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.
Sometimes there are things that just need to escape my head.
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.
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.