Don't Get Caught Out

[Paul H]

Almost every month I am approached by off-island advertising companies asking if I would be interested in placing an advert in a map/diary/calendar or similar publication that is being published on behalf (usually) of a Government department. In fact these publications are not made on behalf of any department; they only have the permission of someone in the department to produce a free publication sponsored by advertisements placed by local companies.

 

Most of these publications are never distributed and the advertiser’s money disappears without trace. And it’s not cheap advertising either!

 

Today they have reached a new low by claiming to be advertising on behalf of the Isle of Man Constabulary. I have checked it out and what they are actually doing is advertising on behalf of an organisation known as the International Police Association. So far nobody from the Manx force has been able to tell me if this is being done with their consent, let alone that they have actually heard of the International Police Association. Check out their dodgy website http://www.ipa3regionuk.org/

 

To give you some idea of how sceptical the whole thing is the sales rep assured me that advertising in their pocket diary that is issued free to IPA members in the Isle of Man would have an estimated circulation of 4000!

 

I don’t know of any association on the island with 4000 members, let a lone serving or retired police officers.

 

Looks suspiciously like a con job to me, don’t get caught out by these people, they are very good salesmen.

[Fleur]

This has cropped up before on the island! They rang us 3 years or more ago and said they represented the IOM Police.

 

I consulted the IOM Police about it but they said not a lot could be done. The booklet was legal if they ran even a few copies off on a photocopier!

 

As you say, it isn't cheap either.

[Cholmondley-Warner]

Absolutely correct, these people are con artists, I get calls from them all the time, as Paul H says usually purporting to be the Police, Fire Service, Spina Bifida, Save the Children, Charity this & that etc. They are at best, publishers/printers with an empty order book who think "Hey why don't we..........." or at worst just plain con artists, always of course from the adjacent Island.

 

My first question to them is always "are you a publisher or printer?" if the answer is yes they are told no thanks

 

Second question if they say they are representing a charity, I ask "is the money spent on the Isle of Man?" if the answer is no they are told that I have plenty of local worthy causes that I already contribute to

 

Third question is "can you send me something in writing, I don't agree contracts/make donations over the phone" By then they usually get fed up or get stroppy and you don't hear from them again.