Inter-Fairs Scam - Directory Listing Invoice

Inter-Fairs Scam - Directory Listing Invoice

Author
Discussion

MrSparks

Original Poster:

648 posts

119 months

Tuesday 25th September 2018
quotequote all
So there is this scam company called InterFairs who scrape data of all people who attend exhibitions and send an official looking show guide entry request.

However this is technically a contract agreeing to 1300 EUR per year for three years. 3900 EUR in total.

One of my staff stupidly completed it and sent it off without my knowledge.

We've received an invoice for the 1300 EUR, a photocopy of the form completed and a crappy looking entry as "proof".

I emailed saying that they did not have my authority to send and we wouldn't be paying it etc..

Obviously they have all these angles covered and have emailed back stating it was addressed to our company not an individual etc and a few more threats of how they'd win in court etc. etc.

Has anyone seen this before or fallen victim?

I don't intend on paying it or replying to the email they've sent me, it's a complete scam that preys on unauthorised low level employees thinking they're doing someone else a favour by returning.

What should we do? eek

Edited by MrSparks on Tuesday 25th September 19:16


Edited by MrSparks on Tuesday 25th September 19:17

Vixpy1

42,620 posts

263 months

Tuesday 25th September 2018
quotequote all
I've had 2 of these recently, both making out they are associated with Autosport show. They are very convincing, and I actually started filling the first one out before i realised it was a scam

matjk

1,101 posts

139 months

Tuesday 25th September 2018
quotequote all
First mistake was replying at all , they are based in Mexico and it’s a well known scam ! Contact trading standards (so they can add it to the 1000 of complaints already on file) then ignore any further correspondence, they usually try fake dept collection agency’s next , then a sudden deal might be offered reducing the amount, it’s a numbers game for them , the fact it’s still going on means some muppets must crumble and pay up ! We where discussing this very scam at work today

Macneil

883 posts

79 months

Tuesday 25th September 2018
quotequote all
I have a work contact who inadvertently signed up for a chrity magazine and has just had to pay £3k to avoid high court bailiffs seizing goods. their solicitor advised to suck it up and pay.

jonamv8

3,145 posts

165 months

Tuesday 25th September 2018
quotequote all
Had this just ignore they give up

Countdown

39,690 posts

195 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
quotequote all
I’m surprised these types of scams still happen. I seem to remember them being around about 10-15 years ago (normally advertising/sponsorship of so-called Charity calendars, or catalogues).

The “invoice” they would send through was actually the “order form” so by paying £50 you agreed to have your company name in a Directory (which would never get printed). They relied on accounts payable departments just paying without checking for authorisation.

Another scam was franking machine labels - phoning up reception, pretending to be our normal franking machine label supplier, delivering stuff that didnt work on our machines and then billing us for £00s

Undercover Agent

2,344 posts

169 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
quotequote all
Agree with the above, tell them to do one and completely ignore any and all of their contact attempts.

bad company

18,483 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
quotequote all
There have been variations of this scam running for many years. In the early 1970’s someone phoned, got a name of somebody in the office and sent a consignment of poor quality carbon paper the person had apparently ordered at an inflated price.

Roll onto 10-20 years ago it was invoices for advertising in trade magazines.

It’ll change again but keep on happening.

skilly1

2,700 posts

194 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
quotequote all
Or a phone call saying they are the police (so you take it) thanking you for your advert last year and would you like to renew it.

droopsnoot

11,809 posts

241 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
quotequote all
I recall some years ago getting stuff like this for inclusion in show guides, business directories and more recently, internet directories. Price is always hidden away in the small print, phrasing is usually stressing on how the directory is free, so you'll think it's the ad that is free.

MrSparks

Original Poster:

648 posts

119 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
quotequote all
Undercover Agent said:
Agree with the above, tell them to do one and completely ignore any and all of their contact attempts.
Thanks for the replies.

The above is my current plan of action. I am going to ignore any and all contact unless it comes from a UK court (or however it happens, can't say I've ever been "taken to court" before).

Aggro I can do without, but I have made the office aware of potential scams to avoid it happening again in the future.

bad company

18,483 posts

265 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
quotequote all

VEIGHT

2,362 posts

227 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
quotequote all
Yes, ignored and it went away.

I now send the heaviest objects i can find in the office and tape their free post return envelope to the top of it and put it in our post collection.

Simpo Two

85,147 posts

264 months

Wednesday 26th September 2018
quotequote all
matjk said:
First mistake was replying at all , they are based in Mexico...
I wonder which law is relevant, Mexican or UK?

How far would I get suing a Mexican company?

Ergo, how far can they get suing a UK company?

NB You'll only get bailiffs coming round if you ignore a summons.

Vixpy1

42,620 posts

263 months

Thursday 27th September 2018
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
matjk said:
First mistake was replying at all , they are based in Mexico...
I wonder which law is relevant, Mexican or UK?

How far would I get suing a Mexican company?

Ergo, how far can they get suing a UK company?

NB You'll only get bailiffs coming round if you ignore a summons.
Just put a palm tree outside the office, the mexican bailiffs will just decide to have a nap there instead of calling

Ajl2019

1 posts

59 months

Thursday 4th April 2019
quotequote all
MrSparks said:
So there is this scam company called InterFairs who scrape data of all people who attend exhibitions and send an official looking show guide entry request.

However this is technically a contract agreeing to 1300 EUR per year for three years. 3900 EUR in total.

One of my staff stupidly completed it and sent it off without my knowledge.

We've received an invoice for the 1300 EUR, a photocopy of the form completed and a crappy looking entry as "proof".

I emailed saying that they did not have my authority to send and we wouldn't be paying it etc..

Obviously they have all these angles covered and have emailed back stating it was addressed to our company not an individual etc and a few more threats of how they'd win in court etc. etc.

Has anyone seen this before or fallen victim?

I don't intend on paying it or replying to the email they've sent me, it's a complete scam that preys on unauthorised low level employees thinking they're doing someone else a favour by returning.

What should we do? eek

Edited by MrSparks on Tuesday 25th September 19:16


Edited by MrSparks on Tuesday 25th September 19:17
MrSparks, did you ever have a resolution to this?

VEIGHT

2,362 posts

227 months

Thursday 4th April 2019
quotequote all
If it helps I did, i ignored it and it stopped.

CompareTheCarPart

280 posts

63 months

Thursday 4th April 2019
quotequote all
These seem to come like busses, you get none for ages and then two or three at once! Ignore

MrSparks

Original Poster:

648 posts

119 months

Thursday 4th April 2019
quotequote all
Ajl2019 said:
MrSparks, did you ever have a resolution to this?
I’ve just been ignoring it.

Had a few letters so far but they just go in a file somewhere.

Doubt it’ll ever stop, but I’m never going to pay it.

Smileraw

1 posts

48 months

Thursday 26th March 2020
quotequote all
Hi did anything ever come back with this?

I recently have done the same, thought it was a free listing to check companies details. I got an invoice and the stupidly emailed them to say I was not authorised to sign on behalf of the company and was told that did not matter. They then offered me a deal but I have not responded. Panicking now as don’t want to get my work in trouble and if work have to pay it i will have to pay them back which I can’t afford.

I have reported it to fraud squad and another fraud agency.
Any advice would help as my anxiety is through the roof.

Thanks