I have started this thread because I would like this to show up in a Google search because I know people on here will bother to give some sound advice. I am beating myself up because this morning I got an invoice from Agora Business Publications for £49.86. I received a free windows gift CD that I recall ordering a few weeks ago. It was no good to me. Apparently, if you do not cancel within 30 days you join a subscription. I am sure you have all heard of this type of business practice where they appear to hide quite well that cancellation is of the essence if indeed you want anything FREE. I did not give credit card details to the site as I have been bitten before by this type of sales pitch. I suppose I felt safe with what was happening because of it. No hidden deals that they could charge me for. They do however, appear to give credit to complete strangers at face value? I Google searched this company and sure enough the internet does have a number of complaints showing up about them using this selling technique and more vulnerable people than myself being mislead in a "nothing you can put your finger on" sort of way. I think frightened people will probably just pay up.

Surely they have to prove, on balance of probability, that I indeed owe them money before they can take this invoice into the legal system. What criteria do they have to have to make a debt of this kind enforceable?"

I am not sure, but I doubt a contract could be considered fair in this sort of situation. You cannot trap people into a contract because they did not do something.

I would ask for proof of a contract existing, ie something with your signature. I doubt a company like this would go to court anyway, that costs money, brings unwelcome judicial oversight and carries the risk of losing, all affects the profit margins.

If the subscription terms were deeply hidden, then I doubt they have a leg to stand on anyway.

Looking at their website:

Please send me a copy of the Windows Advisor Special Edition 2012 on a 14 Day Free Trial. If I'm convinced by my free trial I'll pay just £34.95 plus postage & packing**. However, if the Windows Advisor Special Edition 2012 is not right for me then all I need to do is return it within 14 days to: Agora Business Publications, Codestorm House, Walton Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire P06 1TR.

That does not suggest to me that you are being entered into a contract, it suggests if you like the trial, you can pay to get a full version. Not sending it back within their arbitrary timescale would not form a contract either, imho.

I personally would send them a message telling them to go forth and multiply.

Lovely research and thanks for your effort. We live in an era where we have "Cooling Off" periods for consumer protection. That kind of protocol is well highlighted to both parties. This new form of selling is not within the same spirit of the law.IMO This reminds me of "Inertia selling."

Lovely research and thanks for your effort. We live in an era where we have "Cooling Off" periods for consumer protection. That kind of protocol is well highlighted to both parties. This new form of selling is not within the same spirit of the law.IMO This reminds me of "Inertia selling."

Go some way through the process you went through again, to try and locate exactly where these alledged terms and conditions of forming a contract are hidden. I bet they are hidden very well, and take screenshots to show how deeply hidden it is.

This is a standard thing for some companies now, its just a trick to try and get money. You should report them to Trading Standards etc, it sounds a total con, set up to trick people into thinking they have entered a contract when they have not.

Don't pay them a penny. Tell them to sod off, or if your feeling chavvy send them a "Come at me Bro!"

All, please be careful with Agora because like many of you we too fell into the trap!

Had a conversation in Nov 2017 with one of their sales or account managers about Health & Safety but did not agree to open any accounts or accept even a free trial.

We never received anything in the way of publications either.

However a month later and an invoice for £95 arrived in the post.

It was as if the conversation alone was considered an agreement to them.

You need to be careful as to what you say yes to, or what you are happy to receive in the way of information.

Our company refused to pay them, rightly so, and I reported them to trading standards.

The minute I told them I had made an official complaint, they cancelled the account and withdrew the invoice.

This thread is best part of 6 years old!