What to expect

  • The whole thing starts when you received an unsolicited email from world-businessdirectory/world-businessguide containing an innocuous letter offering a 'free' update of your website details if you return the attached form. (Which of course you do)

  • There are two scams.
    • The first one revolves around the fact that they are offering a free UPDATE. This of course implies that you already HAVE a listing. If you do not HAVE a listing then there is NO FREE UPDATE. (Clever isn't it).
    • The second scam involves physically signing the form. The carefully disguised wording says that if you sign the form you agree to the contract. Of course you are already so brain washed into getting the free update that you don't even think twice.

  • Why is this a scam? Simply because so many people (see the statistics page) can't all be wrong. They will try to tell you that the information is all clearly displayed but then WHY is everybody signing it by accident? In South Africa we are (hopefully) protected against this type of practise by the Consumer Affairs act (what used to be the 'unfair business practises act')

  • If your address details are complete then you will receive a DVD and an invoice after about 3 weeks, either by courier or registered mail. Alternatively you will receive and email reminder from EU Business Services after about 6 to 8 weeks

  • Once you have explained to them that you signed the form in error they may (but not always) offer to reduce your contract to 1 year if you pay promptly. (If anyone has received a letter from them confirming the reduced contract please send a copy to wbdsupport@googlegroups.com)

  • You may get another reminder but very soon after the first email reminder you will receive an invoice for an extra GBP100 (The amounts may change depending on the date of the contract) or so that apparently includes administration charges and interest. This is phase 2 and is designed to scare you into settling (before it gets even more)

  • Now there is an extended period of threats and reminders before you are finally warned that you will incur an additional GBP300 in legal fees and handed over to debt collectors if you don't pay.

  • You will then receive a letter from the debt collectors, Waldberg & Hirsch, in Netherlands (supposedly)

  • What happens next is still conjecture (in South Africa anyway) but you can read about the modus operandi in the rest of the world on the www.stopecg.org/letters.htm website.


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