WDYTYA Live advertising fraud

I've been contacted by an individual who believes she has been taken in by a marketing fraud in relation to the forthcoming Who Do You Think You Are Live event.

The individual was offered a quarter page advert in a guide which a company in Rugby claimed it was publishing for the event. The individual in question was happy at the quoted price and at a call back from an 017885 number. Payment was made. The following day she received a follow up call claiming the credit card details had not been correctly recorded, but as compensation the company would give her a front page advert at a lower rate - further details were exchanged, with an email confirmation then sent. When she consulted her statement she soon realised that two payments had been made. In trying to get redress she called the company apparently involved and was told that the adverts had already gone to print, even though she had yet to be consulted about what was to go into them. Since then she has been unable to speak to anyone at the company, and now believes these were scams - she is currently trying to get her credit card company and the Police to investigate. She has also contacted me to ask me to highlight the issue - only too happy to.

I have been in touch with the good folk at Who Do You Think You Are Live (www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.com) and have been told that this issue has already been raised by someone else, and that it is a scam as they have not hired any such company to produce the brochure for the event. The only way to confirm advertising in the official publication is with the event itself, by calling Caitlin Phetnoi, Show Manager, in Bristol, at 0117 933 8070 or by emailing her at caitlin.phetnoi@immediatemedia.co.uk.

Please don't be taken in by the same scam!

Chris

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