08443573311

After hearing of the TAPA problems I did a little digging too. Firstly I contacted the ASA, here is their response:

Thank you for your e-mail.

Further to your query, you may be interested to know that we have received several queries recently about the legitimacy of The Advertising Protection Agency (TAPA). The short, and perhaps slightly unhelpful answer is that we do not know for sure at this stage whether they are a legitimate company or not. We are currently speaking to the Office of Fair Trading to try and find out some more background information about them.

While I cannot categorically say whether the company is legitimate it is worth pointing out that the ASA has, until we received enquiries like yours, never heard of them. This strikes us as particularly unusual given that they appear to have responsibilities for regulating marketing calls. We work closely with various regulatory bodies such as the Office of Fair Trading, Trading Standards, Ofcom, Ofgem, PhonepayPlus etc. But we do not know anything about TAPA at all.

I would therefore recommend that you err on the side of caution and do not part with any money unless you are absolutely confident that TAPA are trustworthy.

I would also recommend contacting the OFT http://www.oft.gov.uk/contactus#named4  They would like the public to contact them with this kind of information about TAPA.

I hope this information helps out.

Needless to say I have contacted OFT and Consumer Direct.

I gained the impression that this company was an official service authorised by the government an consequently proceed with a request to have them stop the many telemarketing calls that I was receiving. Since then I have had serious ssecond thoughts particularly as they will not accept payment by cheque. They want details of my credit or debit cards which I am not prepeared to give.
Now that I have read your page and the experiences of other people subscribing their problems with the company I do not wish to continue with the service. Please note that I have not paid anything to this company.
Will you advise me as to what measures I should take as the company have telephoned me demanding payment?
Regards

Just ignore them! Same problem here and the calls diminish with time from both TAPA scam artists and the charity scam advertising "companies". Just one yesterday, first all week. Interesting to note that even journalists are taken in by TAPA though. Philip Medhurst who runs TAPA is mentioned in the Daily Mail:

TONY HETHERINGTON: 'We need to stand up to the poster bullies'

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/

By TONY HETHERINGTON

Last updated at 8:30 AM on 26th June 2011

Ms J.E.S. writes: My nephew Richard runs a one-man-business, repairing machines in the catering industry. He was contacted by phone while out on the road by a salesperson from Educational Media Limited who said it was producing an anti-bullying poster for schools.

Richard agreed to take an advertisement on the poster for £95 and gave his credit card details.

Since then, EML has repeated this exercise every month, and when Richard says he has already paid, the salesperson says no, that was for bullying, this time it's road safety, or whatever.

By the time he sat down with his accountant, his £95 spend had become £1,000.

He contacted the Fraud Squad, which contacted EML, and the company repaid most of his money, but I wonder whether EML even produces the posters.

So-called 'support publishing' is a grey legal area. There is nothing unlawful about producing posters that condemn bullying, promote road safety or warn against drugs.

There is nothing unlawful about distributing them to schools. And there is nothing unlawful about selling advertisements to cover costs.

But while genuine charities might do all these things, companies such as Liverpool- based EML are out to make a profit, so it is legitimate to ask whether customers get value for money.

I asked EML boss Stephen Rietdykhow many copies he printed of each poster that Richard helped pay for. And I asked for details of where they had been distributed in his area.

Rietdyk failed to reply, so I visited his smart address in Old Hall Street.

The receptionist had never heard of EML. After I convinced her to check, she disappeared behind the scenes before returning to say that I did have the right address but nobody was there – at 11am on a working day. My guess is that someone takes in EML's mail and forwards it.

But your nephew's experience is not a one-off. The Advertising Protection Agency has a fat file of complaints against EML.

The agency's Philip Medhurst told me: 'At no time has anyone reported to us that they have received any business from the advertising they have allegedly received from EML.

'Different businesses are charged different amounts of money for the same size adverts. EML appears to operate a "get as much out of them as you can" policy.'

Karen Ansell, who runs a cattery in Lincoln, complained to the agency after being targeted by EML. She explained: 'They contacted me and I said I was not advertising at the moment.

'They left me alone for a while before calling again and saying my invoice was overdue. I said that I had not agreed to anything.

They said they had a recording of the call, so I asked for a copy but it never turned up so I refused to pay. Then they threatened to take me to court and get a judgment against my business. It was totally stressful, and to protect my business's name I paid them.'

Karen's bill came to more than £100. She has never seen any publication carrying her advertisement and when she asked EML where it was distributed she received no reply.

A final word from Medhurst: 'Our organisation will be producing a report for Companies Investigation Branch, accompanied with copies of the complaints we have received, and we hope that action will be taken against EML as a result.'
Watch this space

SCAM - "Chris Irvine" from TAPA called me yesterday to 'settle overdue payment'. i asked him to post me a hard copy of the order i supposedly placed, or an agreement i supposedly signed, or any paperwork whatsoever that has my name on it signed and dated, agreeing to pay them anything. He didn't even say he could send me anything, but he did threaten me with being taken to 'HM Court' (his words) if i didn't pay.

needless to say the call ended with 'Sorry Mr Irvine, i believe you are full of sh*t, stick your bill up your @rse' and hung up

i didn't post this, but i know who did. TAPA are a legit company, i've checked them out. they don't advertise the fact they charge for their services very well at all -  make sure you read the small print

Illegitimate company more like. What legitimate company would make no mention of any charges until five pages into registration and then bury them in the small print of the terms and conditions? Avoid like the plague.

We stupidly filled in an online form thinking it was the government agency that protects you from bogus and sales calls and today received a pack suggesting we have signed up for a service and promised to pay.  The terms and conditions are ridiculous and all in the favour of these creeps.  They wait until after 7 days to contact you and send you a pack and then call.
I spoke with a guy who called today and told him we didn't sign up for a pay service, this service is free and he explained that we had already agreed and now had to pay and we'd be charged interest and taken to court if we didn't.
I have telephoned Consumer Direct today and told the about this and how it is clear it is a scam.  All the forms and proofs of purchase are clearly done with the intent to fear the person who signed up for information, they make it all  look so water tight it's just too much.  It stinks of scam when you see it all!!

Haven't paid them yet, they are 100% Con artists for sure - no mention of money until the pack arrives and then the telephone call.

Consumer Direct suggests to ignore them.  They told me to look up TAPA "complaints" "fraud" and "scam" on google and there's lots to find out about these parasites.

Do not sign up with TAPA. I now have them threatening me for a fee that's hidden in the small print. They can 'do one'!

ok, i've dug a little deeper now. they are VAT registered, but not registered on Company House. when whoever calls just ask them what name they are registered with under Cmpany House and ask for their company registration number so you can set up an account with them - that should shut the caller up and they haven't bothered me since i asked that

I also had a run in with company I should have realized by their tone of voice

What you have written is 100% of what happend to me.

reporting the number

wish I found this thread earlier as I have fallen into the trap. got the pack today and after abusive phone calls with them I decided to pay. how do I get out of it now!!

Exactly the same as what happend to me.

So why do they refuse to send hard copys?

I have stopped the cheque today.

Have been in touch with consumer direct and have now emailed and sent them  registered letter saying I want to end the contract. It would appear that their small print is against the 'distance  selling regulation 2000' which says you have 7 WORKING days to cancel the contract and that this counts from the day the letter is sent by registered post. I am on the 7th day so we will see. stupidly i paid by phone and with a credit card. oh dear

Have had the Lambeth OFT get in touch with me about this. THIS DEFINITELY A SCAM. they are now investigating further

Have just been in contact with the Office of Fair Trading and reported this company.