angry that we’ve been duped and they are now actively targeting us again!
101. BH August 3rd, 2011 at 15:18
  
  Have just received a call from Mike Taylor asking for the clearance of an outstanding invoice for the 2010 Safety Awareness Campaign booklet, which has now been distributed all over the county! Told him I didn't know anything about it! I asked for proof of my agreement! Which all apparrently happened by telephone! (oh no it didn't!) I have a paper trail for everything my business has dealings with! He said that I must have done, as all my details are on their database! How else would they have got there! They do think you're stupid don't they? I have refused to have anything to do with them! He finished the call saying that he'd have to speak to his manager about the situation! I'm now wasting my time looking up the paperwork which was all sent to Trading Standards last year when I received a very similar call from John Taylor from Neutral Support demanding payment for the same thing but for 2009! They didn't get anywhere then, so why do they think they'll get anywhere this time! The Police & Trading Standards have enough to do already! And so do I!
102. ND August 15th, 2011 at 15:20
  
  just had the same call from TIB-LTD trying to scam us be warned the sales person is good…BUT not good enough to catch us out.
103. Ci August 16th, 2011 at 12:26
  
  I too was contacted by DATA (Northen) LTD saying I agreed to pay them earlier this year to advertise in a booklet being sent out to schools on drug awareness. Everytime I said I don't recall the lady kept talking with no attempt to provide proof. What I do remember is that ealier in the year a company kept calling saying they were Yellow Pages and just want to confirm our latest details. This is how they do it. Copyright since 2007 but registered with Companies House since Feb 2010 so no account need to be filed yet. Is there no way of reporting this kind of thing? This is pure EVIL plain and simple. It should not be so hard to report this kind of activity and protect ourselves and others.
104. LS August 16th, 2011 at 13:53
  
  This website has been very helpful, TIB tried to con our Company stating that our recently deceased general manager had agreed to sponsor their sexual Health brochure. Even if you get an invoice – DO NOT PAY, send them an email stating that you have spoken to their local police department/chamber of commerce and trading standards, with a link to this website exposing them as con artists as I did. After a few hours you'll get a reply stating 'The invoice has been cancelled, and sorry for the confusion' DON'T BE FOOLED!!!!!!!
105. Elaine Martin August 17th, 2011 at 13:34
  
  Had a call from Teenage Information Bureau a week ago requesting company card details to pay for our sponsorship of "booklets on promotion of sexual health and various other topics". Company director did not recall agreeing to this and declined to give details. Today received invoice for £195 and 'certificate'. Glad I found this site. Called the number given on letter heading and aggressive lady was quite dismayed that we were not paying her invoice. Put the phone down on her tirade.
106. dippy August 21st, 2011 at 18:14
  
  hi all just reading your letters i am going down the same road ya the liverpool lot rang me about school bullying campain wall poster ect £99.00 paid by card then they rang a few months later about another campain saying i said i was going to surport it and i said no i diddent !! now they are sending me invoices for £162 he keeps phoneing me for payment on a private no . he phoned yesterday and i said i think this is a scam and he said go on to there website and i did today and i see this site went onto it and here i am gess what my next move is !!!!!!
107. Les August 22nd, 2011 at 09:31
  
  Does anyone know if "Edu-Care" are anything to do with this scam? After reading this site I had a very familiar sounding phone call last week, and today have received an invoice for £299.00. I've no recollection of any dealings with these people, who incidentally are (allegedly) based in Bristol. Any help or advice would be gratefully received.
108. Meenz August 24th, 2011 at 15:46
  
  Educare + same scam, sadly
  Same patter, Dave from Educare….we have the books you agreed to advertise in ready can we send the invoice to your address, then they read off your address?? We have two businesses in Cornwall and both have been inundated the last week or so with calls form men with Manc/scouse accents asking to speak to the owner. When we say no they just hang up. But out of curiousity we said yes and asked who he was from, after 3 garbled answers and replies of pardon? eventually Educare comes out. I then hung up and phoned the "real" educare who are a ligitimate childrens charity who have been inundated with calls from people following this up, and guess what….some scammer company is using their name………..no surprise there.
  They have phoned non-stop since, withheld number, scouse/manc accent. So today I told them in no uncertain terms that we were aware of their scam and to F*** off! Well he had no front because told me there was no need to swear before I hung up on him. He phoned straight back and I hung up again………this was followed by 5-6 silent phonecalls from a withheld number then silence…for now.
  All my staff have been instructed to hang up as soon as they realise it's the same people (should they phone back) If any invoice turns up it's going in the bin! We probably get 2-3 fake invoices a year sent to us for supposed advertising that we have agreed to, always look the same, cheaply made and always in a windowed envelope with a first class stamp……..they always get filed under B for Bin!!
109. The Consumer Protection August 26th, 2011 at 14:32
  
  Cancellation period in the case of contracts for the supply of goods
  
  11.—(1) For the purposes of regulation 10, the cancellation period in the case of contracts for the supply of goods begins with the day on which the contract is concluded and ends as provided in paragraphs (2) to (5).
  
  (2) Where the supplier complies with regulation 8, the cancellation period ends on the expiry of the period of seven working days beginning with the day after the day on which the consumer receives the goods.
  
  (3) Where a supplier who has not complied with regulation 8 provides to the consumer the information referred to in regulation 8(2), and does so in writing or in another durable medium available and accessible to the consumer, within the period of three months beginning with the day after the day on which the consumer receives the goods, the cancellation period ends on the expiry of the period of seven working days beginning with the day after the day on which the consumer receives the information.
  
  (4) Where neither paragraph (2) nor (3) applies, the cancellation period ends on the expiry of the period of three months and seven working days beginning with the day after the day on which the consumer receives the goods.
  
  (5) In the case of contracts for goods for delivery to third parties, paragraphs (2) to (4)shall apply as if the consumer had received the goods on the day on which they were received by the third party.
110. Craig August 26th, 2011 at 15:53
  
  DATA-LTD are doing this right now. Came a cropper with me when they claimed to have spoken to me two months before my gallery opened or before i even had a phoneline.
  
  Reported then for all it will do .
111. Tony Miller September 1st, 2011 at 12:57
  
  I've just had a call today from Teenage Information Bureau – the booklets I agreed to sponsor are ready for distribution – did I want my name or the company name on the certificate? Did I want to specify a school or let them choose? When I insisted I knew nothing about it I was put through to a 'manager' who assured me I had committed in a phone call in May and the invoice for £195 would be sent with my certificate. I told him to call back in 24 hours, googled TIB and found the adscams site. Lets see if he calls me back…
112. John September 1st, 2011 at 13:38
  
  Edu Care
  Just been called & fallen for (!) this scam – told that my verbal agreement constituted a legal contract.
  No money or card details given but what would be my rights in such a situation? Can I just refuse to pay when the invoice arrives?
  Do I pass to trading standards? Business is struggling so can't afford this at the moment.
  All assistance gratefully received
113. denie September 5th, 2011 at 23:53
  
  feel so stupid fell for this last year "drug awareness booklet" although i did recieve 5 copies of a well produced book, had no idea it was a scam. have recently been contacted again saying i had agreed earlier this year. I know this is untrue because as my business is struggling a little in the present climate I am being extra careful where i'm spending money. i too was passed to a manager who insisted that as the booklets were now ready I could not back out of the contract but they would reduce the price. They were so convincing I finally reluctantly agreed to pay on reciept of proof. I recieved a very poorly produced laminated certificate and an invoice but no proof the nominated school had recieved them. I have since had another call and he said the school wont recieve them till i've paid but I can go online to read tetimonials which is what I was trying to do when I found this site. thanks for all the info I can't wait for him to ring me back now when I can tell him exactly what I think of him and his scam !!!!
114. Richard CLark September 6th, 2011 at 11:53
  
  ive just received a phone call saying i have sponsored a local school about drugs awareness!!! WHAT A LOAD OF BOLLOCKS!
  
  im just going to send back a non stamped envolope with a polite message inside telling them to go F**K them selfs! and they will have to pay the postage to have the prilvage of opening my mail
115. Les September 7th, 2011 at 15:08
  
  I've now had a statement and a telephone call from Edu Care asking for payment. Again a verbal agreement was mentioned, when I told them I wasn't paying them under any circumstances as they are scammers. They denied everyting, all their customers are happy, my artwork (which I've never seen, and doubt exists) is printed and ready to go etc. I'm now apparently liable to a surcharge for non payment, in the hands of their "legal department", and in danger of debt collectors and the county court. Trading Standards are aware, and I'll be interested to see how far Edu Care will take it. I'm ready for court, if thats what it takes.
116. andy September 7th, 2011 at 21:42
  
  I've had all the above from edu-care aswell and as i do not live on mainland uk he says i will have to take time off and fly over to the uk to attend the petty debts court, he has tried everything and his female accomplice to extract £250 out of me, well now i've read all these posts they can get lost. I will not waste another minute on these low lifes
117. Christie Steele September 8th, 2011 at 13:04
  
  Educational Media Limited,
  Scam, scam, scam, scam.
  It all started when we got that call asking us about advertising with them in the Anti-Bullying Awareness Wallplanner/Poster. My dad said he would talk to me first as i deal with all advertising since being scamed before with these co called charitys. I looked on the internet and found them on the advertising protection agency website as under investigation. I have called them on a number of times to tell them that we are not paying £162. We have seen no proof to sign and i have read that they are not even in these offices in loverpool, The Plaza, 100 Old hall street. When taliking to these fraudsters its all nice untill you question them. Do you have a company number? Where is my proof to sign? Why does the reception woman say no company is in this building with that name? Where will it be distributed and how many copies?
  None of this gets a straight answer. They are nasty horrible good for nothing people are just out to rip people off and once your company name is assosiated with these companies its like opening a flood gate.
  We had this about 3 years ago and paid the first few but then woke up to the fact that i hadent asked or agreed to the adds so stopped paying. You will get red letters but once they get the message they will leave you alone. Not once did we get taken to court.
118. Joanne Huffer September 14th, 2011 at 11:47
  
  Hi yes folks
  I am another victim of these faceless thugs. I have had enough now and told trading standards etc.. Ive told them im not paying get the threats etc etc…
  TBI
  was DATA STAY AWAY con men
119. Stephen September 14th, 2011 at 12:37
  
  Teenage Information Bureau tried it on with us today, stating that a few months ago I'd agreed to sponsor… blah, blah…
  I knew I hadn't offered to place any advertising and told them so.
  They said they'd check…
  Now I've looked 'em up, I know (although I already suspected) it was a scam.
120. Sam Clark September 21st, 2011 at 15:48
  
  Same thing – Data Northern Limited. Alcohol and drug awareness. I asked for a date in June that we had apparently signed up for it so I could check my own phone records and she got less keen. Unbeliveably she was pretty stroppy with me at the end when it became clear I was not going to accept.
121. hornydevildating September 23rd, 2011 at 10:14
  
  Had two calls from TIB in the last couple of weeks running through the same script that I'd agreed back in May and what name would I like on the certificate etc.
122. Sucker September 28th, 2011 at 15:12
  
  This is a scam. If anyone from D.A.T.A or Safety 1st ever reads this, call all the people you have conned in Scotland until you find me, come to my house like you said you would where I will beat the loving shit out of you.
123. Bhavvy September 28th, 2011 at 17:15
  
  I have just been had by the D.A.T.A Northern Ltd book scam. They have sent me an invoice, but I haven't paid it yet. On the phone they said I had agreed to it 6 months ago and just wanted payment now. What should I do ? Has anyone else actually been taken to court by these people ?
124. Ralph September 30th, 2011 at 13:17
  
  I am afraid i got duped by TIB North Ltd a few weeks back – they are very clever in the way they word things "you agreed to help out with the educational books some time ago" and unfortunately caught me at a bad time. Hey – ho i did get a lovely certificate of sponsorship from them – worth £180 of anyones hard earned money – not!!!!
  God help the next outfit that try this on with me – they are going to get both barrels and some more……….
  Don't know how these low life scumbags sleep at night…………!!!!!!!
125. Nic October 6th, 2011 at 21:11
  
  Hi, after reading other people's experience with the Edu-care scam I am going to ignore the constant harrassment of threatening letters and report them to trading standards. My nerves are shot and I am anxious about what actions they might take.
  Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to stop these people – they are making my life hell.
126. Another Unlucky Victim October 12th, 2011 at 14:32
  
  There is another business operating the School Books Scam which they call 'Drug Awareness Booklets' this business are called Data Northern Limited, company number 07159588 registered to Ashley Thorley (date of birth 27th December 1980) who's business is based from: 36 STOCKPORT ROAD, ROMILEY, STOCKPORT, CHESHIRE, SK6 3AA.
  Looks like a flat above a shop at: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=36+STOCKPORT+ROAD,+ROMILEY,+STOCKPORT,+CHESHIRE,+SK6+3AA&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x487bb507bc63a345:0x2d36760fec2e1f39,36+Stockport+Rd,+Romiley,+Stockport,+Cheshire+SK6+3AA&gl=uk&ei=eJSVTuS0L8il8QP-3a2VBw&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQ8gEwAA
  I have reported to Trading Standard and they intimate that they have quite a caee against this person.
  I have downloaded their company information from Companies house and have reported them to companies house as well in attempt to remove him a sa director.
127. Another Victim October 12th, 2011 at 15:59
  
  I am another victim of DATA Northern Limited, I have sent all of the details and accounts of the business to manchester and Stockport Trading Standards and hope that something will be done as they setup again so quickly. At best it is ‘miss selling’ or ‘selling by deceit’ at worst it is ‘Fraud’ and have also imformed my credit card company.
128. mo optimus motors October 13th, 2011 at 09:36
  
  safety 1st sent me an invoice £238.80 claiming i agreed to sponser, I told them as a company we only sponser our local hospital intensive care unit for children, they won't have any of it and threaten legal action agaisnt me.
  should i be worried??
129. DAVID SANDERSON October 19th, 2011 at 15:43
  
  I have had invoice and 2 threatening phone calls from Teenage Information Bureau – NOT NICE PEOPLE AT ALL -
  again same thing wanting £195.00 for schools book which they claim my wife athourised 3 months ago – they even have a password to verify it . DONT GIVE THEM A PENNY – THEIR A BUNCH OF CROOKS !!!
130. Graham T October 21st, 2011 at 11:35
  
  "Luke" from TIB called today with the usual scam. I read this website to him and suggested he should go and get a proper job…..
131. Not this time scammers October 25th, 2011 at 15:44
  
  Letter received from Safety Support addressed to someone who no longer works here, with a "Proforma Invoice" for FIRE SAFETY INITIATIVE asking for £99.
  Their tel 0845 388 5765 - website safetysupport.org.uk – 5 Union Street, Ardwick Green, Manchester M12 4JD
  Title of our company very wrong but they have athe address and postcode correct. They have as much chance of getting any money out of us as me getting to see Gadaffi's body in the freezer of my local Tesco.
  Beware – scammers at work
132. sandra November 3rd, 2011 at 15:08
  
  We have been targetted by Dave Edwards mostly. When we finally twigged and said no way, he threatened us with solicitors and also to pass our names to all charities as a heavy giver. He said that he was getting us taken off the charities register was when I started to listen to him. He is now abusive, swearing and threatening.
  Sandra.
133. Nick November 11th, 2011 at 11:33
  
  Hi, have had similar contact from Edu-care (website right-start.org) asking for payment of £129 for adverts in a child safety book going out to schools in my area, which i apparently agreed to some months earlier.. niether my father or me can recall the phone conversation . i was told that the advert and books had all been printed and were awaiting dispatch after payment had been collected. after i recieved the first invoice,i rang them back and queeried how they could produce an advert for me without any company details or logos. one month later i recieved another invoice and a proof advert artwoork which stated that if i needed to change the artwork i should let them know within seven days which undoes everything they had already said about the books having been printed and ready for dispatch.(if they are going to lie about things they should at least remember what they have already said) i have sent them several emails with no responce and also tried to contact them through their website, again with no responce. it seems only the phone is good enough for them…. consumer direct sugest a letter sent by recorded delivery asking for all the information they have such as artwork, a FULL copy of the conversation where you agreed to the advertising, a copy of the book or magazine that the advert is going in to, and a copy fo the contract (if there was one) to see who signed it.
  these people are unscrupulus and will keep pestering and rely on the good will of businesses and our inability to remember a phone conversation from two to four months earlier where an alledged conversation ended with an agreement for advertising in a safety for kids book going out in our area.
  business beware
134. Richard Gray November 11th, 2011 at 12:32
  
  D.A.T.A. seem to be classic proponents of this scam. I contacted the school they supposedly sent the books to and they had never heard of them and suspected it was a scam. And even if books had been delivered, they had no interest in them.
135. Pru December 12th, 2011 at 19:33
  
  John Thompson, Safety ServicesNW Ltd – anyone heard of him or them? They are doing a Safety Awareness campaign to go out to schools. Had, & fell for, a similar scam just before the end of last summer term – the booklet they sent me had a very smudged stamp saying I had sponsored it (I bought a similar stamping kit from Lidl a year or so ago). Anyway, this time the invoice (a final reminder) preceeded the thank you for agreeing to support us call – bizarrley I was away from home so hadn't yet seen the invoice. I asked him to send me an email telling me what he was saying on the phone as I wasn't in a postion to talk & I wanted to check I hadn't previously received any invoices before I paid this one. What disturbed me, & yet didn't register at the time, was that he knew the final four digits of my debit card number. I'm still waiting for his email or another call because I want to ask him to send me a transcript of our original conversation which allegedly took place in August, how he knows my card number & to send a copy of the booklets that are being sent out. Meantime, I have this final reminder along with a letter threatening litigation (I can stop this action if I make immediate payment quoting my reference which, according to the invoice, is Last one which has to be the oddest reference ever). I've googled the company name which comes up on two directory listings, the 0844 number which just says no complaints have been made against it & the address which is in a business unit from where you can rent mailboxes.
  I have had so many of these types of of scam calls in the past – some I have fallen for, some not. In the past I have reported them to my local trading standards, rung the charity commission about them (they used to claim they got phone numbers from them) & been to the police.
136. A Brooker December 31st, 2011 at 12:34
  
  Educational Media Limited. Highly questionable trading and payment processing practices – been investigated (and still are) by TAPA (The Advertising Protection Agency and Trading Standards. The Daily mail also featured an article on them – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-2008129/TONY-HETHERINGTON–We-need-stand-poster-bullies.html#comments.
  Found out yesterday that they have unlawfully and fraudulently stolen £243.00 from me via my PERSONAL debit card. As no authorisation was provided by me I have taken this up with my bank, Trading Standards, TAPA, BIS, Companies House and also with Educational Media Ltd. By processing this payment without authorisation they have committed fraud, obtained funds by disception, committed theft, and have violated the payment processing guidelines and regulations as set out in law. Furthermore don't be surprised if you are harrassed constantly by EML (Eduational Media Limited)- have been subjected to up to 12 calls a day from them!
137. Peter January 18th, 2012 at 20:59
  
  I had a call today and have many of the same calls in the past. All I say is that I give them the benefit of the doubt and will do some checks when I get home. The 1st check is trading standards and the second check will be the police fraud website………… for some reason the phone goes dead.
138. JRJ February 16th, 2012 at 13:11
  
  Look out for Edu-Care and Cooper Donnelly, before scams. There should be some kind of list of all the scam organisations online so that with one simple google search business owners could find out if they are potentially being scammed or not.
  Can anyone contact me if they were able to get any of the money back from these companies and if so, how?
  Any advice would be much appreciated, thank you.
139. Mark Paris February 17th, 2012 at 12:35
  
  We have just had a call from DATA (Northern) claiming that "the books for schools were now ready" and would we like to choose a local school for them? No recollection of a "conversation in November", so I was suspicious from the start. A very insistent girl kept trying, but gave up in the end. Unbelievable cheek – I'll be reporting it of course…
140. Oliver Whyte February 22nd, 2012 at 11:06
  
  Jist had a phonecall from T.I.B, based in Manchester. They said that I had agreed to advertise in a magazine promoting sexual health in schools, and that the brochures are now ready to be delivered into schools. They claimed I had agreed to pay £195.00 for 32 brochures. What a bunch of crooks. T.I.B – Be Aware.
141. Jason March 6th, 2012 at 22:55
  
  Hi all,
  I recently got the call from EML (educationmedialtd) asking me to take out an anti-bullying ad. After saying if I like what I see in the post I'd consider it, Bullying is actually very relevant in our household atm. Anyways I got the proof and decided to check them out to be on the safe side, and I landed here.
  Quick question, am I now obligated to pay the £99 or can I cancel under the distance selling act, 7 day cooldown period.
  
  Starting to worry abit now.
  
  Cheers
  J
142. Alan March 14th, 2012 at 15:08
  
  Just had Data Northern on the line peddling the School Books for alcohol and drug abuse line.
  They're still active obviously.
  Not much out of though!
143. muppy1234 March 24th, 2012 at 09:21
  
  Cooper Donnelly-has anyone else come across these scammers too? They also claimed that I agreed to advertising a few months previously, now the invoice is due for payment £199, but they would knock off £25 due to the dispute over a verbal contract. Phone always displays private number, but their invoice states its 08448009097, which if you call it back and they don't answer in time, it goes to voicemail of a mobile number. The invoice says they are based at 3000 Cathedral Hill, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7YB, but the post mark says Manchester. Safe to say they won't be receiving and cash from me.
144. Jeremy March 29th, 2012 at 10:56
  
  I received a call from Sarah Jones of the "Child Safety Campaign" saying that the books I had enquired about last October (I had not) were now in. On enquiry, she told me that their address was 12 Blackfriars Street, Salford, M3 4QS (Manchester) and their phone number 0161-839-4554. When I asked her what their Charity Registered number was, she said they were not a registered charity, so I expressed surprise a it sounded as if they were. She said she had not said they were a charity, and I agreed but said I thought it was sharp practise to come on the phone like that and was she happy workling for a firm that preyed on people like this. Having found out it was in fact a limited Company, I asked for the name of a Director which she said was Jo (female) Fox, and when I asked to speak to her I got cut off – surprise, surprise! I then checked with Companies House but there is no current Company with that name, although no less than 10 companies with similar names haveb een dissolved……….
145. Nikki March 30th, 2012 at 11:12
  
  We are also being contacted by TIB – really agressive – partner is business crtically ill so I told them without purchase order we will not be paying
  
  If this company has been around so long and reported to police and trading standards how can they still be going – need someone like Watchdog to get onto them!!
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