- Company Info
- Advice if you are pursued for money
- Reasearch on EU Company Directory
- Press Coverage
- Support Email List
Company Info
EU Company Directory appeared in 2005, using contracts almost identical in their layout to those of the Lüdenbach enterprises like the European City Guide and Construct Data (Fair Guide), and Novachannel AG. The terms on the reverse of the contract are also very similar. However it seems likely that this scam is a copycat affair and is not related to the Ludenbach enterprises.
The forms we have seen include the prominent words updating is free of charge at the top of the form, this is common to most of the forms from other guides that have been ruled to be misleading in the past, furthermore the price is hidden in the small print and is written as EURO 980, (not including the currency symbol makes it more likely that the price will go unnoticed)
Contact Info:
EU Company Directory
P.O. Box 2021
3500GA
Utrecht
Pays-Bas
Netherlands
tel: +31 203-120-477 fax: +31-205-248-107
Email: info@eucompanydirectory.com
Web: http://www.eucompanydirectory.com/
The Above address appears to be an office/PO Box, trade is actually conducted from the tax haven of nevis in the West Indies
EU Business Ltd.
Henvile Building
Prince Charles street
Charlestown
Nevis
West Indies
Check the research and background for mored detailed info
Advice if you are receiving demands for money
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. |
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If you are unhappy with EU Company Directory you need to file the relevant letters of complaint. Remember, the more letters you write the more likely it is that people will take note. With a new outfit like this, it is also vital that complainants get their arguments in first and put them on the record. If you are unhappy with the contract action on your part is essential, inaction will hand the initiative to EU Company Directory!
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Whenever filing official complaints, we recommend you keep your letters short, polite and factual. If you feel the original document was misleading, please explain why, clearly and in your own words
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. |
Who to Write to
- The Dutch Self Regulation Organisation (No Longer Necessary)
- File a report Via the Steunpunt Acquisitiefraude
- Contact Your MEP
- Contact The Romanian Ministry of Commerce
- Go to the Police
- Going to the Press
- Contact the Government in Nevis
- Contact Your local trading standards
- Contact Their Bank
The Dutch SRO has noted that EU Company Directory appears not to trade from Holland. They cite 2 reasons for being unable to act against this scam.
- The 'advertisement' was published only outside the Netherlands territory
- The company is not active in The Netherlands
"EU Company Directory has a post-box in The Netherlands, in Utrecht, but they do not seem to have any office or activities here. EU Company Directory uses a telephone number in The Netherlands (area-code 20 for Amsterdam) which is connected to a telephone centre with only English spoken staff. Their head office is based in Nevis, West Indies. For the same reasons it is not possible to report this to the police in Utrecht. If you want to report this, you have to report the facts to your local police who can sent the file to Utrecht.'"
In a later paragraph they offer the following advice
"It will be very difficult to bring this rogue trader to justice. Our advice is to let EU Directory know in writing that you are mislead by filling out their form and that you did not want to establish an agreement. We advise you to not pay the invoices. If you want you can report this case to your local police, this is possibly helpful if more duped companies will do so. This might help the police in Utrecht to build a case against EU directory."
File a report Via the Steunpunt Acquisitiefraude (Dutch Advertising Fraud Support Centre) Essential
Why: The Steunpunt Acquisitiefraude is a non governement organisation that has been very effective in fighting directory scams, they need reports against EU Company Directory to build a case
How: You can file online (Click the link Notification and reporting on the upper left). StopECG Reccomend you compose your letter of complaint fully before filing the online complaint, you will then have accurate text to paste into the web form
Contact Your MEP Essential
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Why: This is a European Problem; MEPs need to be aware as they have the power to bring forward legislation against this sort of cross border advertising, furtharmore, this particular scam is specific to the European Union How: 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!! Please ask your MEP to raise your concerns with The Commissioner 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) |
Contact The Romanian Ministry of Commerce Worthwhile
Why: It appears that EU Company Directory may have their actual office in Romania, this needs to be investigated
How: If you have had emails from EU Company Directory check the headers, you may find that the sender is detailed as citrus-media.ro ([212.146.85.10]) or gw-eubusiness-sediu.fibertm.ro [86.106.150.186] or both...
These adresses end in .ro, indicating that the sender is not in Holland, they are in Romania, If your emails bear this out, please contact the Romanian Ministry of Economy and Commerce and ask them to investigate the issue. We reccomend you send them your full letter of complaint and an additional note explaining why you beleive EU Company Directory are operating from within Romania
Go to the Police Worthwhile
Why: The Dutch SRO has stated that it may assist the Police in Utrecht if complaints are passed to them by police forces elsewhere in the EU
How: Going to the police is a tedious affair, you will need to print off your correspondence with EUCD and front up at your local police station to make the complaint. If the police insist this is a civil issue politely explain that the Dutch SRO beleive it may help if people file criminal complaints that can be forwarded to the police in Utrecht.
Going to the Press Worthwhile
Why: Getting articles in the local press will forwarn others about contracts they may recieve in the post. With a new and little known company like this one, press coverage is vital to alert others!
How: Getting an article into the local press is surprisingly easy More..
Contact the Government in Nevis Worthwhile
Why:This company is incorporated in St. Kitts & Nevis, if you have a complaint about their activities it is important that the government there is told.
How: You can easily modify your letter of complaint to the Steunpunt Acquisitiefraude, so filing this complaint will only take a few minutes. Post to:
Mr Vance W. Amory,
Minister of Finance, Trade and Industry,
Administration Building,
Main Street,
Charlestown,
Nevis,
West Indies,
Email: primiera@caribsurf.com
Contact Local trading Standards Worthwhile
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 if they get a lot of complaints Trading Standards may act to warn others or do a press release.
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 Their Bank Unimportant
Why: Postbank NV are a reputable Dutch bank and they may decide that their money is better earned elsewhere!
How: Write to the bank (we reccomend Carbon Copying your full written complaint by post).
The Address is:
Postbank NV,
Haarlemmerweg 520,
1014 BL Amsterdam,
Netherlands
Make sure that you inform the bank that the account used is
- Acct: 1335004
- IBAN : NL02PSTB0001335004,
- SWIFT: PSTBNL21)
Research and Background
As well as the addresses above EU Company Directory has used an address in Romania for domain registrations, it will take time to trace exactly who is behind this outfit. If you think you can help fill in the gaps, Email
The Domain was registered on 10th May 2005, Using the Nevis Address seen above. When Checked in November 2005 the hosting details were thus.
citrus-media.ro
Str Iosif Nemoianu nr 9
Timis
Timisoara 1900
Romania
By Feb 2006 the hosting contact details had been updated to:
Microware Hungary Kft.
Martinovics u. 13.
Miskolc
B-A-Z 3527
Hungary
It appears the website is still hosted in Romania
They are registerd as EU Business Services Ltd
Registration number C27229, Charlestown Nevis ( WI )
Bank Used
Swift Code LOYDGB2L
This Account appears to be defunct
On 10th Feb 2006 EU Company Directory began requesting payment to a different Bank Account
Postbank NV
AMSTERDAM
THE NETHERLANDS
IBAN : NL02PSTB0001335004
SWIFT: PSTBNL21
Acc. Nr.: 1335004
Press Coverage | See all guide and scam related coverage
Sorted Daily Mirror (2nd Feb 2006)
Scam alert for EU listing Manchester Evening News (24th Oct 2005)
Email Discussion List
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