08456521863

It's a company that manages advertising on Google and Facebook.

SCAM:
Facebook Marketing
Google Marketing

They basically sell Facebook and Google adword marketing which doesn't perform AT ALL or performs SIGNIFICANTLY lower than most competitors. Doubtful if any of your money goes towards your advertising AT ALL - they scam everyone out of money.
They target small to medium businesses because it's easier to fight the small guys - now and again they target large businesses at their own peril.
They use vague wording, terms & conditions (don't send any order confirmations or any paper agreements) and other sleazy methods to brush off any responsibility - inc legal etc.
They do not in any way ignore requests for setting up orders/accounts or requests for more sale information BUT they DO ignore all customer complaints/ requests to cancel / any associated follow-up - including email, recorded letters, phone calls.
They CONTINUE charging any and all customer payment sources even AFTER CONFIRMING to said customers that their accounts are cancelled - leaving victims no alternative but to cancel said debit/credit cards / banks accounts etc.
They CONTINUE sending threatening letters, including threats of debt recovery agency action against customers unless they pay "phantom" bills - even after cancellation.
They have a RECORDED & VERY SHADY history of name changing (every 6 months or so), court cases against them by Google, other businesses and private citizens and they just continue going on, breaking the law & robbing/abusing small to medium businesses.
They have been INVESTIGATED many times - including WatchDog and The Mirror.

Do a quick search in Google for: ["answerit-group.com" fraud] or ["answerit-group.com" scam] and see what comes up:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&lr=lang_ ... f&aqi=&aql=&oq=
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&lr=lang_ ... f&aqi=&aql=&oq=

Yet if we search for ["answerit-group.com" elephants] or ["answerit-group.com" water] nothing comes up.
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&lr=lang_ ... f&aqi=&aql=&oq=
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&lr=lang_ ... f&aqi=&aql=&oq=

What does that tell us - Google has over time found an overwhelming number of pages that mention SCAM and FRAUD in the same place as AnswerIT.


COMPANY NAMES USED/USING:
Lavora Marketing
Lavora Advertising
Answer IT Ltd T/A FirstPoint
FirstPoint
First Point
Answer IT Ltd
AnswerIT
AnswerIT Ltd
Answer I.T.
Answer I.T. Ltd


CONTACT DETAILS:
Answer IT Ltd
Head Office
The Warrant House
1 High Street
Altrincham
Cheshire
WA14 1PZ
TEL: 01619242194
TEL: 08456521863
TEL: 01619278808
TEL: 01619242190
TEL: 01925444772
TEL: 01619278800
Company Reg no: 06823509
VAT Reg no: 947 413 411
http://www.answerit-group.com/index.html


STAFF - Past & Present:
1. Michael De Martiis - Company Director?
The Oranges 28 Bradgate Road
Altrincham
Cheshire
WA14 4QU
2. Natalie Wheeldon - Company Secretary?
(same address as above)
3. John Grimshaw - Sales Consultant?
4. Ian Rose - Sales Consultant
5. Sarah Earp - Operations Manager
6. John - Sales (Apparently Only One John In The Office - Grimshaw?)
7. Mike Hatton - Director Or Manager?
8. Mike Lancaster - Sales Consultant?
9. Jenny Freeman - Debt Collector
10. Sarah Collinge - After Sales Manager?
11. Kathryn Hill - Operations Manager?
12. Simon Lyon - After Sales Manager?
13. Ryan Sefton - Sales Consultant?
14. Beryl Willcox - Senior Sales Consultant
15. Hatice Griffiths - Credit Control
16. Charlotte Sumner - Operations Manager?
17. Ellie Sword - Recruitment

VICTIMS - Among MANY others:
1. Julian Moy
2. Paul Murphy
3. Sean Kelly
4. Mike Ross
5. Alan Zeffertt
6. David Colclough
7. Kath Simpson - Kathleen Simpson
8. J C Energy
9. Mike Mackenzie
10. Jules Grinner
11. Shajjad Miah
12. Richard Alun Jenkins

http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?t=41368
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/show ... t=lavora&page=5
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=112511
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=82569
http://toffsworld.com/google-sharks-newsflash/
https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/01619242190
https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/01925444772
https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/08456521863
https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/01619242194
https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/01619278808
https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/01619278800

Hi,

Thank you for this - was almost caught out but felt alittle strange when they wanted to money "now" on any credit card - business, personal whatever.  Also cancellation number was 0845 number.

Follow your instincts - don't use this company

WAS VERY NEARLY CAUGHT BY THIS FIRM OR PERSON (MICHAEL BRANTLEY).GREAT SALES PITCH FOR FACEBOOK ADVERTISING, CHEAP AS WELL,iTS WHEN HE ASKED FOR MY CREDIT CARD BUSINESS OR PERSONAL I INSTANTLY FELT IT WAS NOT RIGHT.WHEN I TOLD HIM HE WOULD HAVE TO SEND IN SOME PAPERWORK TO SHOW WHO HIS COMPANY WERE HE SAID "THANKYOU FOR YOUR TIME TO-DAY I WILL HAVE TO MOVE ON.THE COMPANY BY THE WAY WAS FIRSTPOINT. STEER CLEAR IF YOU CAN

Nice one Phil.

Current Company URL: www.answerit-group.com

Is this a Google or Facebook advertising scam? Read for yourself to decide:

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2011/04/lavora-lorra-lies.html

Lavora lorra lies
BY NICK SOMMERLAD ON APRIL 20, 2011 11:00 PM IN ONLINE SCAMS


We recently revealed how Lavora Marketing was taken to court both for claiming it worked with internet search giant Google and falsely promising top search rankings in exchange for hefty monthly fees.

We've been passed a copy of Lavora's sales pitch which shows how the firm, based in Altrincham, Cheshire, trapped victims with a ­succession of lies.

LIE 1: "The great news - one allocation has just become available for a locksmith in Burnley on the first page of google.co.uk."

In reality, there's no "allocation" of Google sponsored links, they're sold to the bidder who is prepared to pay the most per click on the ad.
LIE 2: "The only reason payment is taken on a credit or debit card is because Google is a fully automated system. In terms of protection, paying on a card is the safest form of payment because of the indemnity it gives you."

We've no idea why Google being "fully automated" means Lavora needs your card details but there's little protection when you pay by debit card.

LIE 3: If the target asks to think about it, reps are told to say, "I don't mind calling you back, the problem I have is that when an allocation becomes available, it normally goes within 10 minutes because every business sees value in Google."

Pressure selling garbage, there's no allocation so no rush to sign up.

LIE 4: "In some market sectors there are waiting lists of up to five years to get front page Google!"

More rubbish. There's no waiting list. You go straight to the top of sponsored links by paying the most for your ad.

Lavora and company boss Mike De Martiis (above) have signed a court order promising not to "falsely represent that they are Google or are accredited by Google or are connected or associated with Google" and paid £37,000 costs.

The company has since shut down and has been taken over by Answer IT - which is based in the same office and is owned by de Martiis.

A spokesman for Answer IT said the "purported" script had "nothing whatsoever" to do with them.

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/css/Michael-De-Martiis.jpg

Also: http://www.grumbletext.co.uk/vt.php?p=23228

I have unfortunately got sucked in and gave this company my debit card details and have had money paid out of my account.

I am now on Damage limitation. I have sent them an email terminating the contract, which by what you say may not discourage them. so I have cancelled my Debit Card.

Initial discusions with my bank seem to indicate that despite this they still can try and claim from my bank account.

Does every one who is a victim of this scam have to close their bank account?

Hi Robbo

(I don't know much, nor do I guarantee anything, check with a qualified source if you prefer, read the text below and decide for yourself if you think you should follow it)
My oh my, we both now wish you didn't give them your debit card details but rather your credit card, which is easier to cancel.

But don't worry, you've chopped off the offensive "tentacle" and need not worry about any last wriggling it might do before it dies.

From what little I know, I would go on the offensive towards your bank and give them an earful - and speak to a manager, not some idiot in a call centre reading off a screen: You have to understand your bank/credit card company are lazy and their only motivation for doing anything would be to make money or stop from losing it - they don't give a flying hell about you - unless you can help them make money or threaten them to lose it. You giving them an earful provides motivation AND you want to have notes made on your bank account stating something to the effect of you have had trouble with AnswerIT providing you no service when you've paid for it and hence forth you've cancelled any and all contracts for the provision of products or services of any kind from AnswerIT - that's it, no more need be said. You want that note made on your bank account and you want a reference number of some sort to prove said notes have been added (this is overkill but nice overkill, since you cancelling your card was the only critical step that need be done to prevent AnswerIT from accessing your money).

1. Now, having cancelled your debit card is in effect the same as having it stolen - I wouldn't bother closing my bank account if I were in your shoes - then if your bank says AnswerIT or whoever might still try to claim money from your bank account... well that means nothing, absolutely zero. You have nothing to worry about - Any authorisation for money to be transferred to AnswerIT or any company who previously had your card details was linked to the card itself and its authentication details, which died with the death of the card and does not carry over in any way to the new card or might stay on the account regardless. We're not talking direct debit, are we? The bank cannot dare authorise any transfer of money out of your bank account just because AnswerIT asks for it or writes the bank a letter or two (plus, AnswerIT can't provide any matching authentication details anyway because they don't have the card details). Done.

2. Evaluate the product/service AnswerIT provided and see for yourself if it was worth squat - if it delivered exactly as they promised - or if they even provided it in any way. If you are the one out of ten thousand who actually got what you were promised then give them your new card details my friend, because you are very lucky. If they fell short in any way and did not deliver as was promised to you during the initial sales call then go on the offensive, sharpen that pencil and start writing to them. Simply start by detailing what you were promised, what you paid for it, that they fell short in deliver/did not deliver at all, that you feel you did not receive the goods/services you paid for, that you feel you are entitled to a refund and then DEMAND A FULL REFUND!

They will surely try to stall and come up with excuses - that it takes time for the marketing to work etc etc - all crap. Simply ignore every single word they say - including threats of debt collectors, taking you to court etc, simply ignore it and keep claiming a refund for ALL your money because you feel they did not deliver, keep disputing everything. AnswerIT may say they're gonna take you to court etc etc etc but then... if they do that, they'll be shooting themselves in the foot, won't they? Because the court basically represents a big microscope that will go through every single detail and inevitably reveal an enormous amount of shortcomings and illegal activity which AnswerIT performs - in your case and in general. Now why would AnswerIT want that big a spotlight on them? In the end they will bark at us small fish to get more money, but they will not bite.

If they come back and claim some crap about you did not cancel and the account is overdue - simply ignore it and stick to your guns - you emailing them is fine as email represents a reasonable means of communication.

Also look into contacting trading standards and every similar body you can lay your hands on - and provide them as much detail as you can - see the post above where I detail every company name and telephone number. The more people reporting the same company the better.


All the Best
Jason Buckley

I did get caught by AnswerIT and advertising on Facebook and I should no better. But how frustrating is it to cancel. I had an awful women called Samantha on the phone who would not listen to the fact that I wanted to end it there and then as per my email this month. She waffled away about putting on a further month free and they would call me to discuss it in August and I repeatedly said I did not want them phoning me ever again and wanted to cancel it there and then and wanted nothing free. She just did not listen and just kept waffling. Do they train them to behave in this matter I want to know???

Nice one jason - I am only into my first week of facebook 'advertising' and my website has shown no signs of any hits at all.  Got suspiscious when I had a follow-up phone call stating that I wasnt on Bing on face book - total lie. When I emailled them back to suggest that this was the case, no reply umm  so i mined google and found the real story about these scammers. have now cancelled my card and got a claim form from my bank to try and recover my first £145 plus vat paynent. Swines!

ken

Latest data:

http://www.companiesintheuk.co.uk/ltd/answer-it
http://www.companiesintheuk.co.uk/Company/AllDocuments/answer-it
http://bizzy.co.uk/uk/06823509/answer-it
http://www.levelbusiness.com/doc/company/uk/06823509

Registered Address
SPRING COURT SPRING ROAD
HALE
ALTRINCHAM
CHESHIRE
WA14 2UQ

Registered in England/Wales: 06823509

Directors
NATALIE WHEELDON (35) http://www.levelbusiness.com/doc/person/uk/15188259
CERROS DE LA ALCAIDESA NO 13 AVENDIA TERCER CENTE, AL CAIDESA, CADIZ, SAN ROQUE
Position:
1 Years
Appointment date:
04/05/2010
Type:
Director
Occupation: DIRECTOR

I tried Answer-IT. No useful result so I cancelled - they told me I could cancel at any time - but they still took the next payment. And when I call they tell me someone else has to authorise the refund.