Visitors to the site are reminded that the details contained within user comments are uncorroborated and as such should not be read as fact but as the opinion of the person who left the comment.
Comments:
If any Blagger.com readers have had dealings with any of the advertising agencies mentioned on this site, or any other companies of a similar nature could they contact me, in the strictest confidence, on northeastnews@live.co.uk please. Thank you.
If any Blagger.com readers have had dealings with any of the advertising agencies mentioned on this site, or any other companies of a similar nature could they contact me, in the strictest confidence, on northeastnews@live.co.uk please. Thank you.
Hey Worried!, did you sign anything at all to say use the advert cause if you didn't then your fine and dandy, just don't listen to them and ignore the letters as if they can't prove that you signed for the advert then they don't have a leg to stand on.
Read everything else on this site about Vardis and all of the other advertising companies and you'll be ok...
There are many more companies doing exactly the same thing - all saying you have paid for advertising in books due to go to children's charities. They have phoned us a few times, but with some questioning they got completely confused over who they were talking to, when they spoke to us last, even the leaflet that they were supposedly selling!!!
The biggest bit of advice I can give to anyone with these companies is - do not try and talk to them at all - and do not be worried about putting the phone down on them as they are talking. It is sad because we have had to stop taking any sales calls which could be dropping business for us, but we have to - they change their story subtly each time to try and catch you out.
I have been on to Trading Standards - they can help but they need lots of people to call - so call, call, call!!!!!
Just an update for all you blaggers out there having the pleasure of dealing with a Vardis!
Today I found out (just as I thought) Vardis have dismissed a letter of cancellation for an order they have made up on my behalf and I had sent this to them via recorded delivery!
How do I know this? Well today they sent me a proof of the advertisement I had apparently ordered! Some of you guys can relate to this I know, as I have been following the blogs on this.
I have now faxed & e-mailed them back with a letter advising them that I do not wish to have anything to do with Vardis and certainly do not wish to have any advertisement placed in any magazine!
What kind of sick people are they?...I know they will dismiss all the correspondence I send unless it was a cheque of course!)
Well all I can say to Vardis is keep ringing me, keep sending your letters and even your threatening letters (which are yet to come) if it makes you feel big,clever and ever so professional...Not! but it will get you no where believe me!
Well done Nicholad!!.I can't comment on this company hence I've scored them 'No score' but it does sound like they are similar to Rosegarland. See other blaggers under Rosegarland and Rose Garland.Sounds like exactly the same set-up. well done for standing up. they won't take you to court any more than rosegarland will. Check-out that website www.private64.piczo.com. It's really interesting. I bet with a little research on the net your findings about Vardis would be very similar. i.s addresses that don't tie up, naff website, registered address at some back street house etc etc. don't give up all of you and publicise these people to the hilt!!
I too received a sales call from Vardis on Monday 7th April, asking if I would like my company to feature in their charity Magazine (Foresters Fund). After advisng the lady on the phone to just send me some information, I was yesterday greeted with a 'Confirmation of Order' which I was not impressed to say the least and so I returned this with a letter of cancellation of their so called order they appear to have made up. Stating clearly their own "Terms & Conditions" of the 7 days cancellation/cooling off period what ever they wish to call it. I also ensured that I sent this recorded delivery straight back at them. I now know reading all of the blogs and searching this company out, that this is not the last I have heard from them, because next will come we have a recording from you saying this that and the other...then a court summonds & charges... it goes on. However I am ready for the fight, because just like many of us out there I too will not be bullied by Vardis and its associates who keep trying to call me and sell me advertisements to appear in, police mags, fire service mags, charity mags...yes the list goes on...! I have also contacted Trading Standards about this matter and I will be contacting every national newspaper if needs be so Vardis be aware!
We too are having problems with this Vardis company and Crown Debt Recovery.
My partner set up a Hair and Beauty business and advertised on the internet.
Three days later she took a call from Vardis giving there gubbins that they can advertise her business in this charity publication The foresters fund for children.
She said that she wasn`t interested but they kept on at her, but she still said NO.
Then we suddenly received a "proof" of an advert that Vardis said we had ordered.
So I decided to call them to find out what was going on. I got through to a real abusive receptionist who, in my mind thought she owned the company telling me that I was out of order for calling, I couldn`t cancel the advert, her reason for this was that we had 7 days to cancel and those 7 days were up the day before we received the "proof". Then she told me that the bloke I needed to talk to was not going to be available for the next 14 days as he was away.
Then I was told that Vardis had a verbal contract with my partner, so I told them to prove it.
I got an email later that day with a recording of my partner saying "yes" to aggreeing the advert. I listened very carefully to the recording and as I work in radio, using editing machines etc, I could qiute clearly hear the edits that had been made.
They had taken her conversation and found her saying "yes" and edited that "yes" into the conversation. How bad is that?
So I got trading standards onto it and they advised me to write this:
Section 3 of the under The Unsolicited Goods and Services Act provides various requirements, which must be met before there is an agreement which complies with “the act” and therefore demand for payment can be made. Amendments have been made in relation to electronic communications which came into force 6th April 2005.
By Law, you have not got a signed note from me containing detailed information agreeing to any charges. The purchaser must be supplied with a note containing the detailed information prior to him signing it and a copy made available for him to keep.
Neither do you have any electronic communication with a statement that agrees to the charge, transmitted by myself.
The purchaser must receive a communication containing the information detailed below prior to him sending the statement of agreement.
The communication must be able to be produced and retained in visible and legible form, this rules out a telephone recording of an agreement.
I sent it recorded delivery and get back 2 letters from Crown Debt Recovery stating we are going to be summoned to Liverpool County Court if we don`t pay £464.13, advert charge £60 recovery charge and now £300 legal charge has been added.
How, in this day and age can a company like By Law, you have not got a signed note from me containing detailed information agreeing to any charges. The purchaser must be supplied with a note containing the detailed information prior to him signing it and a copy made available for him to keep.
Neither do you have any electronic communication with a statement that agrees to the charge, transmitted by myself.
The purchaser must receive a communication containing the information detailed below prior to him sending the statement of agreement.
The communication must be able to be produced and retained in visible and legible form, this rules out a telephone recording of an agreement.
Now we have Crown Debt Recovery trying to take us to court for £464 advert cost, £60 recovery cost and now £300 legal cost.
How, in this day and age can a company like Vardis get away with this kind of business practice?
I too am having problems with this company. THe latest letter this morning was that they were going to pass the details on to the Court.
Funny thing is, the person who they are sending the letters too I have never heard of!!!! I have mentioned this to them on several occassions, and they are ignoring it- despite having sent them proof. They emailed me over a phone conversation with the man that supposedly requested their services, which is dodgy in itself, as I am the only one here, and I am not male- lol!
I think I will be taking the advice of others below and contacting Trading Standards, as I refuse to pay for a service I have not requested and haven't received anyway.
I have tried to sort the issues with them, but my emails are bouncing back, no-one ever answers the phone, and my letters are being ignored, so I don't see what more I can do.
One thing is for sure I will certainly not allow myself to be bullied by them any longer, and it is comforting, (in an odd way) to know that I am not the only one having problems with them.
Yes, I understand completely what all of you have gone through, with Vardis.
The advice I can give, DO NOT , I repeat, DO NOT, fall victim to their tactics. They will not dare take any one of us to court. They are cowards and they know it.
Just think, if Vardis were to actually take every one of us to court, that the Liverpool county court might just become a tad suspicious of there continuously 'dragging' law abiding citizens to court for no reason but to extort money. Seriously, they've got more important issues to deal with.
However, I would relish the opportunity of banding together and taking Vardis to court for a whole host of charges. Any lawyers out there, this is easy money.
Any money that we win, can end up going DIRECTLY to the charities that need it! All courtesy of Vardis UK, of course.
My son was contacted by this company in early 2007 as he was trying to start up a small repair company. Like others he agreed to have a look at what they were producing and they sent him a booklet with suggested artwork which was unacceptable. he told them by phone he didn't want it. In the last week he has had two letters threatening him with court action the last one received today saying that a court summons is to be issued in Liverpool County court.
Something has to be done about these unscrupulous methods, my son did not succeed with the business venture and is now in a low paid job trying to get himself back on track. This is the kind of thing that pushes people over the edge.
I hope you can help, I recieved a letter today 26th January 2008 from Crown debt recovery dated the 26th January 2008 how the hell they got it here that fast I don't know, saying they are taking me to Liverpool County Court unless I make payment by the 16th of February for a debt of £346.63 plus £45.00 recovery charge making a total of £391.63 to Vardis, I have never used this company and my wife is quite upset and anxious about it, and I have tried phoning both Crown and Vardis to which I get no reply or answer machines, and I don't know what to do I hope you can help,
Vadis are sending out poor artwork to people by recorded delivery. The recipient has to sign for the artwork.
Now they are trying to claim they have a signature for their contact by this devious means !
Of course it would not stand up in court. Vardis and the ' Foresters fund for Children ' continue with their ' publications ' around the Uk and it seems Ireland. ( Eire ) Funny thing is they have published two full page ads in heir latest short run edition for Crimestoppers ' That may be pushing it too far !!!
If you have any contact with Micheal Cane, Esther Ranson, Stephen Hendry and Simon Weston perhaps you might let them know there are full page entries for each celebrity claiming their support in case they are unaware.
I too had "The" call from this company and was initially sucked in to the idea, I later cancelled as I got so confused with the different companies calling me to donate to these magazines/booklets, yet today I find I have a letter send by recorded delivery showing me the naff artwork they came up with.
I decided to search for them and Blagger.com was the first result in the search engine!
I am absolutely disgusted in this company after reading the comments below as well as those printed on the Mirror website.
I have now emailed the company cancelling the "order" again and after reading this site I am ready for a fight.
I've worked in the financial sector helping people with debt problems and dealing with pushy creditors who employ scare tactics to get people to pay and trust me, they will not get an easy ride from me if they try things on.
Anyone else reading this site with similar experience, take the good advice on this site and do not pay a penny, take it as far as you need to as far as reporting them to Trading Standards - they can't carry on like this forever!
Previous articles in the mirror can be found here:
I'm currently in the process of cancelling my order after receiving my p*ss poor excuse for artwork. All they've done is rip my company logo off my site! If they ar-se me about when I'm cancelling, I'll just send THEM a court summons for Copyright Infringement.
Job done. Case Closed. Bobs Yer uncle!
Guys and Girls, do NOT pay Vardis a penny. Period. Unless you have signed a contract - WHICH YOU HAVEN'T - they can't do anything about it.
Power to the people and all that... Get it out there that Vardis are eejits!
The police are aware of Vardis, The OFT are aware of Vardis, Trading Standards are aware of Vardis.
Take it from somebody who has been there, if you don’t pay they will threaten you with court, they will harass you, but they will not take you to court.
They can’t, there is no contract.
Write to them and explain what has happened in as much detail as possible and make it absolutely plain that you have cancelled and do not wish to continue with the advert. Keep the letter on file and just keep referring to the letter. Eventually after 12 months or so they will realise they are wasting their time and go in search of another sucker who will give in more easily.
They are only interested in making an easy buck these people and don’t provide any value whatsoever for it.
Remember if you do pay, you will end up on a suckers list and be bombarded by companies like this from now till doomsday���.You have been warned!
In August this year i recieved a phone call from this company telling me I could have an ad and the money would go to the charity foresters as you all know. After recieving the bill a few days later I thought i would love to help all the good causes in the world but i just cant do it, so i called them and cancelled over the phone, they told me not a problem and i hung up. A few weeks later another bill came, again i called and told them i had cancelled, "Oh we will look into it and get back to you". Then this really nasty guy called Andy Autumn rang me to say we have your acceptance on tape you have to pay we will ring you back and play the tape, ok i said but do you have the conversation recorded where i cancelled, "no" he replied "we dont have to". no i said you only record people accepting so you have them by the short and curlies. Today I have had a conversation with him and told him I found this site with very bad reports and I wasnt going to pay the bill, He said, "well its like tesco and marks and spencer people will always complain. " I contacted office of fair trading and they told me they tell trading standards and if enough people complain then trading standards get in touch with the police and they investigate it. If we all complain all the time this company will be stopped from what they are doing. I will be getting in touch with watch dog too. If we all help each other maybe we can get these guys stopped. I have been told that if i do get a letter from court to ring them and find out if it is from them, if not thats wrong again. Surely we can do something.
Having started a new business this year had received many advertising companies asking if I was interested in placing adverts with themselves. A company going by the name of 'Vardis' got in touch explaining that proceeds would go to charity....
I expressed my interest to this as money would go to children. On seeing the unreadable artwork I told the company I was not interested. Needless to say they printed my advert into their brochure and keep badgering me to pay. After much pushing by their company I was going to reside myself to paying even though I did not want the advert. I took it upon myself to find out who Vardis were and it appears they are all connected in this seemingly dishonest advertising...
Contacted the company who will not put me through to their general manager now because I have found out thanks to this site it is nothing more than to put money into their own pockets shall we say......
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Visitors to the site are reminded that the details contained within user comments are uncorroborated and as such should not be read as fact but as the opinion of the person who left the comment.
Comments:
kw at 9th May 2008, 03:26PM
kw at 9th May 2008, 03:26PM
Read everything else on this site about Vardis and all of the other advertising companies and you'll be ok...
Colin O at 6th May 2008, 09:10PM
You can see a picture of him if you have a strong stomach.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/investigates/2008/04/24/charity-publishers-fleece-generous-advertisers-89520-20392923/
The biggest bit of advice I can give to anyone with these companies is - do not try and talk to them at all - and do not be worried about putting the phone down on them as they are talking. It is sad because we have had to stop taking any sales calls which could be dropping business for us, but we have to - they change their story subtly each time to try and catch you out.
I have been on to Trading Standards - they can help but they need lots of people to call - so call, call, call!!!!!
Today I found out (just as I thought) Vardis have dismissed a letter of cancellation for an order they have made up on my behalf and I had sent this to them via recorded delivery!
How do I know this? Well today they sent me a proof of the advertisement I had apparently ordered! Some of you guys can relate to this I know, as I have been following the blogs on this.
I have now faxed & e-mailed them back with a letter advising them that I do not wish to have anything to do with Vardis and certainly do not wish to have any advertisement placed in any magazine!
What kind of sick people are they?...I know they will dismiss all the correspondence I send unless it was a cheque of course!)
Well all I can say to Vardis is keep ringing me, keep sending your letters and even your threatening letters (which are yet to come) if it makes you feel big,clever and ever so professional...Not! but it will get you no where believe me!
scammerscum at 12th Apr 2008, 05:57PM
We too are having problems with this Vardis company and Crown Debt Recovery.
My partner set up a Hair and Beauty business and advertised on the internet.
Three days later she took a call from Vardis giving there gubbins that they can advertise her business in this charity publication The foresters fund for children.
She said that she wasn`t interested but they kept on at her, but she still said NO.
Then we suddenly received a "proof" of an advert that Vardis said we had ordered.
So I decided to call them to find out what was going on. I got through to a real abusive receptionist who, in my mind thought she owned the company telling me that I was out of order for calling, I couldn`t cancel the advert, her reason for this was that we had 7 days to cancel and those 7 days were up the day before we received the "proof". Then she told me that the bloke I needed to talk to was not going to be available for the next 14 days as he was away.
Then I was told that Vardis had a verbal contract with my partner, so I told them to prove it.
I got an email later that day with a recording of my partner saying "yes" to aggreeing the advert. I listened very carefully to the recording and as I work in radio, using editing machines etc, I could qiute clearly hear the edits that had been made.
They had taken her conversation and found her saying "yes" and edited that "yes" into the conversation. How bad is that?
So I got trading standards onto it and they advised me to write this:
Section 3 of the under The Unsolicited Goods and Services Act provides various requirements, which must be met before there is an agreement which complies with “the act” and therefore demand for payment can be made. Amendments have been made in relation to electronic communications which came into force 6th April 2005.
By Law, you have not got a signed note from me containing detailed information agreeing to any charges. The purchaser must be supplied with a note containing the detailed information prior to him signing it and a copy made available for him to keep.
Neither do you have any electronic communication with a statement that agrees to the charge, transmitted by myself.
The purchaser must receive a communication containing the information detailed below prior to him sending the statement of agreement.
The communication must be able to be produced and retained in visible and legible form, this rules out a telephone recording of an agreement.
I sent it recorded delivery and get back 2 letters from Crown Debt Recovery stating we are going to be summoned to Liverpool County Court if we don`t pay £464.13, advert charge £60 recovery charge and now £300 legal charge has been added.
How, in this day and age can a company like By Law, you have not got a signed note from me containing detailed information agreeing to any charges. The purchaser must be supplied with a note containing the detailed information prior to him signing it and a copy made available for him to keep.
Neither do you have any electronic communication with a statement that agrees to the charge, transmitted by myself.
The purchaser must receive a communication containing the information detailed below prior to him sending the statement of agreement.
The communication must be able to be produced and retained in visible and legible form, this rules out a telephone recording of an agreement.
Now we have Crown Debt Recovery trying to take us to court for £464 advert cost, £60 recovery cost and now £300 legal cost.
How, in this day and age can a company like Vardis get away with this kind of business practice?
We aren`t there rules in place that stop this?
Funny thing is, the person who they are sending the letters too I have never heard of!!!! I have mentioned this to them on several occassions, and they are ignoring it- despite having sent them proof. They emailed me over a phone conversation with the man that supposedly requested their services, which is dodgy in itself, as I am the only one here, and I am not male- lol!
I think I will be taking the advice of others below and contacting Trading Standards, as I refuse to pay for a service I have not requested and haven't received anyway.
I have tried to sort the issues with them, but my emails are bouncing back, no-one ever answers the phone, and my letters are being ignored, so I don't see what more I can do.
One thing is for sure I will certainly not allow myself to be bullied by them any longer, and it is comforting, (in an odd way) to know that I am not the only one having problems with them.
The advice I can give, DO NOT , I repeat, DO NOT, fall victim to their tactics. They will not dare take any one of us to court. They are cowards and they know it.
Just think, if Vardis were to actually take every one of us to court, that the Liverpool county court might just become a tad suspicious of there continuously 'dragging' law abiding citizens to court for no reason but to extort money. Seriously, they've got more important issues to deal with.
However, I would relish the opportunity of banding together and taking Vardis to court for a whole host of charges. Any lawyers out there, this is easy money.
Any money that we win, can end up going DIRECTLY to the charities that need it! All courtesy of Vardis UK, of course.
Something has to be done about these unscrupulous methods, my son did not succeed with the business venture and is now in a low paid job trying to get himself back on track. This is the kind of thing that pushes people over the edge.
If you want to speak to Crown Debt recovery look no further than Vardis' offices. Yes,they are one and the same owned by Andrew Lownsbrough.
They are trying to intimidate you into paying that's all. They won't take you to court so don't worry.
Write to them at Vardis' office explaining the situation recorded delivery addressed to Andrew Lownsbrough and keep a copy on file.
If you are still worried speak to Trading Standards and Liverpool Police, they will put your mind at ease.
Take the advice of somebody who has experienced the 'Vardis Experience' and don't pay.
All the best
philc at 12th Jan 2008, 11:50PM
Now they are trying to claim they have a signature for their contact by this devious means !
Of course it would not stand up in court. Vardis and the ' Foresters fund for Children ' continue with their ' publications ' around the Uk and it seems Ireland. ( Eire ) Funny thing is they have published two full page ads in heir latest short run edition for Crimestoppers ' That may be pushing it too far !!!
If you have any contact with Micheal Cane, Esther Ranson, Stephen Hendry and Simon Weston perhaps you might let them know there are full page entries for each celebrity claiming their support in case they are unaware.
I decided to search for them and Blagger.com was the first result in the search engine!
I am absolutely disgusted in this company after reading the comments below as well as those printed on the Mirror website.
I have now emailed the company cancelling the "order" again and after reading this site I am ready for a fight.
I've worked in the financial sector helping people with debt problems and dealing with pushy creditors who employ scare tactics to get people to pay and trust me, they will not get an easy ride from me if they try things on.
Anyone else reading this site with similar experience, take the good advice on this site and do not pay a penny, take it as far as you need to as far as reporting them to Trading Standards - they can't carry on like this forever!
Previous articles in the mirror can be found here:
The Mirror Articles
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/investigates/2007/12/
(Click on the 'Vilest Award' option)
At 12.5% I make it £64,000 from adverts.
Just doesn't stack up does it?
How much to run the company?
Keep the premises going?
How much is Andrew Lownsbrough taking?
What about the commission to the sales people?
If I was the Forresters Fund I'd be asking questions.
Is it really worth tarnishing their reputation by association with Vardis for £8k.
Even they couldn't be that desparate could they?
Job done. Case Closed. Bobs Yer uncle!
Guys and Girls, do NOT pay Vardis a penny. Period. Unless you have signed a contract - WHICH YOU HAVEN'T - they can't do anything about it.
Power to the people and all that... Get it out there that Vardis are eejits!
According to Charity Commission accounts in the year ended March 2006 Vardis only gave the Foresters charity £8,000.
So how many adverts has Vardis sold and how much money from each advert does it keep for itself?
Is it appropriate for a firm working for a charity to threaten people over adverts they say they have cancelled?
Take it from somebody who has been there, if you don’t pay they will threaten you with court, they will harass you, but they will not take you to court.
They can’t, there is no contract.
Write to them and explain what has happened in as much detail as possible and make it absolutely plain that you have cancelled and do not wish to continue with the advert. Keep the letter on file and just keep referring to the letter. Eventually after 12 months or so they will realise they are wasting their time and go in search of another sucker who will give in more easily.
They are only interested in making an easy buck these people and don’t provide any value whatsoever for it.
Remember if you do pay, you will end up on a suckers list and be bombarded by companies like this from now till doomsday���.You have been warned!
I expressed my interest to this as money would go to children. On seeing the unreadable artwork I told the company I was not interested. Needless to say they printed my advert into their brochure and keep badgering me to pay. After much pushing by their company I was going to reside myself to paying even though I did not want the advert. I took it upon myself to find out who Vardis were and it appears they are all connected in this seemingly dishonest advertising...
Contacted the company who will not put me through to their general manager now because I have found out thanks to this site it is nothing more than to put money into their own pockets shall we say......
Be very careful and dont pay a penny!!!!!!!
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