Charity publishing

The following is an example of how you may be misled by a telesales person into placing an advertisement in a publication for a seemingly good cause. Scammers will generally use a two stage process to con you and then sometimes follow up with threatening debt collection phone calls.

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1. Initial telesales cold-call 

The scammer will phone you or your staff and mislead you into believing that they are working for some good cause, often claiming to be a charity. All kinds of tricks are used to get hold of a person's name in the target business.

Scammer: Hi this is Helen calling from SP. How are you today?
Business: Fine thanks.
Scammer: Who am I talking to?
Business:  Sarah
Scammer: Sarah who?
Business: Sarah Jones.
Scammer: The reason for my call today Sarah is that we produce an annual publication which is called the Anti-Bullying Awareness Booklet. We are contacting all of the local businesses in your area, to see if they would like to advertise in our one off publication. Just to tell you a little bit about the book. It is A5 in size, and covers information and advice to empower children to fight back against bullying in the classroom. Our aim is to raise awareness in and around local schools on bullying related issues.

So Sarah we are asking all of the local businesses if they would be interested in committing to a small 8th of a page advertisement, which is just £199 for the full year. Can we count on your support?

Business: Sorry, I think it's a fantastic idea but we're not interested in sponsoring or placing an advert in any booklet.
Scammer: OK Sarah. Thank you for your time and interest today. Take care.

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2. Confirmation call

The scammer will then call back at a later date and claim that you or your employee previously placed an order. This second confirmation call is usually recorded and is relied upon by the scammer as a legally binding verbal contract.

Scammer: Hello Sarah, it's just Louise calling from the distribution team at SP.  I had your details faxed over earlier and I'm just responsible this week for the courier service to all the schools.
Business: Sorry?
Scammer: So I'm going to fax over to the [school name], you know to let them know that one of their Anti-Bullying packs is coming from your business.
Business: What are you talking about?
Scammer: I do need to send you a copy of each of the books first so you can see your details on the back, so you can see what you are sending into the schools. So I need to let you know you are entering into a legally binding verbal contract, Sarah, which is recorded, for us to allocate 40 of the books to [school name] in Edinburgh. The details that appear on the back of your books is [Business name]. Yes?
Business: Yes?
Scammer: And you're at [confirms address]. And I've got your landline of [confirms number].
Business: Right.
Scammer: Now you very kindly sponsored what we call the class pack because there are forty books in it. So if it had gone to one school it would have filled up a full class, ok? But I'll send out your copy today with your invoice which has been set at 14 days. If you want to clear it on your credit card today, Sarah, you do get 10 per cent knocked off, save you about 30 quid.
Business: No, no. What was your name sorry?
Scammer: It's Louise.
Business: Louise, sorry Louise. I spoke to Helen, now I don't recall this. Because as I said to Helen, I've nothing against the books, I think it's a fantastic idea, but I don't recall entering into any agreement.
Scammer: Sorry I'm in a warehouse and I am confirming all the details before any books go out to the school, Helen is from the publishers. They should have rung you to let you know the books are ready to actually go. This is the support you have offered. These books have been published waiting to go to the school. You've agreed to a legally binding verbal contract which we can enforce in the courts. So, can I send the book to you then with the invoice?
Business: Ok, I don't remember agreeing to anything but if you say I did then send me the book and the other details. Just send them to me and I'll pay. But I'm not happy about this.

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3. Follow up threats

If you don't pay the invoice the scammer may contact you pretending to be from the Courts or a debt collection agency to demand payment.

Scammer: Hello, can you hear me?
Business: Yes.
Scammer: Yes, it's Louise. I'm calling in regarding to a position statement that's been filed with the Manchester County Court. I'm phoning in regard to a statement that has been filed with us from a company called SP
Business: SP?
Scammer:  Yes, are you aware of any outstanding invoice you have with them?
Business: No, not at all. Because I never asked for any of those books to be printed with our name on them.
Scammer: Right, well SP have sent us a copy of eight letters they have sent to you and also a contract that was entered into on the 14th February.
Business: It wasn't a contract.
Scammer: It's a legally binding verbal contract.
Business: I've not entered into any contract, whatsoever, I've signed nothing.
Scammer: No it's not a signed contract, it's called a verbal contract.
Business: Well I'm not interested I don't know what you are ringing me for.
Scammer: Well obviously to know if you want me to give you the court date today. I need to know if you want to contest it. I can give you the date today.
Business: I want to contest the court case? If they want to take me to court that's fine.
Scammer: Right, that's fine. So how are you fixed for Friday 16th or 17th July?
Business: No, I won't be going to court, no.
Scammer: If you don't come to court, the judgment is automatically awarded in favour of the company and then you would have the court costs on top of it. My job, isn't concerned with sides, I'm not on your or SP's side, I just need to let you know exactly where it stands.
Business: How much do they say I owe them?
Scammer: Well the invoice amount I've got here is for £199 plus VAT, which is £233.83.
Business: Just tell them to send the invoice again and I'll pay the invoice just to get rid of them.

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