Have you been offered cheap phone calls and a free Plasma TV???
Have you been offered cheap phone calls and a free Plasma TV? If so, the chances are you have been caught up in this scam. There may be as many as 40,000 small businesses caught up in this scam and many owe $30,000 - $50,000 (the range is $5000 to $380,000)
This website has been setup by victims of this scam, to help other victims and unite in the fight against the Finance Companies who are trying to use the Courts to collect on these fraudulent debts. The people and organisations behind the fraud are not being investigated or prosecuted, and in most cases, resigned as Directors and re-opened new Companies.
ACCC Prosecutions
The ACCC are prosecuting one of the earlier cases, however, all the Companies who have operated the same Business model and closed since are not being investigated.
The ACCC prosecutions will probably take another 12 months to finalise, so if you are pinning your hopes on them winning, their win will come too late for all of us.
More info - click here
These are the 28 Companies, Directors and Managers that are being prosecuted by the ACCC for alleged hidden contracts and misleading conduct.
Link Solutions P/L, Service LS P/L, Axis Telecoms P/L, Service AT P/L, Sonofon P/L, Service SO P/L, Telecom One P/L, Service TO P/L, George Tawaf (Director of Axis), Mark Nesbitt (Director of Axis), John Masia (GM Axis), Barry Kennedy (Mgr Axis), WorldtTel (Aust) P/L, WorldTel Corp (Vict) P/L, Skylink Communications P/L, Romeo Wehbe (Director WorldTel), Manoel Wehbe (Director WorldTel), Fakhr Fakhr (Director WorldTel), Joseph Ayoub (Mgr WorldTel), Australian Integrated Finance P/L (AIF), Enterprise Finance Solutions P/L (EFS), CIT Group (Aust) P/L, Queensland Communications Co P/L, Service QCC P/L, Clear Communications (EurAst) AB, Clear Telecoms (Aust) P/L, Anthony Hakim (Director National Telecoms Group & Clear Communications), & National Telecoms Group P/L.
Since then, other Companies have been using the same business model and most of the Telco’s and Equipment suppliers have since closed down.
Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
This is a link to the TIO’s Newsletter regarding the Telco Finance Scams:
http://www.tio.com.au/publications/TIO_talk_issues/39/39.1.html
Please click on the link at the bottom of the page to read the Ombudsman’s Overview as well as Cases they have investigated.
Did you know that Clear Telecoms and Strathfield Car Radio have done a reverse takeover?
Check out the story here
- Strathfield Car Radio are now contacting businesses offering security cameras as part of a deal with their Telephone service !!!
- They say it is like signing up for a capped Mobile plan – but you are signing 2 separate contracts.
- At first they told me the carrier was AAPT, then Optus, then they had many they could choose from, and now they say that the Telephone service and Finance/Rental is all done through Strathfield Car Radio.
Sound Familiar?
Google cracks the Strathfield share mystery – The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/google-cracks-strathfield-share-puzzle/story-0-1111118693233
There is a test case before the Federal Court against Macquarie for a contract that was allegedly entered into with Fresh Telecoms
Click this link for further details: www.doylewilson.com.au
Federal Court Case:
https://www.comcourts.gov.au/file/Federal/P/NSD637/2009/actions
We are raising funds to run a Test Case in the Federal Court against Macquarie in May 2010.
This may set a precedent that everyone can use to win their case in Court, or as leverage to negotiate a reasonable settlement without going to Court.
Why is there no precedent already ???
Because the Court case will cost around $150,000 and for a small debt, it has never been worth anyone losing their house for.
We have started a Fighting Fund – check the Association Membership Page for details and how you can help us.
Please use the Contact Us page to email us and we will keep you updated on our progress.
Politicians
Over the years we have made contact with all of the current Federal Politicians and most either ignore our complaints, or fob them off from Department to Department. From Telecommunications, to Small Business, to Police and finally they end up being fobbed off to the ACCC who can’t do anything for us individually. The ACCC are already prosecuting a case with 28 individuals (see above) which started on 2nd October 2008 and will probably finish in 2011 after everyone has been forced to pay out on these illegal contracts. The ACCC has already prosecuted a similar case which started in Dec 2008 and was completed by Sept 2009 and sets a precedent ACCC vs Bill Express. None of the victims had to pay legal expenses and all of the contracts were terminated and the finance Company was forced to refund money to victims. The ACCC cannot change or tighten Laws, this all comes from the Government and Politicians. Had they tightened the Laws and made these contracts illegal, there would not have been a need for us to fight the Finance Companies.
The ONLY Politician to show an interest in our situation is Liberal MP Bruce Billson from Victoria. He has contacted me direct several times by email as well as by telephone, he has contacted victims direct, he has communicated directly with Finance Companies on our behalf and written to the ACCC. From his contact with the ACCC, the ACCC have agreed to help in Court with our Test Cases using Section 73 under the Trade Practises Act and they will appear in Court on our behalf.
I would like to personally thank the efforts of Bruce Billson – Liberal MP from Victoria, and ask that you all remember his efforts come election time.
Not one Member of the Labor Party has tried to help victims (that I am aware of), whether it be a Local Member, State Member or Federal Member.
NSW Police
The Commander of the Fraud Squad has been asked to investigate our matters as several victims have lodged complaints. If you wish to lodge a complaint about fraud (misleading and deceptive conduct) email it to: Sally Walker This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
If you lodge a complaint, this may help to delay Court proceedings with the Finance Company and the investigation may help your case. Sales Reps are reluctant to help us voluntarily as some are in fear of repercussions, but if the Police are involved, the have no choice, and the statements they give may help your case in Court.
This website is undergoing major changes and is being continually updated. It will take a month or so to be fully operational, so please keep coming back to check our progress and latest developments.
