CRS AJJB chasing money for Photo Studio Group run by Michael John Hannah

[simond1000]

I took my 14 year old daughter to a no obligation studio photo shoot after she replied to an online ad for potentital models to send in a selfie.

 

My daughter was told that she was selected out of thousands of applicants and had won a place to attend the photo shoot at "Hype Digital" studios in Birmingham but I would have to pay a £50 deposit to secure the palce. A I paid the deposit on my credit card.

You you you

 

The photoshoot took about 4 hours with my daughter expected to change in between shots behind a flimsy curtain in the same room as hair and makeup was being done and other people were waiting. It all looked a  bit makeshift as though the studio had been hired for the day. You are you you you you you you you are

 

After the photo shoot we were taken into a side room to get the results. We were given the impression that Emma (my daughter) had passed the test and she could now become a top model but I would need to purchase one of their portfolio products to progress her modelling career otherwise the photos would be deleted.
The product was £2000 which I could not afford but my daughter was getting upset to think the photos might be deleted. They said I could not change my mind or cancel the order later. I was pressurised into making a decision there and then.

 

When I said I couldn't afford it they said I could pay £200 deposit on my credit card and setup £218 per month direct debits from the same card.
There were no affordability checks made to assess my ability to pay. The salesman said we would have model agencies contacting us to discuss any potential modelling work that Emma could do.

After a couple of months we had no contact from anybody so I tried to get hold of the studio but couldn't get through after several attempts. Eventually I did get through to someone who said I would have to setup an appointment for someone to call me back. I waited by the phone at the appointment time but nobody called. I then researched the company and a large number of people were saying it was a scam and not to pay them anything. I submitted a dispute to the credit card company stating my suspicions that it was a scam.
They refunded the following 2 months direct debit payments to my credit card and cancelled the direct debit. They said the merchant did not contest the chargebacks so I thought the contract would be cancelled as I had won the dispute. 

From the 6th Sept 2020 I have been getting demands for payment by text and email from a debt collection agency called CRS (Credit Resource Solutions) demanding a payment of the balance of my account to the Photo Studio Group for £864.
Now this has been elevated to a law firm called AJJB Law threatening legal action if I don't pay saying the next stage will be to add costs to the balance. 

The Photo Studio Group  is run by Michael John Hannah who used to run Kube Studios which has appeared on BBC Watchdog for exactly the same scam.   
You This is a link to the Watchdog report https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2DJ6GCxl7JWHd08jZMb4kSG/kube-studios

 

I emailed AJJB Law with a "prove it" letter demading they prove that I owe the money by sending the signed contract and any related documents.  They have now put the action on hold for 30 days whilst they request the documents from their client.
They said the next stage will be to add costs to the debt. 

 I have reported this scam to Action Fraud and to BBC Watchdog and I have started a section 75 claim with the credit card company to get back the 3 intiial direct debit payments. I also got the credit card company to send me a letter stating the dispute I made was upheld and the 2 chargeback amounts were not contested by the merchant.

I am worried they might add £100's to the debt in costs and get a court to issue a CCJ against me. I have never received the photos or portfolio or had any contact from modelling agencies as they promised. 

 I was wondering if I should pay the debt on the credit card to get them off my back and then try to get it refunded through the section 75 claim?

Edited October 24, 2020 by BankFodder
Restructured to make it intelligible

[BankFodder]

Thank you for your posting your new thread here. However you've posted a very long story in a pretty well completely solid block of text which is very difficult for people to read on screen. To get the help that you need, we need stories posted properly spaced and punctuated.

I'm going to restructure it – but please will you present it in a more manageable way in future

[BankFodder]

Ignore them. If you want to write something to them then tell them to bring it on and to start a court claim because you will be very happy to expose it all in court, to demand papers and evidence and also that the press and TV journalists are already interested.

Tell them that you simply can't wait and they should hurry up.

Other than that, do nothing. Stop worrying, and be a little bit more careful about checking things out before you start spending your money. Make sure that your daughter knows all about it so that she will grow up with a little bit of wisdom.

As you realise, you are being completely scammed and these debt collection companies – which share the same address – are simply just part of the operation. They may have other legitimate interests – I don't know – but in terms of this glamour photo shoot business, you should completely ignore them.

[BankFodder]

Do not pay any money to try and get them off your back. Keep on clawing your money back as well as you can. You seem to be doing pretty well so far.

You are lucky that you didn't pay by bank transfer – as most people do.

[BankFodder]

Michael John HANNAH

 

Quote

Total number of appointments 3

Date of birth May 1973

CARLTON NASH & CO LIMITED (12267941)

Company status Active

Correspondence address

45-47, Thomas Street, Manchester, England, M4 1NA

Role ACTIVE Director

Appointed on 17 October 2019

Nationality British

Country of residence United Kingdom

Occupation Company Director

MY WATER IS PURE LIMITED (09034157)

Company status Dissolved

Correspondence address Farrow Accounting And Tax Limited, 94-95, South Worple Way, London, United Kingdom, SW14 8ND

Role Director

Appointed on 12 May 2014

Nationality British

Country of residence United Kingdom

Occupation Director

THE PHOTO STUDIO GROUP LIMITED (08043958)

Company status Active

Correspondence address

Farrow Accounting & Tax Limited, 95 South Worple Way, London, England, SW14 8ND

Role ACTIVE Director

Appointed on 24 April 2012

Nationality British

Country of residence United Kingdom

Occupation Director

 

[Nobby_v]

I would deal with this the same as I deal with the Parking People. 

 

1. Get stroppy - fight for your money back.

2. Tell the debt collectors - this is harassment - and charge them £196 every time they write to you.

3. Court action for the return of your funds.

 

Or write off what you've paid and accept the lesson on the chin - but maintain the issue with the debt collectors if they pursue. 

 

These people are utter [Insert Your Own Words Here]

 

Richard (Nobby) 

 

PS Oh and edit the post to put some space in the post if you can. 

 

 

[simond1000]

It also states at the bottom of the  Companies House web page that The Photo Studio Group Limited previous company name was Kube Studios Limited, the subject of the BBC Watchdog investigation   https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08043958 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2DJ6GCxl7JWHd08jZMb4kSG/kube-studios

[Bazooka Boo]

How on earth do you come up with the figure of £196 pounds???

 

Anyhow, as you have found out these are charlatans, reclaim your money and simply ignore them, although a complaint to trading standards is a good idea also.

[Nobby_v]

My client rate for freelance work is £200 it's just me making them slightly less important.

But, if was to ask a solicitor to respond that is probably what it would cost

 

[BankFodder]

Unfortunately trading standards will take absolutely no notice whatsoever. It might be worth contacting action fraud and get a crime reference number – and also maybe it will help to build up a bit of intelligence against these people – although fundamentally action fraud is pretty well useless as well. But better make a report than no report

[Bazooka Boo]

Ah yes I forget TS is pointless, AF may well be worth a shot like you say.

 

Or Rip off Britain!?

 

[simond1000]

I sent AJJb Law a "prove it" letter so they have to send me all documentation to prove I owe the debt, e.g. copy of the signed contract, payment plan, statement of account etc.

 

They said they would put the action on hold for 30 days whilst they request the information from their client.

That was a couple of weeks ago and I haven't heard back from them yet.

 

latest threats was sent By text message 

[dx100uk]

and who told you to enter into pointless letter tennis??

 

[simond1000]

I got the advice from the Which legal team saying if debt collectors are chasing you for money they firstly have to prove you owe the debt or they must stop harassing you and there is a template for a "prove it" letter on the Which web site.

 

The problem is that it might be a scam and people are saying to ignore the debt collectors, but the Photo Studio Group is a legitimate company and I signed what I thought was a legally binding contract.

 

The Which legal team want to see the contract if they send it to find out if it is legally binding.

 

What I can't seem to find out is if these scam photo studio companies have ever actually taken anyone to court, and if so, have they been successful?

[BankFodder]

Even if the contract appears to be binding - that doesn't necessarily mean that it is all above board.

 

With all respect to the Which team, their advice is generally a bit luke-warm and sheltered.

 

Let us see the contract as well - if and when you get it.

 

Also even though there appears to be a contract, it doesn't mean that they will honour it and it certainly doesn't mean that they would be prepared to expose themselves in court in order to try to enforce it. 

 

"Binding contracts" may often be useful to frighten people into pay up

[simond1000]

Ok, i'll post the contract on here if I get it. 

 

[dx100uk]

40 minutes ago, simond1000 said:

I got the advice from the Which legal team saying if debt collectors are chasing you for money they firstly have to prove you owe the debt or they must stop harassing you and there is a template for a "prove it" letter on the Which web site

 

god which want shooting for the stupid far reaching statement.

only the OWNER of a debt can issue legal proceedings!!

 

IF the DCA letters say 'our client'

thus they DON'T own the debt

[simond1000]

To be fair, Which don't know they said 'our client' as they only said that after I got the Which advice, but this does make me feel more confident there won't be any court action and they are just bluffing

[dx100uk]

as DCA's always are...all hot air on any debt.

they have no special nor any different legal powers to you or i 

should we think someone owes us money..

 

DCA's view debtors as suckers, marks and mugs

 

NO DCA has ANY legal powers whatsoever on ANY debt no matter what it's Type

and they

are NOT and can NEVER  be BAILIFFS. even if a debt has been to court..

 

If everyone stopped blindly paying DCA's Tomorrow, their industry would collapse overnight... 

[simond1000]

CRS has just sent me the contract I signed before they commence  legal action.

 

I have attached the contract with my personal information blanked out.

I don't remember signing all the sub clauses but I must have done as I just wanted to get out of there after the hard sell routine.

 

I think this contract was mis-sold as I was given misleading information and no cooling off period.

Do I have a leg to stand on if they take me to court?

 

 

contract.pdf

[BankFodder]

You haven't really given us a timeline, but I understand that in October 2019 – one year ago, you visited the studios for a photo shoot for your daughter.

• You told us that the deal was that they would take photographs and then if everything went well and the photographs are good, they would then try to find modelling opportunities for your daughter.
• Because you didn't want to upset your daughter, you agree to an instalment/loan contract.
• At the time of signing the agreement, the salesman told you to expect to be contacted by modelling agencies with offers of work for your daughter.
• You didn't hear from the company for a couple of months – so that would take us to, say, January 2020.
• You attempted several times to get hold of the company – and eventually did and they promised you a call back.
• You only Nobody called you back.
• He then decided to do some research and you discovered that you are probably being scammed.
• You then canceled your direct debit and also asked for some chargebacks which succeeded.
• Nothing more was heard until September of this year when you started being chased by a debt collector. 

 

Looking through the contract you posted up, they tend to make it very clear throughout the contract that the agreement is only for the photographs. Not for any references or for promises of modelling work or for any representations on your behalf.

They apparently took 20 photographs and charge you £2000 for them which is £100 per photo. A nice little earner!

Please can you confirm that my resumé of the situation is correct

[dx100uk]

posts moved to your existing thread

 

dx

 

[simond1000]

Your resume of the situation is correct  except is does say near the top of the contract that it includes a Digital Z Card, Efolio, Prints and Portfolio disc by putting a YES box by them.

[simond1000]

I  think they have broken the  Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 specifically two banned pracices :-

 

The list of banned practices includes the following: 

 

• Limited offers   Falsely stating that a product will only be available for a very limited time, or that it will only be available on particular terms for a very limited time, in order to elicit an immediate decision and deprive consumers of sufficient opportunity or time to make an informed choice.
• Pressure selling   Creating the impression that the consumer cannot leave the premises until a contract is formed.

[BankFodder]

Can you show us where those things have happened and your evidence for them having happened please.

Also, you say that they told you that your daughter had been selected out of thousands of applicants. Do you have evidence for them having said that? Please can you post it up here