World Yellow Pages - www.unitedtelecom.cz

Now also operating as International Trade & Business Database

A local small business recently received some unsolicited correspondence from a Czech company. The letter, shown below, is actually an order form, but looks very like an invoice for the sum of £365.00.

The form is headed, 'International Yellow Pages & Fax Directories' and is branded 'United Telecom'. The Website refers to 'United Telecom' and 'World Yellow Pages'.

We should make it clear that there are many companies around the world using similar phrases to these who have no relation to this Czech company.

This company is selling listings on its website and CD ROM based directories. We haven't seen the CD Rom (which seems to be available from them for $200), but the website is of a very low standard for an international organisation. If you wish to purchase a listing from this company you should be very careful to read the terms and conditions on the back of the form.

They are as follows.

1. This offer becomes an irrevocable and binding contract upon payment or authorisation, which at the same time implies full acceptance of the following terms and conditions.
2. The entry (specification front page) will be included in conformity with the contents of our offer in the International Yellow Pages & Fax Directories.
3. The Directory will be published on Internet: http://www.unitedtelecom.cz and on CD-Rom, with updates every 2 months. The insertion fee covers the offered edition for one year including insertion updates during this time. One CD will be delivered to insertion subscribers free of charge upon request. For non-insertion subscribers the register can be ordered for a charge of US $200,- payable on receipt.
4. The publisher is not responsible for any possible textual or typesetting errors in an entry, and there will be no refund, yet a free entry will be included with corrected data in the subsequent edition.
5. Any payment reaching the publisher after the editorial deadline will be held to cover an insertion in the subsequent or updated edition.
6. An entry in the edition of a coming year can only be deleted, if the publisher receives a notice of cancellation by registered letter within 360 days after receipt of the payment. Existing entries which have not bee previously cancelled will be published in the next edition and invoiced accordingly.
7. The place of jurisdiction in CZ - 434 Most. Both parties are subject to Czech Law.
8. Headoffice / Publisher: United Telecom s.r.o., Albrechticka 1189, CZ - 434 01 Most.

Scrutiny of this will show you that not only are you commiting yourself to payment of £365 this year, but you will also be automatically due to pay again each year unless you actively cancel your order.

The organisation's bank details refer to the Komercni Bank whose website is at www.kb.cz/cz

You may be interested in this article from the West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service ...

QUOTE: Martin Wood, Chief Officer of West Yorkshire Trading Standards stated: “If these documents had originated in the UK they would have to be clearly marked with indications that they were not demands for payment, and that there was no obligation to pay. As they originate from overseas, it is difficult to stop them and recipient companies can be misled into believing they are bills and pay them. Under no circumstances should businesses respond to the mailshot, but just bin it.”

Another small, local business received an official looking notice through the post today from Data Protection Commissioner Services of Hyde, Cheshire. The notice began with a headline 'Final Notice' and explained that failure to notify is a criminal offence etc. It went on to ask for company details etc and a fee of £95.00. This company is one of several that are sending out these notices speculatively, giving the false impression that they are operation on behalf of the data commission.

There is a section on the governments data protection site that deals with this called "Do not be Misled". It also contains a full listing of all the known companies involved in these practices. Please see http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk/dpars.htm for further details.