3Copies of Yachting World for £1!

[Sans Bateau]

Had a phone call last night, on the mobile, it went a bit like this:

"Hello, this is ***** I'm calling you from (some marketing company), I understand you are a reader of Yachting Monthly?"

"Yes"

"Have you heard of Yachting World magazine?"

"Emm.. yes"

"Well would you like to have 3 months for £1?"

Pause

"Well why not?"

"OK, can you confirm your bank details for me then please?"

This is were without thinking I gave him my sort code, then woosh!!!!!!!

STOP!!!!!

Told him if he wants me to benifit from 3 free copies of Yachting World he can write to me, then I'll fill in a DDM for £1!

Hell I was nearly had, maybe.

 

[jimi]

Also had the same call. Think it was genuine but on principle I never ever buy from cold callers like that.

 

[iangrant]

Yep me too -- I have the number if you want to call it back!!

Ian

 

[Sans Bateau]

Ian

I tried calling the number, they had phoned me the night before and I missed the call, when I phoned back it was a recorded message.

These days you just cannot trust to luck, there are too many people out there trying to 'have you over'.

As we dont have a land line at home we miss most of the cold calls, fortunately.

 

[Steve Clayton]

Perhaps someone in Yachting World (they must view this forum) would like to comment on whether this is a scam or valid - and modify their marketing approach based on observations made here.

 

[Sans Bateau]

You would have thought that IPC, being such a large company would have used their brains a bit more, or is that expecting too much?

 

[Rowana]

Scam calls

Register your phone & mobile with the telephone preference service, go ex-directory and also register with the mailing preference service.

Junk mail & phone calls dry up almost completely within about 3 months.

The other thing is buy a shredder and shred EVERYTHING with your address on it. It's amazing what people will get up to with a piece of paper with your address on.

When I get the occasional phone call the conversation goes something like -

Me - Hello
Them - Good evening sir. Can I interest you in double glazing/new kitchen/whatever.
Me - What is the name of your company, please?
Them - usually give name
me - How did you get this nimber?
Them - some story about lists or whatever
Me - Well this is an ex-directory number and we are registered with the telephone preference service. We do not accept ANY calls like this and if we recieve any more from (give name of company they've already told you) we will prosecute you to the full extent of the law. Now please remove this number from your list. Good evening.
Put down phone.

The "prosecute" bit probably means bu**er all, but it makes me feel much better !

 

[iangrant]

Re: Scam calls

I'm going to buy an old tape recorder with a wonky tune like greensleeves and put them on hold till they give up..

Ian

 

[Cornishman]

Re: 3Copies of Yachting World for £1! Value?

I'd want more than 3 copies for a £ /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Sans Bateau]

Re: Scam calls

I have no objection to direct mail, possible scam phone calls are another issue. Direct mail is big and getting bigger. Dont forget the copy of the marine chandlers catalogue you get is direct mail. You have the option of throwing it into the recyling box (please)

 

[DJE]

Re: Scam calls

Handing the phone to a 2-year-old and saying "sing a song to the nice man" used to be a good one as well.

 

[Rowana]

Re: Scam calls

Don't know it the advert for Nambarie tea is shown in your area, but I think it's great.

Woman comes in door with shopping as phone rings. Picks up phone & it's a sales call. Picks up kids musical toy, switches it on, and puts the guy on "hold" while she has a cup of tea.

Briliant !

 

[Gunfleet]

foghorn required

How restrained. A whistle or a foghorn works too, especially bearing in mind they may well be wearing a headset. I've been thinking of taking the foghorn onto the train to London too, just so I can shut up all those tosspots with their mobile phones. So far my kids have dissuaded me, but I will sneak it out one day!

 

[ColdFusion]

I would have haggled. 50p for a year's subscription of Yachting World is more realistic IMHO. And that would be my final offer.

(Currently have a PBO subscription and buy most issues of YM and Sailing Today)

 

[kimhollamby]

Checked this out

There is indeed a telemarketing campaign being undertaken by a company called Subscriptions Marketing Limited on behalf of IPC.

I can understand the reaction to being asked to supply bank details over the telephone and so have requested the Subscriptions Marketing Limited main telephone number - 0207 903 3950 - in case anyone wants to take the offer but also wants to validate the origin of the call.

IPC operates strictly according to Data Protection Act and lists are regularly validated.

 

[doris]

Makes normal subscription to YW seems a tad expensive.

Wonder why I bothered to take one out. When I got the cold call about the 3 for £1 I was - a. pissed off that I was paying more already. b. irritated that I could have easily given away details on the phone without thinking!

 

[PhilF]

Re: Scam calls

we get 3 or 4 calls a week from Sky, wish I'd never subscribed to Sky plus, thats when it started (is fab tho)

 

[Sans Bateau]

Re: Checked this out

Thanks Kim, you just can't be to carefull though, can you?

 

[Cornishman]

Re: Pain

Oh! So that's who it was who activated my answering machine but failed to leave a message. After doing a 1471 I rang the number in case it was something which required immediate attention only to receive an automated reply.
I just love those sort of people. To me they are a pain in the transom.
I didn't think 3 months of YW for £1 very good value anyway, and now I regard it as even less. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[rickp]

Re: Scam calls

Tell them, quite firmly, that you do not wish them to call you. Complain a lot, and generally it works (well, it seems to have done for us).

Amex were far worse than Sky, mind /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Rick