Construct Data Publishers Verlag AG

Also known as the Fair Guide or Fairguide

This company formerly traded as Construct Data Verlag GMBH

DISCLAIMER This website is in no way affiliated or assoaciated with the Construct Data Publishers Verlag AG / Fairguide.
This is a non-commercial website established in Opposition to all companies that profit from the mailing of misleading contracts.
StopECG is not responsible for the content of external sites which we link to

IMPORTANT: If your comapny is recieving demands from Construct Data

StopECG are aware that the Austrian Schutzverband gegen unlauteren Wettbewerb Are seeking an injunction to prevent Construct Data Verlag from mailing more misleading forms AND to prevent them profiting from past mailings. At this point there is a very strong case for those in dispute with Construct data to flatly refuse to pay Read More!

As of February 2006 we have become aware of a case where construct data may be attempting to enforce a contract through the Austrian courts, more on this

CONTENTS

Company Info

Contracts Used

Advice if you have signed in error

Advice for Fair Organisers

Research and background

Rulings against construct data

Debt Collection Hassle?
You will probably want to read on Premium Recovery AG or Gravis Inkasso Gmbh

Construct Data Poll

When you Signed the FAIR GUIDE mailshot, did you realise they would bill you

	Yes
	No

view results
more polls

Company Info
Construct Data is perhaps the first company of its kind to target a niche market... You will only encounter The Fairguide if you exhibit in large trade fairs. They send a mailshot to exhibitors many of whom mistakenly consider it to be a communication from the fair organiser. Some people have returned the form expecting a free listing, in fact the small print commits you to paying several hundred Euros per annum, the contract is self-perpetuating.

Contact Info
Construct Data Verlag AG
Ortsstraße 54
A-2331 Vösendorf
Austria

Tel: +43-1/6994077
Fax: +43-1/6994077-40
Email (Enquiries): info@cdnet.at | info@fairguide.com | info@fair-guide.com
Emai (Accounts): accounts@cdnet.at
Email (Editorial): editorial@cdnet.at

Basic Company Info | See Also Research and background
VAT / UST-ID : ATU 36891707
Register No: FN 113218 y
DVR: 0685097

bank account: BANK AUSTRIA
bank-code: 12000
number: 692 032 501
Swift: BKAUATWW

postal account: P.S.K.
bank-code: 60 000
number: 92 015 766

WEB: (Original Domains) http://www.fairguide.com/ | http://www.fair-guide.com/

Debt Collection is by Premium Recovery AG and possibly also Gravis Inkasso Gmbh

More Detailed Information on Construct Data AG can be found in the Research and background Section of this page

Contract
The 2002 contract states: "Return this form together with your brochure. The existing, free line entry with the basic data of your company is published in the FAIR Guide, even if you don't place a binding order below. By carefully filling in and returning this form you have the chance to be published on-line with text and images in the FAIR Guide, or to have your data corrected." We will publish the text of the 2005 contract as soon as we get a copy.

When Exhibitors contact fair organisers they often find that the organisers are unaware of the Fair Guide and it's activities.

Advice
If you recieve a mailshot from Construct Data please contact the fair organisers. It is not in the interest of fair organisers to have external organisations targeting their exhibitors and most will take the time to warn their clients of the risks. Feel free to direct them to our specific Advice for Fair Organisers

If you have alreadty returned Construct Data's form by mistake and are receiving unexpected demands for money you will need to write a number of letters of complaint. Please do this! Doing nothing is not an option. First IMPORTANT please fill out our Petition to the European Parliament against the ECG

To Pay or not to pay

For legal reasons StopECG cannot issue advice either generally or to individuals on the issue of whether you should part with money based on the document you have signed. All we can do is appraise you of the situation as it stands and allow you to make up your own mind. We hope the notes below are of assistance.

Construct Data has many companies on its books who have, or are disputing the validity of its contracts.
Versions of the Construct Data's form have been ruled to be Deliberately deceptive. (Note 1, Below)
As far as we can ascertain Just one company out of the tens of thousands who have refused to pay is facing litigation. Court action has often been threatened both by the guide and the associated debt collection companies. Threats can be very direct and urgent but in every other case we have followed the threats have passed without court action occurring.
Those who have paid often receive further demands for money, if you read the small print of the document you will discover that it runs for 3 years, so paying an installment may not be the end of this issue.

Note 1 The ruling of The Chemnitz Regional Court made in June 2004 is perhaps the most damning we have seen against any guide, Furthermore The Austrian Advertising Council (ÖWR) has twice investigated the mailing and found it to be misleading, issuing it's most recent alert in January 2005 More...

Letters you need to write:

Fill out our petition to the European Parliament
Contact The Austrian Authorities
Going to the Press
Contact Your local trading standards
Contact Your National Self Regulation Organisation
The Give 'em the slip option

Whenever filing official complaints, we recommend you keep your letters short, polite and factual. If you feel the original document was misleading, please breifly explain why

You should include copies of all Correspondence you have had with the guide and with their agents. We reccomend you send high quality photocopies and should keep your original correspondence on file. If you have lost or destroyed any documents please note this in your letter of complaint.

Contact the Austrain Authorities

minister of economy and work
Bundesminister für Wirtschaft und Arbeit (BMWA)
Dr. Martin BARTENSTEIN
Stubenring 1
A-1010 Wien
Austria
E-Mail: minister@bmwa.gv.at

Please copy your letter to:
Department for Competition
BMWA
Abteilung C1/6
Dampfschiffstraße 4
1030 Wien
Austria

Please also copy your letter to:
Dr. Manfred Pichelmayer,
Osterreichischer Werberat (OWR),
c/o Wirtschaftskammer Wien,
Schwartzenbergplatz 14,
A - 1040,
VIENNA,
AUSTRIA

Swedish readers are fortunate enough to have specific advice provided by Fairlink Scandinavia

advice for residents of the European Union who are in dispute with Gravis Inkasso Gmbh

Residents of the European Union are asked to send a copy of the complaint to their MEP (Member European Parliament). If you do not know who your MEP is, click the one of the links below and look them up. You may find that you are represented by more than one MEP, if so, please contact them all!!
http://www.europarl.eu.int/ ALL EU Countries please navigate to your country
http://www.writetothem.com/ UK Only (enter your postcode, you can then fax direct from the webform!)
http://www.europarl.org.uk/uk_meps/MembersMain.htm UK Only (for postal addresses)
Please also sign the Petition the European Parliament

Additional Information for US Readers

US Companies in dispute with Construct Data are asked to file the following complaints In Addition to the letters of complaint detailed above

Federal Trade Commission
Office of Business Fraud
600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington DC 20580
Tel: 1-202-326-2800
Fax: 1-202-326-2034
Email: OIG@ftg.gov

You can also file a mail fraud complaint with the US Postal Service:
http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/MailFraudComplaint.htm

Finally try Econsumer.gov, though this is mainly for personal consumers
http://www.econsumer.gov

Going to the Press
Why: Getting articles in the local press will forwarn others about contracts they may recieve in the post.
How: Getting an article into the local press is surprisingly easy More..

Contact Local trading Standards
Why: Differnet local Trading standards work together and the more people write in, the better picture they will have of any problem across the whole country. Also he more compelled they will mayo act and warn others.
How: You can find your local contact from Their website or by phoning your local council. You do not need to write a letter, a phonecall will do it.

Contact Your National Self Regulation Organisation
Why: Self Regulation Organisations (SROs) Enforce responsible advertising from within the industry, some have legal powers as well. They also liase with government enforcement agencies. Getting a letter to your national SRO is important.
How: To find the contact details for the SRO in your country visit:
http://www.easa-alliance.org/about_easa/en/easa_members.html

You should provide copies of your correspondence with the ECG + a letter explaining why you feel mislead. Make it clear that you are filing a Cross Border Complaint

The Give 'em the slip option
Many people have written over the years suggesting simply returning ECG mail unopened, we do not advocate this, if you have a dispute with the ECG, please stand up to them and do the letter writing suggested above

Specific Advice for Fair Organisers

StopECG are strongly opposed to the marketing tactics utilized by Construct Data Verlag AG and feel that fair organisers have a duty to for forewarn their exhibitors. As a fair organiser you are in a unique position to save your customers from possible distress and expense.

We ask organisers to print a warning on their websites and also to include that warning in correspondence sent to all exhibitors. You should offer general advice that mail shots your customers receive may not be from your organisation, even if they use your name and refer to a specific event.

It will assist to process if you specifically mention that Construct Data may send forms to Exhibitors using the trading names Fair Guide or Fairguide.

Ask that your exhibitors read any form very carefully before signing it and ask them to contact you if they have any concerns

Feel free to link to these Advice sites

English
http://www.stopecg.org/construct_data_fairguide.htm (This Page)
http://www.aeo.org.uk/page.cfm/Link=160 (Association of Exhibition Organisers)
German
http://www.beschwerdezentrum.org/adressbetrug/6-Online/6-a-Hintergundmaterial/Mehr-info/100-200-HS-Firmen-Info/138-construct-Obermayer.htm
Itailan
http://www.osservatorioaziende.it/
http://www.genie.it/utenti/ebalzari
French
http://www.arnaques.be.tf/index.shtml

Here are examples of what other Fair Organisers have done
Mondial Image Photo Son
http://www.mondial-image-photo-son.com/rubriques_uk/pageLibre000101f9.html
Hong Kong Optical Fair
http://www.hkopticalfair.com/circular/circular05.htm
IAEM.org (USA) Excellent and detailed warning, ideal for US Fair organisers
http://www.iaem.org/content/industryinfonews/austrianexhibitorwarning.htm
Frankfurt Book Fair First link is in English, Second in German
http://www.buchmesse.de/en/buchmesse_frankfurt/aussteller/anmeldung/content/02969/content.html
http://www.buchmesse.de/de/buchmesse_frankfurt/aussteller/anmeldung/content/02964/content.html
Fairlink Scandinavia
http://www.fairlink.se/fairguide.htm (In Swedish)

Research and background
We last queried the company register on 28 May 2003, here is the information revealed

Registration Number FN 113218 y

Managing Directors
>From 22 January 1992 to 3 September 1998 - Erich Landerl born 04 Feb 1955
>From 24 August 1998 Wolfgang Valvoda born 6 August 1970, resident in Vienna

Shareholders
Construct Data is 100% Owned by Maiwolf Holding AG
Pestalozzistrasse 2
CH - 9000 St Gallen
Switzerland
Registration St Gallen CH - 320.3.032.279-0

Share Capital 500,000 Austrian Schillings

On one of their websites (http://www.cdnet.at/html/team1.html + Following pages) Construct Data listed the following staff under the heading 'Customer Service' The page included email links for all staff.
Friedrich Kytnar, Valérie Kleindienst, Oscar Briche Natalia Mohamed, Julia Walker, Sieglinde Kavan, Sophie Faulcon, Irmgard Kasper-Swoboda, Andrej Schergin, Geoffrey McKay, Gabriele Guidi, Alicia Bankhofer, Sandrine Saegaert, James Bruce Gaston, Jasmina Milovanovic, Martha Sinfield, Danuta Dudo, Julia Schwammenschneider, Claudia Krenn, Sabine Urban, Katja Künzel, Karin Goldmann, Alexandra Feichtinger, Marianna Huber, Karl Bauer, Harald Fila, Christian Zbornik, Manuela Bacsalmasy, Eva Mombour, Petra Daninger, Alfred Obermayer, Wolfgang Valvoda
Previously listed on http://www.construct-data.info/team.html, page Removed 2005 Valentin Lüdenbach

Sometime between May 2005 and 28th September 2005 the list of staff on http://www.cdnet.at/html/team1.html and http://www.cdnet.at/html/team2.html was removed and replaced with general email contacts, http://www.cdnet.at/html/team3.html Remained on the company's servers, naming the staff in Accounts as well as EDP and the CEO. Wolfgang Valvoda Remained listed as CEO on a large number of the Link Farm Domains, such as http://www.find-best-tradeshow.com/ - Present when Checked 2nd Oct 05, Removed when re-checked 30th Oct 2005

Some of the domains give the Email address bewerbung@cdnet.at for potential employess wishing to seek work. This address does not correspond to any of the staff listed above.

In January 2004 Construct Data registered a number of new domains, these appear to serve little other function than acting as a crude link-farm.

The Acquisition of domain names has continued ever since, most but not all of the domains below are part of the link farm. Initially many of the domains were hosted at IP address 216.193.193.73 which also hosted link farms for Ovag International AG. At an undetermined date at the end of 2004 or early in 2005 Construct Data's domains were moved to the company's own IP block. Around this Time Ovag's Link Farm domains were also moved.

Unless noted below all now share the IP 212.16.42.94 (Last Checked 25th Feb 2005).

www.cdnet.at
www.construct-data.de
www.construct-data-publishers.de
www.construct-data-verlag.de
www.construct-data-online.de
www.construct-data-verzeichnis.de
www.construct-data-informationen.de
www.cd-verlag-ag.de
www.cd-kunden.de
www.cdverlag-ag.de
www.informationen-construct-data.de
www.online-cd-verlag.de
www.construct-data-news.de
www.cdv-onlinepartner.de
www.cdv-info.de
www.cd-informationen.de
www.fairguide.com IP 212.16.42.82
www.fairguide.com
www.messekatalog.org
www.ms-guide.com
www.1st-fair.com
www.manufactureguide.com
www.manufacture-guide.com
www.fairguide-directory.com
www.fairguide-exhibitors.com
www.fairguide-directory-exhibitors.com
www.fairguide-exhibitors-directory.com
www.fair-guide-directory.com
www.fair-guide-exhibitors.com
www.fair-guide-exhibitors-directory.com
www.messekatalog.net
www.independent-fairguide-directory.com
www.fair-guide-information.com
www.construct-data-unternehmen.at
www.construct-data-publishers.at
www.construct-data-verlag.at
www.construct-data-online
www.construct-data
www.cdv.co.at
www.construct-data-info.at
www.cd-online.at
www.construct-data-kunden.at
www.construct-data-verzeichnis.at
www.construct-data-service.at
www.construct-data-unternehmen.at
www.online-messekatalog-register.at
www.cd-verlag.at
www.cdv-info.at
www.online-cdv.at
www.construct-data.biz
www.find-best-tradeshow.com
www.fairguide-planning-zone.com
www.interactive-fair-guide-directory.com
www.fairguide-planning.com
www.my-personal-fair-guide.com
www.your-fairguide.com
www.e-global-fair-directory.com
www.fairguide-portal4u.com
www.international-fair-guide-portal.com
www.fairguide-schedule.com
www.global-fairguide.com
www.fair-guide-online-publication.com
www.tradefair-portal.com
www.online-fairguide-publication.com

Rulings Against Construct Data
Fair Guide's staff appear to have some difficulty in formulating a contract that does not lead to disputes with advertisers, negative publicity and adverse rulings. We hope that eventually the graphics department will make the adjustments necessary to stop the continuation of this farce....

The Chemnitz Regional Court ruled in June 2004 that the offers formulated by Construct Data AG are formulated in such a way that an intention to deceive in the sense of code 263 Par. 1 St GB German Criminal Code (Fraud) Please note that this is a translation of the original. A copy of the judgement can be obtained from AUMA Attorney at Law Silvia Bauermeister, email: s.bauermeister@auma.de, Telephone : +49 (0)30-24 000 103.
Fuller Translation: http://www.vertikal.net/en/stories.php?id=1266

The Austrian Advertising Council (ÖWR) Issued an alert in January 2005 that it has twice investigated the mailing and found it to be misleading, and hence in breach of the Austrian Advertising Code. The report goes on Construct Data Publishers Verlag were also asked to ensure that all future advertising should state payment obligations clearly and prominently and that its advertising should not mislead by ambiguity. However, the trader continues to distribute the mailing unchanged

This is significant in that it shows Construct Data are aware of the misleading nature of their forms this would make it almost impossible for them win a positive judgement in court
Full Warning http://www.werberat.or.at/news.asp?id=38

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