FBG Internet Scam: FBG INTERNET and LEGAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

FBG INTERNET and LEGAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

Still up to their dirty tricks. Received an email from Jodie today, receiving the same threats from FBG internet, that they no doubt send out to all their scammed customers. They are scammed because they are sold facebook packages for €350 but worth €33.

If you are approached by FBG Internet please do not buy into what they promise. It is a scam.

If you have been scammed by FBG or threatened by Legal services department send it in, and i´ll publish so others do not fall for their highly unethical practices.

Email from Jodie: Where the text is highlighted in Red I have edited in my responses and comments to her questions.

Hi Oliver

I too have been a victim of the FBG scam and when I discovered that it was a scam I requested my bank to block any withdrawls from FBG from my account. I live in South Africa and received a phone call today from Chris requesting why I had cancelled the debit order with the bank. When I told him that I had no intention of being scammed out of any more money he told me that Legal services will be contacting me (see mail below).

There were a couple of things that first made me nervous about them, too late albeit to get back my original confirmation fee:

· Strange debit on my account in April from Internet Marketing Altrichem (the first debit was referenced as Face Book Global)

(Edit: The company you are referring to is the original company new approach marketing that have been scamming people for years. They started doing this with google ads, when they got to much negative publicity making it harder to sell their scam they changed names to FBGinternet and previously Facebook global.)

· When I tried to understand why I could not personally see my ad on the site or why none of the friends on my page could I was fobbed off (will send email in separate mail)

(Well this might be true in fairness, I have no doubt they did run a campaign for you, but certainly not to the value of what you should have received)

· They have no telephone number but they did when I initially looked at the site

· When I asked for live statistics I got a static pdf version (will also send this in separate mail)

Even stranger is that I got a phone call today which is a public holiday and Chris even apologised for phoning on what he referred to as a bank holiday.

I have googled legal services and again they do not list an actual physical address but merely an area – Auckland Park in Johannesburg. Robert Howell from legal services also phoned today and claimed he was phoning from Johannesburg – surely they are not in the office on a public holiday.

(It is the same company, probably the same person who sent you the stats. See the previous post about their tactics from a whistle blower who worked for FBG internet) Legal services Department´s website is hosted on the same server as FBG internet.

They are 100% not legitimate legal practitioners and their tactics will be to pass you onto a debt collection company if you do not pay, but they will also harass the shit out of you. However there are grounds for disputing the debt and they will certainly not take you to court for it. If they did, they would clearly loose.

This blog has also amassed considerable evidence of illegal slander activities carried out by FBG employees

so will all the evidence in the public domain no judge in any country would even consider their case.

He also seemed to battle with remembering which surname he was going to use as he stammered a bit when I ask him his full name. His telephone number on the bottom of the page also does not work and does not look like any South African number I have ever seen.

I have also read reports on a website of our called Hello Peter, a few reports for FBG and 2 for legal services. The legal services post look very odd as they are one positive, 1 negative posted on the same day by the same person and totally contradict each other. Very clever if this is another one of their intimidation ploys, post as follows

“I owed over R7500 to company called fbg internet who gave me advertising on facebook. I thought i could get away without having to pay the final bill to them, how wrong was I. After I told them to get lost Law Services Dept called me and told me exactly what would happen if I did not pay their client. I didnt believe them but a week later they had blacklisted me all over south africa and Im now due in court in two weeks. ive learnt my lesson and next time im just goign to pay. my advice to any one out there is dont mess with these guys as they really do follow their threats through - anders van westhuisen” ( I also question this name as traditionally in SA it would be Andre Van Der Westhuizen

My response to the mail from Legal Services was that according to our Consumer Protection Act I was entitled to a copy of my contract as well as the telephone voice recordings and they were please to forward them onto me and include their company details and registration number of FBG so that we could decide how we wish to proceed. I await a response!

I would like to find out from you, have they followed through on their threats of blacklisting and laying a charge? I am obviously nervous as I really do not want to have to go through the motions of having to dispute this claim with Transunion as in SA it is really easy to blacklist someone even if they are not at fault?

They will pass you onto a debt collection company, it will be up to you to fight your case, personally I would laugh at their responses and tell them where to go. Check this website for responses to any threats they send you. Do´n´t let them get away with it and certainly do not give them any more money.

Each response they send you send it in here and we will post it.

Thank you for your blog and please let me know if there is any way I can assist in bringing these guys to book and shutting them down for good! I have obviously reported this to the fraud department at our bank. Not sure what else I can do as reporting it to our local police station will go nowhere as they have far more serious crimes to concentrate on!

Kind Regards

Jodie

From: Law Services Dept [mailto:legal@lawservicesdept.com]
Sent: 16 December 2011 02:39 PM
To:
Subject: FBG Internet - Immediate Legal Action is due to be taken

Reference: Chargeback Request

Our Client: FBG Internet

Outstanding Debt: R4332

LSD Reference: FBG 4589 /457

Law Services Dept represents FBG Internet in South Africa for all legal matters.

We have been instructed to contact you regarding your chargeback request on payment taken by FBG Internet on your credit card for your Facebook Advertisng.

I have also listened to the recording of my client’s telephone call to you earlier today and have heard your personal threats made to my client.

The agreement was made with my client on the 18^th April 2011 and your advertising was launched as requested on the 18^th October 2011.

When you enter into a Direct Telesales Marketing Agreement it is a requirement by Law to carry out a confirmation call in which all terms and conditions are agreed and accepted.

The confirmation call recorded as per legal requirements and clearly shows you were aware of the following cancellation process.

You must cancel in writing 3 days before the end of the first advertised month or it will continue on a monthly basis at which time 30 days notice in writing is required.

History of your account:

18/04/11 – Agreement made between both parties and payment received

18/10/11 – Advertising launched as requested.

18/11/11 – Payment received R2166 – CHARGEBACK REQUESTED

18/12/11 – Final months 30 days required notice period – R2166

You have not requested to cancel your account and my client has only followed the agreed terms and conditions.

Your chargeback request is an accusation of fraud and this is not acceptable.

Your personal threats made today are also not acceptable and will be reported to the Police if this matter is not resolved.

You are required to contact me immediately to resolve this matter today or the following action will be taken.

The recording of you making personal threats will be taken to the Police and will be reported.

Law Services Dept will apply additional charges to the debt and the full outstanding debt will be registered with Trans Union Africa and our attorneys will issue summons to resolve this matter in court.

If you are prepared to cancel your chargeback request my client is prepared to settle and cancel your account with immediate effect.

Robert Howells

Law Services Dept

www.lawservicesdept.com