Here come the ambulance chasers

[bernard coleslaw]

(Note to newbies - I'm not in any way recommending or endorsing the following by posting this link - this is here for information only).

 

I was wondering how long we'd get people jumping on the bandwagon and trying to earn a quick buck from all this:

 

xxxxxxx {edited: sorry, I know you mean well, but can't take chance s/one will actually get taken in by accident}

 

"Buy my book for the discounted price of £19.00, and it'll tell you how to claim your charges back". Hmmm - can't I just read through the BAG FAQs for free?

 

And there seem to be links to several "no win no fee" services from this person's site, too. (The wonder of automated Google ads - not sure if that was his intention!)

 

It annoys me when I see such blatant profiteering being attempted - if it's not the banks, then it's ambulance chasers like this! It's like endowment claims handling companies all over again - there's nothing they can do that you can't do for yourself.

 

As we've seen here time and time again, the process is reasonably straightforward. You don't need specialist knowledge, you certainly don't need a solicitor to represent you.

 

All you need to do is invest a couple of hours reading through the process on here, asking for advice of you need it. And if you can afford to donate, simply to keep the (non-profit-making) site up and running once you've received your refund, that'd be peachy.

[Bovvered]

Yeah I think it's disgusting for someone to do that, when this site offers it all for free, that someone could then go on and try to profit from it. Wonder if they used this site to get their money back in the first place?

[Guest Alison82]

Am I blind, I can't see the link?!

[Bookworm]

I've deleted it, Alison.

[lickthewallfatboy]

I have started to put a spanner in the works for the ebay bandits.

 

I'm posting this in the "want it now" sections:)-

 

 

ARE YOU IN THE UK AND WANT YOUR BANK CHARGES REFUNDED?

 

 

 

 

THIS IS NOT A [problem]-THIS IS INFORMATION TO SEND YOU TO A FREE WEBSITE WITH NO COSTS WHATSOEVER!!

 

PEOPLE ARE GETTING FREE ADVICE AND INFORMATION FROM THIS SITE AND THEN SELLING IT TO UNSUSPECTING PUNTERS ON EBAY.

 

IF YOU HAVE BEEN CHARGED BY BANKS/CREDIT CARD COMPANIES FOR BOUNCING CHEQUES,LATE PAYMENTS OR GOING OVER THE LIMIT,YOU CAN GET IT ALL BACK-YES-ALL OF IT-AMOUNTING TO THOUSANDS OF POUNDS IN SOME CASES.

IT IS IN YOUR INTEREST TO SEEK OUT -

CONSUMERACTIONGROUP.CO.UK

[gordonhall]

Now before you all jump down my throat - just bear with me a minute...

 

(and before any asks, no, I haven't advertised and am not planning to), but I don't think it's 100% bad.

 

First of all, the banks are still being hit with a refund of charges, and thats not a bad thing. This could well ripple into other areas of life where companies start to see the power of the people at work over the Internet. All in all, a good thing for consumers.

 

Secondly, many of us are extremely evangelistic about BAG & CAG, although many of our friends and family seem to think we are mad about taking on the banks. Once it gets out into the wider world and people are offering this as a service, then hopefully those same people that doubted us will see that there is some mileage in it after all, and having some "ambulance chaser" advertising it just re-enforces our stand. As someone once said, there is no such thing as bad advertising... and the word may get to some people that the can indeed do it for themselves via this forum

 

Thirdly, how many times (a day) have we read on these forums "XXX bank has offered me half, I don't want to go to court, so should I take the money" or the fact that people just seem to disappear off the site altogether. If some comapny is wanting to do all the donkey work for the client and sort out the letters, that frankly worry an awful lot of people, then thats fine by me.

 

Fourthly ( I know I'm gonna get shot down in flames for this one!!!!) It is recommended, and yes I know its not compulsory, that we pay approx 5% to BAG to keep the forum running. Is there a huge difference between this fee and that of an "ambulance chaser"? Each have costs, and I have no idea whether this is Daves full time job, but if it is then I'm more than happy to put some wages his way. A worker is worthy of his hire it says in the good book!

 

 

 

 

There are problems with these people just taking the cash and not worrying about doing a good job, such as accounts being closed, or the "client" actually having to appear in court. Imagine if Neil or Whizzys case were to be repeated. I imagine for the majority of these people they would have a heart attack.

 

Yes, it's worrying, but its not all bad!

[lickthewallfatboy]

The fact is,people like Dave et al have done all the leg work,taken them on,drawn up the letters etc,and then these "ambulance chasers" come in and plagiarise the information and sell it!!

 

I know it's not unlawful,but it's downright immoral.I for one have no problem donating 5% of something I would otherwise not have had,to the site and the people without whom I would have been either-

 

1.totally ignorant of the possibility of redress

or

2.completely stalled by the banks sod off letter tactics.

 

ambulance chasers make me sick.....

[dave]

Point taken, and I think you are right - of sorts - the overall perception of people will change from that of "taking on a multinational bank with unlimited funds? You must be mad." to one of "Hmmm...there might be some truth in it after all."

 

Secondly, I wish this was my full time job - I might have time for some life once in a while then!! ;-) Nah - sadly, I hold down a full time job as well - I don't think anyone could live on the amount of money this site gets (it's not a lot, let me tell you!), although some of the things I'm doing for this site at the moment are taking up more time that the day job!

 

This site was set up to - and I hate this term - empower people to stand up for their rights. I think it's starting to do that - as one person pointed out to me on the MSE forums, I had a post on there some time ago that was along the lines of:

 

"I've been charged a fortune by Abbey, is there anything I can do about it...blah...blah...newbie type questions...blah...."

[Guy]

When i first heard about Stephens case way back in Feb i started trawling the web and found several sites (often solicitors) offereing to get charges back from the banks so people have been profitting from recovering charges fo some time.

I had even considered trying one until i found the BAG.

 

I agree with one of the previous posters to this thread in that some people would rather 'employ' a professional to do the work, compose the letters, phone the banks, complete the court forms etc and then take a cut. Others will do it this way as they simply don't have the time (usually working three jobs to cover the losses paid to the banks in charges).

 

And others just dont have the tenecity to follow through all the way.

 

THere are th others BAG and CAG members who just enjoy the challenge and the deep sense of glee they get when telling people about their success.

 

Whichever way is used to recover the cash the more that do the more chance of a change to the system.

 

Go Get em!!

[mechs]

This site was set up to - and I hate this term - empower people to stand up for their rights.

 

My wife said that she thinks of you as a modern-day Robin Hood in how you help the poor!

[dave]

My wife said that she thinks of you as a modern-day Robin Hood in how you help the poor!

 

Not sure about that !! Mind you, I do fancy a little green hat!

 

Difference is, it's not robbing the rich to pay the poor, it's taking back what was robbed from the poor by the rich.

 

I just wish I had some banks left to get my money back from - I'm bloody skint!!! ;-)

[thecornflake]

I don't see a big problem with these places offering to help people on a no-win no-fee basis. The trouble is people not knowing they can do it themselves. As long as they are aware that they could get the information for free and do everything themselves but still would rather spend some of the claimed money on fees to make it easier for themselves that's fine.

 

I checked out a couple of these places who come high up on Google when searching for "Bank charges". One of them did say that people can do this themselves (no further assistance as to where the information as can only be epxected) so they're not all total con artists. However, the site i found wa sin a minority and most of these places are jumping on the bandwagon to just get some easy cash.

 

Ii wasn't aware of the Ebay thing - should have guessed!

[Rich44]

Well the rich were rich because they overtaxed the poor in the first place so quite a close analogy

 

What about the tights?

 

hehehehe

[rbrears]

Agree with the points made. BAG CAG doesn't own the process of recovering charges. As Dave said its purpose was to empower - it has done that in spades and it won't be long until the survey shows over £1,000,000 recovered and that's just a fantastic achievement about which those who set up this site should be rightly proud. And with the MOds and our continuing interest the site will continue to empower.

 

Its up to the individual whether they want to DIY or pay someone else to do it. All I would say is that the process is simple enough and with the help available here most should be able to DIY. Also I wouldn't entrust the job to someone who couldn't demonstrate to me that they had indemnity insurance to cover their own negligence, particularly if they are dealing with court proceedings, time limits etc.

[mechs]

Not sure about that !! Mind you, I do fancy a little green hat! at least you didn't say that you fancied green tights pmsl.

 

Difference is, it's not robbing the rich to pay the poor, it's taking back what was robbed from the poor by the rich. Wife understands that and did not mean to infer any such thought ... but Robin Hood supposedly got together a group of merry men (plus woman) to overcome the evil sheriff (I bet he was a banker at heart)

 

I just wish I had some banks left to get my money back from - I'm bloody skint!!! ;-)

 

We file for court action around 16th ... will be donating more as soon as its in the bank

[Janet-M]

If you look at the signature of most of the modeators etc we say if in doubt seek the advice of an insured professional ( or similar ) This site as Dave says empowers people , they can do it themselves if they don't want to then of course there are firms that will do it for a price , a BIG price.

 

Just one warning please be VERY careful if anyone approaches you in here ( and please let us know immediatly for the benefit of everyone ) offering their services.For one you would have to give them personal information and I'm sure it doesn't have to be spelt out why that could cause you problems, they may say they are reputable but I could tell you I'm the queen of england , don't mean its true .

[rbrears]

Quite right your majesty

[mechs]

Well the rich were rich because they overtaxed the poor in the first place so quite a close analogy

 

What about the tights?

 

hehehehe

 

we must have been posting about the same time ...about the tights!

[tedblue]

I received a junk fax this morning offering the same kind of services to businesses

[dave]

We file for court action around 16th ... will be donating more as soon as its in the bank

 

Sorry, I wasn't impying that people should donate more (although the hosting company has agreed to wait for the remainder of the money we should have paid in advance, until we get enough to pay them), so more would be useful, I'm sure we'll get enough to pay them up before next years becomes due!!

 

I meant, that me personally was skint - hence the selling of the house in the Bear Garden!!

[mechs]

Sorry, I wasn't impying that people should donate more (although the hosting company has agreed to wait for the remainder of the money we should have paid in advance, until we get enough to pay them), so more would be useful, I'm sure we'll get enough to pay them up before next years becomes due!!

 

I meant, that me personally was skint - hence the selling of the house in the Bear Garden!!

Golly Dave I wasn't even thinking that you were implying that peeps should donate more!!! I know that! What I meant was that you must have sunk a lot of your own money into doing this ... and where we can we, like many more, will help with the costing.

[gordonhall]

Well, I think I got off pretty lightly - I was expecting everyone to start flaming me!

 

Dave - its a damn shame you can't make this your full time job. I think we need a peoples champion. Maybe you can get some hints off Martin Lewis.

 

I also think that whilst the main thrust of this forum is the banks, there are so many other issues that this covers, I think its a site that could run and run for years.

 

I think many people will disappear once they've had their payout, and many of them without making any donation towards the CAG, which is a shame. No-one on here is trying to profit from the site and what we receive back, not just in bank charges, but knowledge, empowerment and strength, as well as relationships is immense and surely worth a small donation.

 

Back to the ambulance chasers - no they are not acting illegally, but I agree, many of them are doing it immorally. Yes, I think they ought to let people know that they can do this all themselves at no cost, but there again, aren't many small legal issues able to be carried out by ourselves, if we only knew how...

 

I've long said that we don't pay people for what they do, but for what they know.