Author Topic: FORCES WAR RECORDS - IS IT A SCAM?  (Read 48819 times)

Offline ankerdine

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FORCES WAR RECORDS - IS IT A SCAM?
« on: Wednesday 08 January 14 13:01 GMT (UK) »
I fear I have been taken in by a scam by Forces War Records. ::)  :-[ :-[ :-[

My OH always checks the bank account but today I had reason to access it. I noticed several payments of £8.95 to Forces War Records going out of our account monthly. Last Spring I took up an offer by Forces War Records of £5 to access their records for one month. This I did, paying by Visa, but I couldn't find any information on the two WW1 soldiers I was searching for.

I had assumed that this was just one special offer which promoted their site.

How foolish I have been. Has anyone else been taken in like this?

This debit is not listed on my bank's list of standing orders and direct debits so apparently I couldn't cancel it on-line.

I would have preferred to donate the £100 or so to a Charity. Oh dear!

I will now attempt to cancel this payment to a very suspect website. :P

Judy
Blair, Marshall, Williamson - Ayrshire, Wigtownshire
Saxton, Sketchley - Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire
Brown, Green - Rutland
Hawker, Malone, Bradbury, Arnott, Turner, Woodings, Blakemore, Upton, Merricks - Warwickshire, Staffordshire
Silvers, Dudley, Worcs
Deakin - Staffordshire

Offline Gadget

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Re: FORCES WAR RECORDS - IS IT A SCAM?
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 08 January 14 13:07 GMT (UK) »
Not nice, Judy, but I don't think it's a scam.


I see in the (very) small print it says

Quote
To ensure you receive uninterrupted access to Forces War Records, your subscription will be automatically renewed for successive periods of four weeks for your convenience. You can cancel this service by changing your profile by setting the autorenew setting to no.

http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/subscription-rates/
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Online BumbleB

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Re: FORCES WAR RECORDS - IS IT A SCAM?
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 08 January 14 13:09 GMT (UK) »
I agree with Gadget - this site is NOT a scam.  Like most of the sites which offer a "try us and see" period at a reduced rate IF YOU DO NOT CANCEL then you will be debited each month/year etc.  The choice is your's.
Transcriptions and NBI are merely finding aids.  They are NOT a substitute for original record entries.
Remember - "They'll be found when they want to be found" !!!
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Offline ankerdine

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Re: FORCES WAR RECORDS - IS IT A SCAM?
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 08 January 14 13:23 GMT (UK) »
Thanks Gadget and Bumblebee for your comments.

I just wish I could see that special offer again. It was being talked about on here, I think or, maybe, advertised/promoted here. I truly believed it was for one month only and have never received communications from them since or accessed their site since. It was of no use to me at all.

Judy
Blair, Marshall, Williamson - Ayrshire, Wigtownshire
Saxton, Sketchley - Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire
Brown, Green - Rutland
Hawker, Malone, Bradbury, Arnott, Turner, Woodings, Blakemore, Upton, Merricks - Warwickshire, Staffordshire
Silvers, Dudley, Worcs
Deakin - Staffordshire


Online BumbleB

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Re: FORCES WAR RECORDS - IS IT A SCAM?
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 08 January 14 13:40 GMT (UK) »
Did you mean this one?

Did you mean something similar to this offered over the Christmas period 2013?

Don't miss out on your cut price membership!

Today is your last day to take advantage of our Christmas Special Offer; Full Access membership for 44% off our usual price.  When you take up this offer, your first month will cost just £5, and give you full access to all of our records, as well as all the other benefits of being a fully subscribed member.



Transcriptions and NBI are merely finding aids.  They are NOT a substitute for original record entries.
Remember - "They'll be found when they want to be found" !!!
If you don't ask the question, you won't get an answer.
He/she who never made a mistake, never made anything.
Archbell - anywhere, any date
Kendall - WRY
Milner - WRY
Appleyard - WRY

Offline ankerdine

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Re: FORCES WAR RECORDS - IS IT A SCAM?
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 08 January 14 13:55 GMT (UK) »
No sadly, Bumblebee, it wasn't that offer. It must have been around March/April 2013 when the £5 one month offer was promoted. I notice I mentioned it on a thread on here at that time too.

Googling "Forces War Records" shows that many people have been taken in by it. Apparently it was mentioned on Watchdog though I never saw that particular programme otherwise I would have checked my account immediately.

Have now unclicked that "automatic renewal" box and am off to the bank in person to ensure that no further deductions are made.

I admit I have been completely hoodwinked and just hope this thread will enlighten other potential subscribers.

Thanks for your input.

Judy
Blair, Marshall, Williamson - Ayrshire, Wigtownshire
Saxton, Sketchley - Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire
Brown, Green - Rutland
Hawker, Malone, Bradbury, Arnott, Turner, Woodings, Blakemore, Upton, Merricks - Warwickshire, Staffordshire
Silvers, Dudley, Worcs
Deakin - Staffordshire

Offline ankerdine

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Re: FORCES WAR RECORDS - IS IT A SCAM?
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 08 January 14 16:20 GMT (UK) »
The more I Google this website the more people I find have been duped.

The Bank were sympathetic but, as the initial payment was by Visa and not a Direct Debit or Standing Order, they cannot currently help me. There are Trading Standards which I could approach and legal action in the small claims court.

Would this type of selling be covered by the Distance Selling Regulations?

I am in the Doghouse. ;)

There is always "Watchdog" or "Ripoff Britain".

Judy
Blair, Marshall, Williamson - Ayrshire, Wigtownshire
Saxton, Sketchley - Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire
Brown, Green - Rutland
Hawker, Malone, Bradbury, Arnott, Turner, Woodings, Blakemore, Upton, Merricks - Warwickshire, Staffordshire
Silvers, Dudley, Worcs
Deakin - Staffordshire

Offline ankerdine

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Re: FORCES WAR RECORDS - IS IT A SCAM?
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 08 January 14 20:54 GMT (UK) »
Forces War Records replied requesting full details of all payments, together with dates, which I then supplied from my Bank Statements.

They then said that I should have unclicked the automatic renewal of membership box which I had never seen until today. As a goodwill gesture they have offered me a refund of my last payment of £8.95 but I have not accepted this. I had requested a refund of my original £5 last April 2013 when their website failed to find any new information on my two WW1 soldiers but this was never forthcoming. I never accessed the site again from that time, believing that the offer was just for one month.

This surely is bad practice and I wouldn't recommend this website to anyone in the future, especially as one complaint has already been upheld against them by the Advertising Standards Authority, details of which have been mentioned elsewhere on this site.

Judy
Blair, Marshall, Williamson - Ayrshire, Wigtownshire
Saxton, Sketchley - Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire
Brown, Green - Rutland
Hawker, Malone, Bradbury, Arnott, Turner, Woodings, Blakemore, Upton, Merricks - Warwickshire, Staffordshire
Silvers, Dudley, Worcs
Deakin - Staffordshire

Offline Malcolm33

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Re: FORCES WAR RECORDS - IS IT A SCAM?
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 08 January 14 21:35 GMT (UK) »
  This is why I will never use my regular Visa card for online purchases.    I prefer to purchase a Visa Card with a limited amount from the Post Office.   Some of these have a small charge, but it is well worth it judging by what happens on the Net.   The last one I got was for a value of $100 without any charge.   However problem with this is that the provider doesn't tell you what the exchange amount was, and to find out what is left on the card there is a $2.00 charge.
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