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SASCO Wall Planner Scam Alert
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I received a call on my mobile this morning at around 11:25 from a blocked number. The caller started the conversation by saying that they got my number from my website and that he wanted to tell me about the Sasco Wall Planner project that they were running in aid of a local children’s cancer charity. He went on to explain that they were going to be distributing these wall planners to local business in the Cork area and that they would like to feature my business on the wall planner. He said I would be the only photographer listed on the wall planner and there would only be 25 businesses listed on the planner. He then asked me if I would be interested in being the only photographer in the Cork area to be featured on the planner and that I shouldn’t forget that this was for a worthwhile local children’s cancer charity. The second I said no, he said goodbye and terminated the call.
On checking the Acco’s Sasco Wall Planner Site, I noticed that they have already been alerting visitors to this alert.
I don’t normally highlight scam’s because the vast majority of them are well publicised and very obvious. But this wasn’t one I’d heard of before. I’m curious to hear if anyone else has been contacted by these people? and if so, did you find out how much this was actually going to cost? As I said, the second he finished his script and I responded negatively to his question he terminated the call, so I have no idea how much they are ripping people off by.
– Thorsten.
I have got the same call not more than 15 minutes ago. They were saying it was through the IPPA that my name was given.
If the IPPA were supporting such a scheme I would have known about it.Anyway ……. looking at the business into the future things have become very, very tight and I’m cutting back on all un-necessary expenditure right now so I would not have been at all interested. At the best of times this kind of advertising is pretty usless and as your basically giving a donation I dont like being told what I have to donate.
Right, I’ll add my experience to the list. Just had a call, 2 mins ago. For the same thing, wall planners. The number that came up on my phone was 069-5576781 and the guy on the phone said he worked for a company called Atlantic or something in Dublin. Said they got my details from SWPP, blah blah. We’re doing free wallplanners for whole of my county, for a charity in Ireland for kids cancer is what he said. Went on and on. As soon as I said I wasn’t interested, he hung up, no goodbyes anything. This is a scam, google it if you want to be sure.
ok – I had pretty much the same call. After a 10 mins conversation and making them aware that I would not give them any cc details over the phone and would only make a contribution in person to a official working in an office of some sort…..I agreed to it. :shock: :shock:
the only information they wanted was a landline number…?? no payment info until January
How silly am I?
this is the website he gave me for reference
http://www.childrentolaplandappeal.ie/index.html
The main protagonists in this “scam” are Vardis, and they claim to be doing wall planners for the Foresters Fund for Children.
Do a quick google on the above and you will see their history.
Very pushy individuals, based in Liverpool, but they also operate from Irish numbers.They sound quite genuine, but once you say no they are gone very quickly.
I received a call from them a few months ago, but “luckily” have bugger all spare cash for advertising !!
Kevin
OK – I’ve called the number on the http://www.childrentolaplandappeal.ie website. A representative from Children To Lapland Appeal confirmed that this was a legit effort put forward by them and Atlantic Media are helping them with donations.. They gave me the number to Atlantic Media (a local number). After talking to someone from Atlantic Media I stated once again that I would only be paying in person at an official office and they assured me that would not be a problem.
So now…I don’t know what to think. Is anyone familiar with the Children To Lapland Appeal?
Ah ok, I got a call here at home 2 nights ago, line was bad at my end, but the number was 069…….and I couldn’t really hear
them very well. Next thing they hang up. I wonder….Good post Thorsten!
Over 1,000 members on PI. Big risk them taking some of us on – somebody could mobilise a lot of people to clog a small number of phone lines.
Not that I would even consider such a thing. On no, not me. WOuldn’t do that …
I had the same phone call just today.
When I asked to send me all info by e-mail, he just told me that is not point because in few hours they will not have any more space left.
… and I just said… good luck!I’ve tried ringing back the number that came up on my phone – see my earlier post if you wanna have a go :lol: But no luck getting through to it from my end. My guess is that if you agree, you’ll get your proof copy of the planner, but I don’t think you’ll be seeing it come through any doors in your area.
I received the information pack this morning from Atlantic Media. It was posted from the UK, but has a Dublin address as their HQ for this campaign.
In any case, after speaking to someone about this, I was advised if there was any doubt to call and email notifying them of my withdrawal. I called and canceled my contribution, and the fella from Atlantic Media was very understanding.
I can’t say for 100% if the Atlantic Media “Children To Lapland” wall calender is legit, if it’s a scam it’s done to a very high degree.
Either way, ultimately the losers are the “Children To Lapland” appeal.
look forward to getting a few more calls from them if you said no! they ring every few weeks, normally the same bloke. they want you to commit over the phone. dodge city. Wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole!
here’s the email contact address to children to lapland thingy…I suggest emailing and complaining to them about vardis tactics. rommelunitedtravel.ie. if you look on the lapland website they have a number of mobile phone numbers you can ring also. phone number is 2832555, guys first name is montano.
Not here much these days, but I saw this in passing.
I too got this call, but it was for Leukemia. My answer was ‘What makes you think I do this for a living that I might want to advertise?”. Besides, based on business info here and on other forums, even if this was legit, the chances of ever getting work from it are negligible.
This was discussed on RTEs “Buyer Beware” where wall planners were the method to provide advertising space. Similar scams for Crumlin Childrens Hospital and also in UK were run. 2 brothers in the west received a bill from a debt collector for advertising they knew nothing about and as they had only started out in business they felt obliged rather than having bad credit records…the advertising company owned the dept collector agency too. It was run by a company called Vardis with similar MO to what’s described here. No one saw their advert and those that saw the wall planner rung the numbers…but they were fictitious.
Interesting…
Don’t know if the TPS will help stop these calls but might be worth a try
http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/I have registered on this many times but still get marketing calls from India. One place called me 19 times last week before I went mad on the phone and told them to bugger off.
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