Dower Business Systems scam might be back!

C

Cecile Louw

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Anyone remember the printer cartridge scam in 2005? Well, it seems they're back - under a new name: CNN something-or-other. Modus operandi exactly the same. Telephone call to thank you for participating in the recent survey and now they want to send you a gift as well as two cartridges free of charge and then the fun and games start. If you fall for it, they will deliver the gift - probably a Woollies gift voucher - plus the 2 cartridges of your choice. A few days later you will get a telephone call to ask if its OK for them to invoice you for the 2 cartridges and another few days later there will be another call apologizing for short delivering your order! Even if you argue that you never placed an order, they will tell you that they recorded your telephone conversation where you agreed to buy the cartridges and if you don't pay, they'll sue you. They'll have your address because they delivered the "free" cartridges! Even though they don't have a legal leg to stand on and probably never will sue you, the hassle they put you through is time consuming and aggravating. Guys, please be on the lookout and warn your friends and co-workers.
 
I have the new name for this crowd: CNN Emerging Products. They called again today but the moment I started asking questions about where they are located, who the boss is and so on, they put the phone down, but I did manage to get a telephone number. I called back and established that they are situated in Edenvale so it all ties up nicely. Dowerglen in Edenvale is where Dower Business Systems operated from previously. Also very interersting is that all the staff is "new". I'm convinced it's the same crowd as the sales pitch is exactly the same as the one used by Dower Business Systems. Beware!!!
 
Oh geez.... I remember them. They got my parents back in the day.... fortunately the SAPO stole whatever they sent us so no leg to stand on.
 
RE

The buggers got me, they also tried the same thing with me. We payed over R60000 for stupid hp ink. Now we are having trouble getting rid of them. What can soemone do about this? They wont stop calling me and they spin that same story that i have not recieved all the goods i ordered. I see that there is alot of complaints about them on hallo peter. All the complaints are the same.

They threating to take us to court, but i have read that they cant becos they dont have anything to stand on.

I feel like kicking their butts.
 
also be aware of Laser Ink Direct

Same MO down to the last detail.

I nearly died laughing when I found out that their Managing Director or whatever was called Sean Archer :) when i confronted the guy about the fact that "John Travolta" is his boss he said that i got the spelling wrong.

i wish upon everybody that works their a serious case of genital crabs.
 
warn your secretaries as well, cos often they will sign for something while you are out and you never ordered it. They need to check with you if you actually ordered it.
 
eye_suc said:
also be aware of Laser Ink Direct

Same MO down to the last detail.

I nearly died laughing when I found out that their Managing Director or whatever was called Sean Archer :) when i confronted the guy about the fact that "John Travolta" is his boss he said that i got the spelling wrong.

i wish upon everybody that works their a serious case of genital crabs.
Click to expand...

Just got another call from "Laser Ink Direct" ... told the poor telemarketer about the practices of his company and he was shocked to hear it. I told him to go and google the name of his company. He said he only just started there two weeks ago. Hopefully he will soon see what these guys are up to.
 
Beware of this type of scam.

1) The sales person calls your company and asks for the person who does the ordering
2) They tell you that you completed a survey a few months back
3) Now they are going to give you a free voucher or complimentary coupon.
4) They are also going to send you one of their "printer cartridges" to "test"
5) The call is recorded and they record your agreement to accept the vouchers and the cartridges.
6) Once they deliver and you or anybody in the company signs for delivery of the cartridge you are hooked.
7) They then begin to pester you for payment, usually over R2000 for a generic cartridge.
8) Meanwhile they begin sending you more cartridges for which they will also bill you.
9) When you try to refuse or return the cartridge they threaten to blacklist you for non payment.

See these threads for more details....

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?97482-Stratus-Office-Consumabils
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?29773-Scam-Alert!!!!-Printer-ink
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?89842-Dower-Business-Systems-scam-might-be-back!
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?32350-Daylight-Robbery-!!!!
http://www.theforumsa.co.za/forums/showthread.php?t=3948

The companies concerned that we know of so far are called...

Stratus Office Consumables - http://www.hellopeter.com/search_results.php?search=stratus
Dower Business Systems - http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?89842-Dower-Business-Systems-scam-might-be-back!
Laser Ink Direct - http://www.hellopeter.com/search_results.php?search=laser+ink+direct
Haltrex Systems - http://www.sascams.co.za/index.php?topic=83.0
Newtek or nutec or nu-tech (no website yet)
C & N Imaging Systems (no website yet)

They all use the same tactics (might even be the same people/company) - and it is all a scam!

The new Consumer Protection Act gives you the right to refuse or return these cartridges.

http://www.getclosure.co.za/blog/2010/01/21/consumer-protection-act-series-10-right-to-return-goods/
 
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Garyvdh said:
Just got another call from "Laser Ink Direct" ... told the poor telemarketer about the practices of his company and he was shocked to hear it. I told him to go and google the name of his company. He said he only just started there two weeks ago. Hopefully he will soon see what these guys are up to.
Click to expand...

Don't feel sorry for the 'marketeer' - they're all in it together. The SO had to deal with this mob. I told her it was a scam and she told them that she wasn't interested so the managing director phones up, starts yelling and saying that he is going to fire the person who 'took the order'. I said 'Go for it and send me a copy of the dismissal letter' - funny how the calls stopped after that.

This version were operating out of Rivonia
 
Beware of Maycom Trading who claim they are operating from Cape Town. They have the same Modus Operandi... in fact the agent I spoke to had the same voice as some of the other scam companies I have spoken to.
 
Another company (possibly the same crowd of people) running a similar scam, but this time using "super concentrated" cleaning products.

I just got a phone call from their very pushy sales lady. I thought I recognised her voice and get suspicious.
When I googled their name I started seeing the same type of complaints....

Their name is Concentrated Solutions....

http://concentratedsolutions.co.za/index.html

They claim their product is superior, and they send you a sample to test.
A few days later they send you a 25 Liter drum and an invoice, and then begin to pester you for payment.
Exactly the same modus operandi as the other scam comapnies who used to send you the shoddy laser cartridges.

These are the names of some of their other scam companies...

Stratus Office Consumables - http://www.hellopeter.com/search_res...search=stratus
Dower Business Systems - http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthre...-might-be-back!
Laser Ink Direct - http://www.hellopeter.com/search_res...ser+ink+direct
Haltrex Systems - http://www.sascams.co.za/index.php?topic=83.0
Newtek or nutec or nu-tech (no website yet)
C & N Imaging Systems (no website yet)
Maycom Trading
Market Pro Traders
Product Solutions International

The names throw around are Sean, Lerato, etc.

A search on the person who registered the website gives the following info...
2i. invoiceaddress : P.O. Box 3450, Durbanville, 7551
2j. registrantphone : +27.860555133
2k. registrantfax : +27.118071526
2l. registrantemail : [email protected]
2n. vat : 4630185538
3b. cname :
3c. cnamesub1 :
3d. cnamesub2 :
3e. creationdate : 2011/09/08 14:24:52
4a. admin : Paul Jeffries
4b. admintitle : Mr
4c. admincompany : Concentrated Solutions
4d. adminpostaladdr : PO Box 652005, , 2010
4e. adminphone : +27.860555133
4f. adminfax : +27.118071526
4g. adminemail : [email protected]

Paul Jeffries is one of the same two guys (along with Barnaby Lee) who were investigated by Carte Blanche for the Laser Ink Direct Scam... See here...
http://beta.mnet.co.za/carteblanche/Article.aspx?Id=4332&ShowId=1

So, bottom line... stay away from Concentrated Solutions!

Here are the Hello Peter complaints...
http://www.hellopeter.com/concentra...s/please-do-not-deal-with-this-company-657834
http://www.hellopeter.com/concentra...s/concentrated-solutions-ta-market-pro-763022
http://www.hellopeter.com/concentra...complaints/unethical-business-practice-747347

We have had the same problem as other consumers of Market Pro Traders T/A Lazer Link. We were approached by telephone by Concentrated Solutions to purchase chemicals which would clean our engine parts. We asked them to bring us a small amount to try. A few days later we received an invoice for 25lt and again a few days later received the product even though on receiving the invoice we phoned to say we did not want this product until we had tried a small quantity. This product is absolute rubbish (we suspect it is plain water with some colouring) and cannot even clean a dirty dinner plate. They refuse to accept a return and have sent a statement.
We refused to pay. They refuse to give an address, which is not on the statement or invoice, and their FAX number does not exist.
Click to expand...
My workshop manager received a call from Sean in November concerning de greases and soap and the sales person said that they would deliver some of the products for a trial. My manager was then contacted by Sean who wanted to confirm the order. My manager told Sean that the order had been placed upon him. Sean chose to ignore this statement and delivered the goods anyway. The goods were delivered in December and a 60 day account was automatically given without a credit application even being filled out. On closer inspection of the invoice we found that the two 25 liter "samples" were more than double the price of our current suppliers. My manager phoned the sales person - which he had never met - and told the person that he did not want the product. The sales person, Abraham, said that delivery charges had already been paid. My manager offered to pay for the delivery charges and Abraham refused to accept the return of the products. I am now being contacted by Lerato demanding payment. I have offered to return the unopened products to them but they will not give me an address. They have forwarded me a recording of the order but never were we told the conversation was recorde
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I was contacted by Concentrated Solutions with a long story about how they are moving to new premises, and they are selling stock before they moved. I made it clear that I did not want any of their product because I still had half a 25L. I also explained that we are putting workers on short time and that I will be in trouble for purchasing their product, after I still have some left.
Nevertheless, Sean phones a week later and says how he apologises that I never received my voucher and that it will be couriered to me. The very next day he phones again and confirms the delivery and rambles something about our conversation the previous day, where I was let to believe this conversation is still about the voucher.
A couple of days later a 25L chemical is delivered. When I told the courier to take it back, he said he cannot, he only does deliveries.
I have sent Concentrated Solutions a mail about my disgust and received feedback, stating there is a recording of me accepting this delivery. In the recording you can clearly hear how Sean reduced the level of his voice to make sure you cannot hear what he said about the chemical or price.
DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY!!!!!
Click to expand...
 
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I think its time we email Cart Blanche , to do a follow up with all the new companies, atleast then they will go quite again for the next 6 months :whistle:
 
I had them at the shop a few years back. They delivered 10 Panasonic ribbons unsolicited, then started demanding payment. I told them to come and collect since I did not want them. After about 10 phone calls it stopped. They wanted R 110 per ribbon but the shop next door is the Cartridge Factory Shop and she said she could get the same ribbon for R 35.
 
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