These sharks have managed to con my elderly mother out of 18mths of 
maintenance payments by passing themselves off as SKY.  I still don't know 
how they managed to set up a direct debit but they did.  Sky deny passing on 
details.

Does anyone have a contact address /phone number for this firm (they sent no 
paperwork to my mother).  Has anyone had success in getting their money 
back.

TIA

Jon

Jon Hudson wrote:
> These sharks have managed to con my elderly mother out of 18mths of
> maintenance payments by passing themselves off as SKY.  I still don't
> know how they managed to set up a direct debit but they did.  Sky
> deny passing on details.
>
> Does anyone have a contact address /phone number for this firm (they
> sent no paperwork to my mother).  Has anyone had success in getting
> their money back.
>
> TIA
>
> Jon

She should complain to her bank, they are responsible for refunding her 
money.
-- 
 >^..^< This is Kitty. Copy and paste Kitty into your signature to help
her wipe out Bunny's world domination.

On 26-Jun-2008, "Jon Hudson"  wrote:

> These sharks have managed to con my elderly mother out of 18mths of
> maintenance payments by passing themselves off as SKY.  I still don't know
>
> how they managed to set up a direct debit but they did.  Sky deny passing
> on
> details.
>
> Does anyone have a contact address /phone number for this firm (they sent
> no
> paperwork to my mother).  Has anyone had success in getting their money
> back.

First stop, it won't do any harm, not that they are much good,
Trading Standards, if there has been no paperwork, the
assumption could be unfair contract, she has no way of
determining terms and conditions. If she cancels the Direct Debit
they will of course make all sorts of threats, legal action,
credit history, etc. There may be a cooling off period, but
without the terms and conditions she wouldn't know her
rights to cancel.
Depends on whether you can fight it on her behalf, it
may involve a degree of legal knowledge, and how
to counter their various arguments. The conditions that
can be construed as an unfair contract etc.
Whether she signed anything.
Whether they recorded the conversation.
Could be a bit like some utilities signing people
up without their consent.

"Jon Hudson"  wrote in message
news:4863b8e5$0$881$ba4acef3@news.orange.fr...
> These sharks have managed to con my elderly mother out of 18mths of
> maintenance payments by passing themselves off as SKY.  I still don't
> know how they managed to set up a direct debit but they did.  Sky deny
> passing on details.
>
> Does anyone have a contact address /phone number for this firm (they
> sent no paperwork to my mother).  Has anyone had success in getting
> their money back.
>
> TIA
>
> Jon
>


A business named Satellite Direct UK Ltd was investigated recently by
the BBC Watchdog television programme.  That company
was based at Yapton, near Arundel, West Sussex.  A Google search
indicates that Satellite Direct UK Ltd also trades as Satcover, 
HomeCare, Skycare Service Agreements and Subscriber Services.

For further information, see
http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/watchdog/reports/consumer_goods/consumer_20080310.shtml.

If your mother's contract is with Satellite Direct UK Ltd, BT Directory
Enquiries lists the numbers as 0870 224 5777 and 01243 555703.
Additional information at www.saynoto0870.co.uk gives 01243 556000,
01243 553528, and 01903 718185.

By way of further information, Satellite Direct UK is not the only
player in this market.  Another operator is Digital Satellite Warranty
Cover Ltd ., which trades from Unit 5 Capitol Trading Park, Kirkby Bank
Rd, Kirkby, Merseyside, L33 7SY.  The telephone number on their
notepaper is 0871 265 9865.  According to www.saynoto0870.co.uk,  the
geographical number is 0151 547 5250.  The BT Telephone Directory also
lists a company named Nationwide Digital Satellite Warranty Services Ltd
at that address with the same geographical telephone number..

Last April, these people pestered me with repeated telephone calls and
letters.  The telephone calls were worded very carefully and the callers
did not say at any time they represented Sky Digital.  However, they
stated that my Sky warranty was about to expire and invited me to
subscribe to a new warranty.  Many people would assume the call had
come from Sky Digital.

I have never subscribed to any Sky warranty, so I realised the phone
calls and letters were an attempt to extract money.  The warranties are
quite expensive and I had no idea whether the company had adequate
financial or technical resources to provide extended warranties.

Furthermore, I do not know whether the provision of an extended warranty
is a contract of insurance.  If so, the law states that the provider
must apply to the Financial Services Authority for authorisation.  The
company's notepaper made no mention of any FSA authorisation.

I referred the correspondence to the Trading Standards Department at
Leicestershire County Council - and I believe my local council passed
the complaint to the Trading Standards Department at Knowlsley
Metropolitan Borough Council.

Incidentally, the following business have very similar names and
addresses.  Not one of them has ever filed annual accounts and a search
at Companies House shows that some of them have been, or are likely to
be struck off the register for failure to file annual returns and/or
annual accounts:


NATIONWIDE DIGITAL SATELLITE SERVICE LIMITED
Registered Office, Unit 23 Capital Trading Park
Kirkby Bank Road
Kirkby
Liverpool
Merseyside
L33 7SY
Company No. 04824718
Incorporated 8 July 2003
No accounts filed at Companies House
No annual returns submitted since 8 July 2004
This company was DISSOLVED on 11 April 2006

NATIONWIDE DIGITAL SATELLITE WARRANTY SERVICES LIMITED
Registered Office, Unit 23 Capital Trading Park
Kirkby Bank Road
Knowlsley Industrial Estate
Kirkby
Merseyside
L33 7SY
Company No. 05597928
Incorporated 20 October 2005
No accounts or annual accounts have been filed.
Companies House lists the company's status as "Active - Proposal to
Strike off".

DIGITAL SATELLITE WARRANTY COVER LTD
Registered Office, 2nd Floor
145-157 St.John Street
London
EC1V 4PY
Company No. 05986843
Incorporated 2/11/2006
No accounts have been filed at Companies House.
The company must file its first year's accounts 2 September 2008 - or
will risk being struck off.
When the company wrote to me, its trading address was:
Unit 5 Capitol Trading Park
Kirkby Bank Road
Knowlsley Industrial Estate
Kirkby
Merseyside
L33 7SY

I hope my experiences and the information from Companies House will help
you to form your own conclusions.  I am not suggesting that any of these
companies has been trading fraudulently.  However, AFAIK, genuine Sky
warranties are underwritten by Domestic & General Insurance, a reputable
company which provides warranties for many major manufacturers and
claims to be the UK's leading appliance protection specialist.

Anyone who is invited to purchase an extended warranty should always
check whether the warranty will be provided and underwritten by a
reputable company.  Then, decide whether you actually need the
contract - and whether it provides value for money.

> Anyone who is invited to purchase an extended warranty should always
> check whether the warranty will be provided and underwritten by a
> reputable company.

Like how quick to respond to a callout, what is covered, like will they
replace the coax run if needed, will they supply a replacement box of
satisfactory performance, or a recycled box with someone elses
problem?
Or do they just want your money, and fixing problems is just
a pain in the arse overhead, best handled via a premium
rate call centre.

In article <4863b8e5$0$881$ba4acef3@news.orange.fr>,
	Jon Hudson wrote:
> These sharks have managed to con my elderly mother out of 18mths of 
> maintenance payments by passing themselves off as SKY.  I still don't know 
> how they managed to set up a direct debit but they did.  Sky deny passing on 
> details.

Sky deny passing on details, but somehow these firms know that a Sky
receiver is about to go out of warranty. The Information Commissioner
might be interested.

-- 
Paul Martin

> Sky deny passing on details, but somehow these firms know that a Sky
> receiver is about to go out of warranty. The Information Commissioner
> might be interested.

Sky will just say that it is not their policy to give out customer
details, not much the Information Commissioner can do about
that. Could be a rogue employee inside Sky, making a bit
on the side, but which one?
All you will get from the Informationm Commissioner is
a case number, a leaflet about them, and 6 mths or so
later, that they have looked into it and found no evidence
of a breach, case closed.
There are several a UK legal newsgroups.
Main thing is to act quickly, if there is a cooling off period
they will say they weren't notified in time, and that no letter
or phone call was received within the stated period.
Even if you get to speak to someone they may well
say that there is no record of the call.
They may say they sent the terms and conditions,
not out fault if they got lost in the post, you didn't
cancel in time, full stop.

"Paul Martin"  wrote in message 
news:slrng684ke.7vg.pm@nowster.zetnet.co.uk...
> In article <4863b8e5$0$881$ba4acef3@news.orange.fr>,
> Jon Hudson wrote:
>> These sharks have managed to con my elderly mother out of 18mths of
>> maintenance payments by passing themselves off as SKY.  I still don't 
>> know
>> how they managed to set up a direct debit but they did.  Sky deny 
>> passing on
>> details.
>
> Sky deny passing on details, but somehow these firms know that a Sky
> receiver is about to go out of warranty. The Information Commissioner
> might be interested.
>
> -- 
> Paul Martin 


I'm not sure that is correct.  They called me and also wrote, with the 
standard chat-up line that my Sky warranty was about to expire.  Only 
two problems - my Sky system was installed many years ago and I have 
never paid for a separate warranty.

I think they use a scattergun approach.  If they telephone 100 people 
and 60% have a Sky installation, maybe 10 will fall for the scam.

On Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:05:02 +0100, Paul Martin  wrote:

> Sky deny passing on details, but somehow these firms know that a Sky
> receiver is about to go out of warranty. The Information Commissioner
> might be interested.

It's much the same technique as when the "fortune teller" (for amusement
purposes only) asks their punter/victim if she knows someone called John.

Tony

In article , not-for-
mail@ahjg.co.uk says...

> It's much the same technique as when the "fortune teller" (for amusement
> purposes only) asks their punter/victim if she knows someone called John.
> 
> Tony
> 

Well I knew somebody called John!



How did you know?


:-P