Tags: Scams
Phone Spam from Satellite Direct UK
November 23rd, 2006, by Rich.
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I just got another call from Satellite Direct UK telling me that my Sky warranty needs renewing. Oddly enough, nothing has changed since their last call. We are still registered with the TPS so it’s unlawful for them to phone us and we still don’t have a Sky box, so it’s definitely not out of it’s warranty period, which they again suggested. Satellite Direct UK you are not morons: stop ignoring the TPS.
Update: Looks like we’re not the only recipients of their unwanted sales calls: Longrider (also called twice) points out a host of others.
Update: Satellite Direct UK’s business practices have subsequently been successfully challenged in the High Court by BSkyB.
Update 2008/03/10: Satellite Direct UK are investigated by BBC Watchdog (it’s available on iPlayer for 1 week after broadcast).
Update 2008/07/05: The director of Satellite Direct UK appears to have been charged with fraud and money laundering.
February 22nd, 2007 at 6:18 pm
Today I received an automated call from SatCover asking me if I had had an accident in the last 2 years. Clearly they are getting into ambulance chasing as well.
I did 1471 and called them back. Spoke to a young man who said the company was called 14 Travel Ltd - a travel promotions co - and claimed not to know anything about automated calls or ambulance chasing. He did however confirm the address as Imperium House, Ford lane, Arundel, BN18 0DF which coincidentally is the address of SatCover and all their other pseudonyms.
The thing is, my number is on the TPS and so in theory they have committed an offence punishable by up to a £5000 fine. Sadly I happen to know that the TPS have never fined anyone in all the years they have been in existence.
For all the good it will do I will report them again…
Reggie
PS To the person thinking of sending a bag of cat sh*t to them… (a) be careful as I think Royal mail can have you for sending noxious substances in the mail, and (b) best not to put a stamp on it so they will have to pay the excess postage to get their grubby (!) hands on it - doubly gratifying methinks.
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:17 am
I’m covered with satellite assured, not sure if they are tied with satellite direct, but they have been really good to me, they came and replaced my box with a much nicer one within two days. Does anyone know if satellite assured are anything to do with that dodgy company?
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:34 am
Hi Maria, they appear to be unrelated.
February 23rd, 2007 at 8:55 am
On Thursday 22 February, 2007 I received a call from Satellite Direct U.K.
They told me that the warranty on my Sky satellite box had expired and that I should renew it with them. Because I knew that the warranty had expired, I assumed that they were ringing on behalf of Sky - they gave that impression.
I agreed to their offer over the phone. I now realize that they are nothing to do with Sky and I will cancel the agreement.
I have not attempted to phone them, but will simply cancel my direct debit and return all paperwork when it arrives.
I will now contact Sky and take-out their maintenance cover and I will also alert Sky to the fact that this company give the impression over the phone that they are linked to Sky.
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:38 pm
I have just received a call from them from the 08702 402559 number and they are now calling themselves “Satcover” and it was an automated message. We are listed to not receive cold calls and we have (and never will have) any sky/satellite products. Also, to add insult to injury -their recorded message didnt detect when i had hug up and held up my phone line for over a minute while I wanted to make an outgoing call.
February 23rd, 2007 at 3:11 pm
This article articles now come in at #2 on a Google Search for Satellite Direct, below a magazine called “Satellite Direct” so perhaps everybody’s messages have helped to highlight that this company has no affiliation with BSkyB.
So perhaps this is a tactical switcheroo back to their old company name. A not exactly coincidental extract from the Companies House index today shows that they are two separate companies:
168 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2DL
Company No. 04990377
Incorporated: 09/12/2003
168 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2DL
Company No. 04008788
Incorporated: 06/06/2000
…but there is little doubt that they are operating as one company, as evidenced by their recent job adverts which list contact details thus:
Thanks to Google for caching the advert which clearly advertises using the Satellite Direct logo, but gives a SatCoverUK.com email address.
There’s even a current advert for satellite direct that uses SatCover contact details, so let’s not be under any illusion that these companies are not joined at the hip.
Lets not forget, the other branches; Data Partnership Solutions and One4Travel, who’ve also telespammed me several months back and who are still spamming people today with their own genius brand of marketing disguised as market research.
168 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2DL
Company No. 05453751
Incorporated: 16/05/2005
168 Church Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 2DL
Company No. 05774864
Incorporated: 10/04/2006
Alan & anon, perhaps you can comment regarding which brands you represent when talking to people; one, some, all or more than those mentioned above?
February 27th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Silent call spammed today (about 10 times, though didn’t check them all - answerphone & cutoff) 08702 402 473 - Satellite direct UK, Satcover or whatever they call themselves, they really are telespamming scum - number is TPS registered, though I’d better just check that it IS still in effect, as the number of incursions seem to be increasing rapidly
February 28th, 2007 at 12:13 am
I guess the only thing people can do is complain loud and hard to the TPS each time it happens to them. :-(
Good luck folks..
February 28th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
I work in a large office building in the Brighton/Hove area and curious me decided to do a little research on our neighbours. The office nearby is Satellite Direct, and it comes of absolutely no surprise to hear they are a dodgy telescamming company. They employ 16-18 year old yoofs who are probably none the wiser to the scam they are operating. The office regularly “shuts down” and it seems a whole new batch of staff are hired each time. How very odd.
March 1st, 2007 at 2:14 pm
Hmmmm, i used to work for Satellite Direct UK and you’re all very wrong…indeed!!
It’s not a scam at all, they are just selling warranties for sky boxes. They do it because Sky charge around £60 for a boody call out if you do have any problems with any of your gear. SD just set up a direct debit of only £6 a month to cover all peripherals that come with haveing Sky…so where’s the scam?