Irish SMEs Targetted By Scam Internet Directories

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Written by AMAS

Wednesday, 06 April 2011 20:57

Irish SMEs and sole traders are being targetted by scam internet directories, and we’ve highlighted the issue during the National Consumer Agency’s “Be Scam Savvy” campaign (#scamsavvy on Twitter). All business owners should be wary of any correspondence from companies with whom they have no record of having entered into arrangements with regarding such directories.

Here’s how the directory scam works…

1 They make it look official (sort of)…

The European City Guide - top of page

(And note how they helpfully provide a return envelope)

2 They throw in a “sort of European” flag…

(Though this one has only 11 countries).

Image of EU flag (with only 11 country flags) in European City Guide

3 They tuck away some disclaimers…

For example, that it’s nothing to do with the EU really.

Small print on the guide saying it has nothing to do with the European Commission

4 They make it look like you’re just being asked to “make corrections” on a free listing…

Image from the European City Guide

5 The form gives instructions that sound like one thing but mean another…

For example, it starts by saying in large print: “Only sign if you want to place an insertion”. You do want an insertion, don’t you? And it’s free, isn’t it?

Image from European City Guide saying only sign if you want an insertion

6 But the devil is in the detail…

Finally it whispers in the small print that by signing this piece of paper you’re actually entering a contract. For €997. For each of three years. In other words for €2,991 plus VAT…

The part of the form looking for your signature

Similar directory scams

Here’s a similar scam for “Internet Register Ireland”:

A form from the Internet Register Ireland

The con has similar features to the European City Guide (though it tries to make it look more “local”) and has much the same aim in the small print: to make you part with €958 a year, for three years…

The small print in the Internet Register Ireland form

What to do

If you get this kind of junk mail, always read the small print, never sign anything you’re not sure of, and don’t pay thousands of euros for an entry in an online directory – especially one that doesn’t even give its web address.

The National Consumer Agency is an AMAS client, and we are involved in the NCA’s “Be Scam Savvy” campaign on Facebook and Twitter. You’ll find the NCA on Twitter on @NCA and the hashtag for the “Be Scam Savvy” campaign is #scamsavvy. Follow AMAS on Twitter @AMASinternet.

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