The Scam Advertising: Attention Entrepreneurs!

Imagine you are a new entrepreneur. Have a great idea, you have done your research, you feel optimistic and just recorded the name of the company. Business experts might call you naive.

The phone rings and someone asks for you by the name of the company. Wow! - You think, customers are already calling. Hello? - Ok so it's not a customer, just someone who offers a free gift, no wait, said two gifts - guaranteed! Hum, something for free, this looks interesting.

He said he filled out a form at a trade show, (do not take the name of the fair). This is possible because you have been to several fairs. Of course they will have completed the form you are talking about, even if he can not remember the shape or the fair.

What's that you are saying? The two awards from a list including a fax, a trip to Club Med, a new computer, a diamond pendant, (oh your wife like that - maybe it would actually appreciate your business idea), a video camera - the latest technology , a television 52 inches (she called an entertainment center) - you could exchange for $ 8.000 in cash. There were some other awards, but start to wonder what must I do to get the awards and how long can I find them?

Reality Check

So far so good. Ok, what have I won? Oh, he said, the gift is contingent on a purchase of advertising.

"But I do not need publicity - only I send my gift." I said. At this point he hung up on me. I think I blew the deal of the century. Stupid me, I asked too many questions. No TV for free, diamond pendant or a trip to Club Med The camera seemed too good.

This was the third call I've received like this since I registered my trade name only a few months ago. I wonder how many more of these calls I receive and how many people do they take?

All three calls followed the same pattern.
In neither case did we come to order. I suspect that they wanted a credit card order over the phone.

The purpose was to sell a very specific order of advertising - pens with my company name - no choices, just take it or leave it. The order cost was between $ 200 and $ 300. I do not remember how many pens. She has not tried to get the details to make a purchase decision.

They spent 95% of the time explaining the free gifts, model numbers and characteristics of each "prize". At no time in calling on their purpose, such as the sale of pens. They refer obliquely to advertising. I had to investigate for information.

Each time was a young-sounding female voice that called. "Are you married?" she cooed. "Oh, then your wife would like the diamond pendant." They use a young male voice sound female to call a business registered?

He has done a great deal from the fact that the purchase was 100% tax deductible. She does not seem to appreciate my statement that all the advertising business expenses are deductible at 100%. Shortly after I said that he hung up.

Every time I called from Montreal, but were sold in Ontario. What to do about verbal promises and guarantees? To allege a breach of the promise I should go to court in Montreal, and how would I prove what they said on the phone? They have a different form of law in Quebec, - different from the rest of the country. They use French civil law in Quebec. Too bad that did not keep the cars of another French civil law - the guillotine.

I know there are many reputable companies advertising specialties. When I need to advertise, I will contact one another and then I can see and touch the product and see what I am. I may be able to shop around and choose the product and vendor that best suits my needs - when I'm ready. In the meantime, caveat emptor!

PS. The above is a true story. In any case, my questions became unbearable for the caller and hung up. It's been several months now, and there were calls. I have not needed pens personalized with my name .......