SCAM - Suomenpuhelinluottelu. BEWARE

[jpp]

Please beware of this company. They call small businesses sounding very official and asking if they can verify the address for the online phone book. If you verify your address with them, they will inform you that the service costs 90euro for 6months and hang up. You can't reach them after that and you get a bill in the mail. They record the phone conversation and say that you have a binding contract. It is NOT cancellable apparently. It just happened to us and we are investigating the legal aspects of the following:

1. Is it a valid contract if they inform you on the phone and hang up and not answer calls after that.
2. Is it legal to record a phone conversation without consent.
3. What can they do if you refuse to pay.

Apparently a lot of people have been tricked and threatened with legal action - so they have paid out of fear.

Any lawyers, your input is welcome

Thanks and regards,

James

[Upphew]

Please beware of this company. They call small businesses sounding very official and asking if they can verify the address for the online phone book. If you verify your address with them, they will inform you that the service costs 90euro for 6months and hang up. You can't reach them after that and you get a bill in the mail. They record the phone conversation and say that you have a binding contract. It is NOT cancellable apparently. It just happened to us and we are investigating the legal aspects of the following:

1. Is it a valid contract if they inform you on the phone and hang up and not answer calls after that.
2. Is it legal to record a phone conversation without consent.
3. What can they do if you refuse to pay.

Apparently a lot of people have been tricked and threatened with legal action - so they have paid out of fear.

Any lawyers, your input is welcome

Thanks and regards,

James

Of course it is cancellable, but most likely not right after the order. I'd guess you are married to contract at least for a year.
1. If you agree on the phone then it is binding contract.
2. You can record any conversation that you are part of. Recording is more accurate compared to your memory. Remember to check GDPR if you plan to start collecting those recordings.
3. They most likely hire collection agency and maybe visit to the courts if need to be. More likely they first pile on collection fees and late fees.

[jpp]

Thanks for the reply.

I asked them for proof of contract.
They said they had a voice recording and I asked for a copy of it.
They cancelled the bill instead.

[Upphew]

Thanks for the reply.

I asked them for proof of contract.
They said they had a voice recording and I asked for a copy of it.
They cancelled the bill instead.

They might not have the recording then. Or have listened it
New entrepreneurs are targeted by people selling "phone books" or "visibility". Declining their offers are the wise thing to do. Don't if you reallyreally want to humour yourself, decline everything and ask them to sen you an offer.

[ajdias]

You got out of it unscattered

How did you get hold of them?

Like Upphew says, these kind of businesses pray on newbies. MIght be a coincidence, noticed this the other day , a magazine publisher preying on consumers (enterpreuners aren't as protected as consumers.)
https://www.helsinginuutiset.fi/artikke ... johtaminen

More than 10 years ago I was winding down my business and got a call from a collection agency (Intrum Justitia, iirc) about one unpaid debt for one such "service". I was pretty outraged and managed to sound very convincing on the phone call "listen lady, I am not paying anything, I didn't make any order". All she said was "ok" before hanging up and they knew that many of those bills would not stand ground...

[jpp]

I am quite sure they backed off because they don't have a case and they couldn't show me proof of contract
Apparently this company has ben reported to the police and Yrittäjät and they stay borderline within the law
But it looks like a lot of people don't dare to question them - the company has a turnover of 2.7mio EUR a year running this scam

[masao]

search.php?keywords=yritysrekisteri

The topic was earlier, too. In the similar case when I received the bill of some 80€, I called them and
told them that I would write to Helsingin Sanomat if they did not cancel the bill. Eventually they did cancel.
t, masao

[Marsh04]

Send them this message by email and that should resolve the issue. Don't waste your time in trying to call them. In subject of the email write the laskunumero. It has worked 3 times for me during the last one year.

 Hei,

Sain laskun ............( sender's company name)..... nimellä, lasku on perusteeton, koska en ole 
itse tehnyt tai hyväksynyt sopimusta/tilausta.
Pyydän lopettamaan laskujen lähettäminen, koska sopimusta ei ole solmittu.
Olen yrittänyt ottaa teihin yhteyttä puhelimitse, laskussa olevaan puhelin numeroon, mutta se ei toimi!

Terveisin,
Your or company's name