Demanding money..what can I do?

[billybob]

Hi,

Platte Media are demanding £29.99 saying that I signed up for their service. I messed up and rang their number, they asked my postcode and I gave it to them without realising. I have not paid, and am not sure what to do?

They have my IP address, email address, postcode and possibly my phone number.

Can anyone advise me what to do.

Thanks

[ForumFriend]

Sorry to hear you've been hit by Platte. 

To date, from what we've seen on the forum, nobody has been taken to court for non payment.  If you didn't invite them onto your computer, you should not be liable to them.  If another user of your computer was responsible, and did knowingly download their software onto your computer, you should make that person pay up.

There have, however, been many cases of people saying that neither they, nor anyone else, could have downloaded the software.  To date, there is no tangible evidence of silent downloads - but, who knows?

I'm contacting you privately with some further comments.

[stan]

I have just received my second letter from Platte stating I will be taken to court should I not pay the £29.99 plus £25 admin within seven days.  I actually work for a company, they cheated the name out of me on my first call when i phoned up to enquire what the bill was for that kept popping up on my screen.  They asked me to confirm the name address, which as most reputable companies do I had no problem giving them it.  It wasn't until I realised they had no information at all on the 'so called' person who downloaded the programme.  My brother is luckily in IT and removed it all for me.  After three totaly unsuccessful telephone calls where I asked them: 1. How can you cancel something within three days if you dont even know it exists?  H

[stan]

Sorry hit the post by accident!!!!  2. How is it right that people can join something that is supposed to be for over 18's and not ask for some details such as DOB or proof of ID?  3.  If  someone has downloaded it how can I find out who it is when they have no personal details at all?  Can I do anything as I really dont want my director dragged into this mess?  I would pay it myself but don't see why I should when they are obviously con artists and will carry on as long as people pay up.  I have bad mouthed them to everyone I can think of and am considering writing to the newspapers or watchdog?  Has anyone been take to court as yet?

[jonlewi5]

No one (as far as im aware) has been taken to court (unless things have taken a nasty turn while iv been away??) but threats have been thrown around by MBS/Platte

[ForumFriend]

No, Jon, no-one has reported this while you've been away.

My opinion remains that they'd not want to go to Court as a judge might very well rule against them, and that would throw the cat amongst the pigeons .....

[stan]

Hi everyone

This really bugging me now, starting to take over my life how sad is that???  The frustrating part is I have no way of finding out who or if anyone joined this club!!!  Can they take a company to court without proof of who joined?  It obviously wasn't the company itself but it's the company that owns the comps.  These people have no interest in trying to help anyone, when I asked if anyone had logged on since joining they said no so obvously they know the membership was not used.  If they cared about their company name they would change their signing up method which is upsetting so many people and giving them a bad name.  Mud sticks as they say  :'(

[ForumFriend]

To date, nobody (of whom we're aware - and we are following this pretty closely) has been taken to court, and frankly I don't think Platte would want their 'business method' to come under the scrutiny of the judiciary.

[stan]

Thanks, have never joined anything like this but then again have never had reason to!!  Well done to you all will let you know if anything happens and will keep checking in xx 

[ForumFriend]

Has anybody else been asked to pay £25 admin, like Stan?

[SwampyUK]

Hi FF and Stan

Stan
Sorry to hear about the mess youve got with Platte (Crappie) Media, you will get it sorted, as Im sure we all will....
They keep sending me letters when its got sod all to do with me, there crap ended up on my girlfriends computer while she was up at mine, her son had gone out doing a job which only left the dog in the house.
Very clever dog is rolo he can use a computer...
Ah well nevermind...   

FF   
Iv not had a bill for £25 Iv only had a few for £29.99 and a County Court Pre Submission form sent to me by these plonkers which you are aware of.
I`ll keep you updated if I get any more letters from them..   

Im still waiting to hear from them.....

Do they still come on ere or have we scared them off

Ah well such is life

they aint got 1

Steve


 

[ForumFriend]

Thanks for the update, Swampy.  Glad to hear you're keeping cheerful!