In the week, i got a letter in the post from “Survey UK”, telling me I’d been allocated a gift – one of just 49. It then said to ring 01242 695001 to claim. Naturally, I immediately thought it was a scam, and used Mr Internet to find out more.
I was right to be suspicious. It turns out the company (Matters Consulting Ltd, Victoria House, 1 Gloucester Road, Cheltenham) has been in legal trouble before, when they were called “Opinions” and told people they’d won gifts. Gifts the “winners” then had to pay for. Now they’ve reworded the letters to remove “won”, but the scam remains the same – you ring them up and are offered reduced price gym membership. Some “gift”!
It seems I wasn’t the only one to get this either.
UPDATE 01/10/09: Some of the comments have been deleted due to their nature at the request of Richard Seaman.
yE I GOT ONE 2 JUST THOUGHT I USE THE NET TO FIND OUT WETHER IT WAS RIGHT AND MY SUSPISIONS WERE CORRECT JUST SOME OTHER SENSELESS SCAM REALLY BAD MAN
Yep I just got one too, Glad i checked the net for the scam,
cheeky f**kers…
If ya live in the Falkirk area then watch out as they are posting by hand, no address, not even in a envelope.
correction. it did come in an envelope, wife opened it before i got a chance
They are turning up in Peterborough now as well folks. Thank God for the internet!!!
They’re in Bath now too.
They’re in Peterborough and surrounding villages too. Again, no named person on the envelope, just our address and hand delivered.
They’re in Wednesbury now too! Glad I checked it out first. Cheeky muppets!
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Just received mine!(peterborough) wonder if they accept reverse charge??? hoohaahaa. (that was suppoased to be my evil laugh!) 😉
Ohhh I just got one of these in the post and thought mmmmm I will check on the net. Thank you for posting this as it means I have not been disappointed.
thanksx
Got this ” prize ” slip earlier this week ( Llanelli ). Was 90% sure it was a load of crap. Thought I’d check on net to confirm suspicions. Not shocked to find other people have had them.Thanks all for your comments.Keep up the good work!
Yep i got one today still only have 49 gifts funny that hey! mind you they wont ever be claimed – mine expires on 5 nov 2008
HI, I JUST GOT ONE, THE THIRD ONE THIS YEAR!!!! FROM PETERBOROUGH, AND YEAH YOU’RE RIGHT, NO NAME, JUST MR/MRS AND THEN OUR ADDRESS, WHAT A CHEEK!!!! CAN’T BELIEVE THEY ARE ALLOWED TO DO THIS!
THANKS FOR YOUR BLOG, WELL AND TRULY NEEDED, KEEP IT UP!
LEE
XXXXXXXX
Yeah Wisbech (PE postcode area) too. Likewise, Google tel.no. shows people who did fall, Gym membership payments totalling £750 for what the gym itself only charges £300 for, plus a non-cancellation agreement hidden on the *copy* of the credit agreement Рunderhand tactics.
They are now showing up in Carlisle so just shred the letter 🙂
Just had one delivered this morning in Carlisle – same format as above.
Got one this morning, sent it back with very rude (unprintable) comment scrawled across compliment slip – suggest everyone does the same.
Got one in Dorchester today, I was 99% sure it was a scam, glad I checked the net. Cheeky buggers!
I’ve just got one this morning, must admit was a tad excited but decided to do an internet serach and found this site.
I will be posting it back to them with rude comment on!
Thanks for the info
yep me too yesterday… live in nottingham, thought it was a spoof but annoying that some people would be gullible to go through with this…. I have posted it back to sender so they have to pay postage costs!!
These guys are in Hounslow, London west now. Good that I checked it on internet
me to yesterday there doing the rounds in stockport cheshire now glad went on the net thanks
I just got one this morning (Milton Keynes) thought I would check the net first, just want to say thanks for putting this out there.
Got one today thought I’d check it out on the net, it is strange so its going in the recycle bin as we speak! We are in Scarborough by the way.
People,this is not the scam you are all panicing about. Before ranting & raving get the info on the named gym and go and see the owners for yourself, you are not bound to the survey UK people until you hand over your bank details.In my experience these people are purely used to increase the awareness of the gym in your area so if you want gym membership go and see the gym direct and bypass matters consulting, easy.
I got one yesterday morning and did wonder if it was real or not as I have given my opinions for surveys etc. I live up in Northumberland. Thank god for the internet
I got mine this morning as scams go this ones pretty clever giving local rate numbers to call but its still devious I’d much prefer if they just asked me to join a gym instead of making it into something its not. The poor people that get duped into this are going to be those vunerable people who dont have access to the internet to find out what a scam it is!!!
i got one today in stoke on trent,Anybody who omits to tell you what the ‘prize’ really is must want to deceive you some how .avoid
Seem’s like they are making the rounds across the country. I recieved one a day ago… Hinckley, Leicestershire. We should all R.T.S them, each with a comment on their compliments slip! Maybe they will get the message that we are onto them and will stop trying to con people.
Yup got one today in Harlow (essex) exactly the same but with 48 gifts left and a Harlow local number to ring on it.
Dodgy little bleeders! thanks for all the previous input to be able to confirm it is a scam. Just wish there was something more I could do to stop them doing this to people because there are alot of gullable people out there that will fall into these rotten tricks! 🙁
I got one today, I also live in Hinckley, I will R.T.S it, they can kiss my a$$
Mine arrived today and I live in Hinckley. Glad I googled first. Thanks for info.
Thanks a lot for the heads up! Same area as Nee above, local number which gives just a bit more credibility to the scam.
Now arriving Harlow / Bishop’s Stortford areas.
Phone number will be an internet (VOIP) number – you can buy a local number for any area – even Tesco sell them.
I rang them and the offer was Harlow gym membership for £3.81/week and was asked to go directly to the gym, which as far as I know is legit. What will the scam be? Asked to pay loads more when I get there, long term contract? Anyone know?
To Clive: How is it a gift when you have to pay?
Got mine yesterday in Hinckley. Sending it back without a stamp and a suitable comment. Don’t suppose they’ll pay the postage to receive it though.
To deKay: You are correct, not a gift.
In fact a thinly disguised marketing ploy. The ‘offer’ being pretty much the same as their lowest level of membership at around ¬£16.51/month.
It’s another clever way of scam. I received the same one by post and when I rang them they asked for my name which I was not happy to give and i asked if they could tell me what is all about?
They said that they can’t before me giving them the name which I refused.
THIS IS A SCAM, SO ANY ONE GOT THE SAME SLIP, JUST PIN IN.
The manager at Survey UK is Mr Urel Bosely who has a criminal record! His telephone number 01242 693865. It is a direct line!
There in stoke on trent now i got one beware folks and thanks for this post I came straight to good old google b4 ringing them they should be stopped.
got survey uk wiv compliments 2day, i live in hinckley, i shredded mine straight away, reduce,reuse,recycle, lol
Leigh near Wigan today, Too late to ring them tonight so will ring on Monday. Im going to call them ask if i can put them on hold for a minute and then go and make my dinner. My local calls are FOC. The record at the moment is 6mins and 29 seconds after i got a cold call by a company selling mobiles. Is this childish?
Got one today in Stoke on Trent. Immediately Googled to find that it’s a scam. I could sniff a scam anyway because the envelope (delivered 2nd class by royal mail) had the address but no name, it simply said ‘Mr/Mrs’. Thanks for the direct phone number. I shall have fun later with that.
I got mine today. Thought it funny when adressed to Mr/Mrs. So I googled the Company and came across this site. It is now being shreded as I type. Thank God 4 the internet. Im in Salisbury Wilts.
We received one in Acton (West London) yestarday. They are spreading themselves far and wide. Probably getting some poor saps to do the legwork (you know, make money from home…).
Got mine few days ago her in SE London, was suspicious so I rang them up. It turns out I had won a free gym membership after my price was picked-hooray! I was really suspicious despite the fact the local Gym here in welling was legit, was on my way to pay them a visit then decided to check the net….Very funny as I now realise it’s not only me that got the only lucky price. So how could there be only one price for different people in different areas…? Me thinks: if it is too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true!! By the way, they should have my name if I won a draw, so I gave them a pseudonym & withheld my number when I called, that will teach them to come clean with their motives next time (if ever)….lol
Got mine Fri Jul 24th, 2009. Thought it was too good to be true. I was looking forward to may be a free meal out in Salisbury. Glad I checked the Internet. I may have to send an appropriate reply back to them. I’m in Winterslow, Salisbury.
Tues July 28th, 2009. Just got ours through (we are in West London) and used it as a lesson for older kids to illustrate how convincing hoaxers can be. Good old Google!
Mine was addressed to Mr/Mrs too. Not a good start! Like everyone else, we smelt a rat. Presumably it’s worth their while as they are active all over the country. We’re in Acton, West London.
Got one in Acton today – Mine’s going straight in the recycling. There are only 42 prizes left now. Some poor sods must have tried to claim!
we are getting them in Salisbury now. Mine says total value of gifts £32,500 and minimum of gifts 25. Why cant people be up front and just advertise in the normal way? In my opinion all Gym memberships are scams. It is about time that we should be able to use gyms without signing up to a lengthy contract and paying loads of money but just use it on a pay as you go basis. This would encourage people to use them more.
we are getting them in Salisbury now. Mine says total value of gifts £32,500 and minimum of gifts 25. Why cant people be up front and just advertise in the normal way? In my opinion all Gym memberships are scams. It is about time that we should be able to use gyms without signing up to a lengthy contract and paying loads of money but just use it on a pay as you go basis. This would encourage people to use them more.
we are getting them in Salisbury now. Mine says total value of gifts £32,500 and minimum of gifts 25. Why cant people be up front and just advertise in the normal way? In my opinion all Gym memberships are scams. It is about time that we should be able to use gyms without signing up to a lengthy contract and paying loads of money but just use it on a pay as you go basis. This would encourage people to use them more.
we are getting them in Salisbury now. Mine says total value of gifts £32,500 and minimum of gifts 25. Why cant people be up front and just advertise in the normal way? In my opinion all Gym memberships are scams. It is about time that we should be able to use gyms without signing up to a lengthy contract and paying loads of money but just use it on a pay as you go basis. This would encourage people to use them more.
we are getting them in Salisbury now. Mine says total value of gifts £32,500 and minimum of gifts 25. Why cant people be up front and just advertise in the normal way? In my opinion all Gym memberships are scams. It is about time that we should be able to use gyms without signing up to a lengthy contract and paying loads of money but just use it on a pay as you go basis. This would encourage people to use them more.
we are getting them in Salisbury now. Mine says total value of gifts £32,500 and minimum of gifts 25. Why cant people be up front and just advertise in the normal way? In my opinion all Gym memberships are scams. It is about time that we should be able to use gyms without signing up to a lengthy contract and paying loads of money but just use it on a pay as you go basis. This would encourage people to use them more.
we are getting them in Salisbury now. Mine says total value of gifts £32,500 and minimum of gifts 25. Why cant people be up front and just advertise in the normal way? In my opinion all Gym memberships are scams. It is about time that we should be able to use gyms without signing up to a lengthy contract and paying loads of money but just use it on a pay as you go basis. This would encourage people to use them more.
had my letter today so like evey one els i checked it out so thanks you for you blogs. so now they are in stoke on trent but now they only have 37 gifts to give away lol
Its a scam! It says so here!
http://www.hinckleytimes.net/news-in-hinckley/local-news/hinckley-news/2009/08/21/hinckley-targetted-by-scam-letter-scheme-105367-24498596/
Ha Ha!
Marketing! Yes ‘Marketing Scam!’
and there is more!!!
http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/council_gov_democracy/news/30725.aspp
and there is more!!!!
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/4221239.print/
Richard Seaman is the manager of Survey UK/National Surveys/Fitlife etc!!!!!!!
Look what is on the front page of Echo!
http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/cheltenham
And here is the latest! Guess what! It features our old friend Mr Seaman!
http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/cheltenham/cheltenhamnews/Cheltenham-firms-criticised-gym-membership/article-1486486-detail/article.html
Hey DeKay fans! This story has reached the nationals!!!!
http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2009/10/nasty-gym-membership-deals-fro.html
Just be aware that they are now trading as Universal Consulting Ltd T/A National Surveys. One of the gyms that they are opperating is Everybodies Health and Fitness in Gloucester. I should have the full list of Gyms on Monday that Richard and Urel are promoting with their 2 year AMC credit agreements.
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NOW OPERATING IN THE NORTH WALES AREA!!
They are now operating in St Helens, merseyside.
Just got one in High Wycombe area!
thanks for the comments, i got one in shropshire today, thought it was too good to be true.
They are now in Shropshire too!
just got one this morning so they are now in shrewsbury
I receieved one today and im in the cumbria area !! ….so hope other people think to look this up before being scammed
Received 2nd letter this week – first one went in the bin so will this one!. They are operating in Ellesmere area Shropsgire.
in Merseyside now, rang the number as didn’t notice no name just address on leaflet, got to pick up envelope at local gym, don’t think I will be doing that now cheeky beggars
Got mine today (shrewsbury, shropshire) Cheers for all the info 🙂 ripping it up as I speak!!
Got mine today. Glad I checked Mr Internet also.
Recieved mine today Caerphilly, South Wales. Thank you for the blog. Will be returning it to sender, no stamp.
Got mine yesterday – to ring a local number 01744470037 Glad I checked with you. Thanks
Received my letter today – I’ve won one of the free gifts donated by local business and the total value of gifts exceed £12,400. I am in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire and the number to ring is a local number. I will be returning to sender with a suitable comment. Thanks to everyone for sharing their advice and comments!
y don’t anyone of us gone there?
y we are thinking it is fraud?
y don’t any one of us inform to police?
so please any one of us should find it out clearly so it will help to others….y i m putting a mail like this is that if the scheme may be true, so we may loss the gift, but i am really telling that i am a fired of it that’s y i didn’t gone there…
so if anyone is really find the total story then please give a clear idea about it…sorry to say like this but anyhow thank you all
my 81yr old mum recieved 1 in pontypridd today, glad she had the sense to ask us to check it. it had a local number
In wiltshire to.
Got my letter today Caerphilly, South Wales seems alot of people in the area have received this letter over the last week. Glad I checked this site to see what it was all about, what a load of rubbish!!1
Got one today same as the one printed above too, received in Droitwich, Worcester. Glad I checked out the intranet, as mine had a local telephone number too! I thought it was suspicious as it just said Mrs/Ms on the front and no name. Hate these things. Scam artists. Watchdog need to find out.
i got mine 2day immediately checked internet, seems you have to be suspicious of everything these days, so there posting in chesham now . lousy time wasters.
People of Skelmersdale beware!!!!!
The sharks are circling these waters now.
Got mine this morning
Hi I just got one I live in Skelmersdale, Lancashire. Hope people dont fall for this rubbish!
Hi I just recieved one i live in st helens, thank you very much for the information glad i checked website first cheers
hi,
yes they are targetting skelmersdale now,scam ,scam, scam, never entered anything so I dont expect to win something I havent entered.Checked them out on the net.
just recieved one today,i live in skelmersdale,lancashire.do they think people r stupid,i did phone but i thought it as suss to begin with.people beware.
Reached West Yorkshire now, thought it was too good to be true lol
just received one, also in Skelmersdale, Lancashire…hopefuly most people are aware these days that if it seems too good to be true..IT IS!!
Elderley relative in Upholland has just received one. These people who do this are, in my opinion, the lowest of the low. I hope they get what they deserve!
Another received in Caerphilly area. Will get on to trading standards and local press.
Just received one – in Berkhamsted area. Have to call a 01494 number to receive confirmation code! Envelope addressed to Mrs/Ms…
My 86yr old Mum received one today giving tel. no.02920990160 too call which is a cardiff no. I think they are scum when they target people who have no one to support them and would make the call and get caught out on their scam. I will be reporting this.
Yep another in Cardiff tel. says tel.no.02920990160 hand written code ACP 7465 expires in a few days on 27-04-2010. Heard if you ring uou are told to hang on while they check so could be costly phone call and it’s probably a pull in to join a gym and sign up for a year.
Another two at least in north Cardiff. A genuine company would take the trouble to instert the name of the householder. I loathe these people and wish the authorities could be effective in getting rid of them.
just got one in milton keynes, seaman? – thats putting it politely!
got mine today in stockton on tees(phew)good job i found this page.
got one today in county durham, pleased i checked it out ,asking to ring 01915580043, looks like a local number, hope people dont fall for it
They’re in Glasgow too now – SO glad I didn’t waste my time calling. Scams like that rive me mad!! So cheeky and even the “prize slip” looks cheap and tacky. Very poor marketing ploy and nothing more – I feel so sad for old people who are sent this kind of thing, making them believe they are a ‘winner’.
ok they’re in county durham now. Trading standards should get their hands on em again soon though.
Who regulates this sort of thing? as they are not doing a very good job or do not have the tools to stop these underhanded rip off rouges.
I got caught out by these last year. Im in the Kent area and didn’t think it was a scam (how stupid am I) I used the gym it was for for around a year and had no problems until I became too ill to use the gym and wanted to cancel my membership. Obviously they refused even with medical proof so I cancelled my s/o anyway and now they’re just harrassing me with letters. Now I know they haven’t got a leg to stand on as their terms and conditons and whole contract breaches so many laws its ridiculous and illegal. I just reported them but it makes me so mad as lots of people will continue to pay and think it was real like I did because I did complete a medical survey and thought it was to do with that. My own stupid fault though I know!
Directors of Universal Consulting are:
David Black
23 Overton Road
Cheltenham
GL50 3BL
and
John Black
5 Cypress Road
Southport
PR8 6HE
can we send them rts to the home address? Other related companies of which David Black is a director are Owens Health and Fitness Limited, Millenium Promotions UK Limited and The Millenium Experience (Direct Mailing)Limited. Onl;y email is rebeccakidman@gmail.com which is Owens Health & Fitness
This is a massive scam nearly ten years old now. OFT in most areas are aware of it and it good info on the money saving expert site. save yourself time and energy, avoid at all costs!!!
JUST RECIEVED ONE 2DAY FOR MRS/MS SILLY ME DIDNT THINK IT WAS A SCAM AS IVE BEEN DOING ALOT OF SURVEYS LATLEY AND I RANG THE NUMBER. THE MAN ON THE OTHER END DIDNT SOUND TOO HAPPY CONSIDERING IT WAS A “PRIZE GIVE AWAY” AND TOLD ME TO GOT TO MY LOCAL GYM IN EASINGTON, CO. DURHAM TO RECIEVE MY FREE GIFT. I SAID “WHATS THE CATCH” AND HE SED NO CATCCH AND JUST TO TAKE THE LETTER WITH MY ID AND ID BE ASKED TO PICK AN ENVELOPE FOR MY PRIZE. SOUNDED TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE SO I GOOGLED IT AND FOUND THIS!! THANKS GUYS!! I JUST THINK ITS SAD ALOT OF PPL WITHOUT INTERNET WILL FALL FOR THIS SCAM AND BE SWINDLED OUT CASH!!!
Got mine lunch time tdy.Ripped up put in bin.Best place for it.
Trading standards should have more power to stop these people continuing tricking some vulnerable people into thinking its true.
I received this in the email today, is this the same company ?
Dear ALAN,
About 12 months ago you really helped us by completing an online lifestyle survey and we would like your help again!
We have some great new prizes available to win and some fantastic new reward vouchers that you can redeem online. Simply select your desired prize from those listed below, complete the survey as before and claim your rewards!
£750 in John Lewis vouchers – Click here to enter
£500 to spend in Carphone Warehouse – Click here to enter
£1,000 to spend at Selfridges – Click here to enter
£1,000 in clothes vouchers – Click here to enter
£500 to spend in IKEA – Click here to enter
£1,000 to spend in Primark – Click here to enter
Again, we would like to thank you for your time and your opinions which have helped shaped some of the products and services available throughout the UK.
Surveys.co.uk