European City Guide

I write to you regarding your articles on the European City Guide. I am another misled victim. I received a form from European City Guide last June requiring my details. I filled it in, not realising that this was a contract for an advert. Moreover the details regarding the price were in a very small print. In fact it was so small that it was barely legible. A few months later I received an invoice from them for Lm300. I wrote back telling them that I never applied for an advert and that their advert was too expensive. I could advertise for a whole year with that kind of money in Malta.

They wrote back to me telling me that I signed the form and that I will have to pay. I told them that I am not willing to pay for an advert that I did not see. So they sent me a copy of the City Guide which I have just received.

I do not know what to do next. Would you be so kind as to inform me? I look forward to your reply. (Annelise Coppini)

I am still receiving letters from various misled traders. Indeed Ms Coppini's is one of many. In view of this I must again publish the following letter due to its continued validity:

Stop the European City Guide!

We would also like to join forces in your campaign against the above company, which has betrayed, and is still betraying, individuals and companies around the world.

The micro printing has misled us too and although our cancellation was faxed on November 23, 2001, we have received a letter from their legal department requesting payment plus dunning fees and interests for delayed payment.

However, I managed to find information on the Web giving step-by-step information on what to do even if you think that it is too late because you have signed it.

Don't send any money. It appears that their menace has little bite, they would have to pursue the 'debts' through the Spanish courts and then those in your country. So far they have not risked this.

Please remember that the form, although deceitful, is a contract that has a slim chance of standing up in a court of law. Therefore, do not deliberately annoy them. Just firmly refuse to pay.

It is important to note the following:

Paying any money constitutes acceptance of the contract. If you make any payments you undermine your legal position.

The Guide may offer an option to make a reduced payment. However they will conveniently not tell you that the reduced payment is for one year as part of a three-year contract. Many people have made what they thought were final payments, only to receive more demands at a later late.

If you pay them you are financing the perpetuation of the scam.

If we all stand together and refuse to pay we would be in stronger position.

Contact the Catalan authorities in Barcelona (address: Generalitat de Catalunya, Direccion General de Consumo y Seguridad Industrial, Av.da Diagonal, 405 bis, 08008, Barcelona, Spain).

Contact the Consumer and Competition Division.

Pay extra attention to your incoming European City Guide mail. If you simply mark it "Not known at this address" and drop it back in the post, they have little chance of catching up with you. (Sonia Ciappara)

I found two other Websites, namely http://freespace.virgin.net/gp.ck/ECGscam.htm and http://members.aol.com/Action ECG/MainPage.html.

Finally here follows an excerpt from one of these sites:

If you are involved with a small business or organisation please read this and let other people know about it. If you receive a form which seems to invite free representation in the European City Guide, based in Barcelona, Spain (or other similar directories based in Liechtenstein or Germany), DO NOT SIGN AND RETURN IT without first reading all the small print.

Close inspection of the small print reveals that it is in fact a contract, and numerous people have signed and returned it unaware of the financial implications. In theory they should all pay well over £1,000 for an advertisement that they never wanted (and many can't afford). However, action by the Spanish authorities has already been taken against the publishers of the European City Guide, and many 'contracts' have been cancelled.

For more detailed information, and possible courses of action if you have signed up but feel that you have been duped, visit these Websites (we are extremely grateful to their organisers for all the help they offer):

http://ecguide.tripod.com/ http://www.stopecg.org/ We would urge everybody who has been approached by the ECG to visit this site. From here one can also join support and action groups which have become the meeting point of activity related to this scam.

http://members.aol.com/ActionECG/MainPage.html.