Month: April 2013

Before you start reading, I wish to implore that if you have a story to share about Eurochance100 or DTD European Services LTD, be it positive or negative, do so at the end, in the comments section. This is my personal view of things and some of the reviews added are also the views expressed by others. 

if you have been a victim of this, failing to share with others is simply to allow more people become victims. I hope your conscience can live with the fact you could save someone and did not?

HOW IT ALL BEGAN…

The day was April 12, 2013 and it was 14:11 (London Time). I was about to go for my lunch break and a call came in. A call that lasted 23 minutes and 2 seconds, and one that I was told will change my fortunes forever.

The caller, a sweet-sounding, very convincing lady. She was calling because it was the countdown before the next draw of which I was to win (I cannot remember what it was – an Audi???) and yes a cash prize of £10,000. OK! Money was mentioned and although I could not remember entering any draw, here was this woman with my phone number and who knew my name and DOB. What did I stand to lose? Nothing – or so I thought. The moment I accepted to enter the draw, the real deal is presented. I am also to become part of a syndicate of 100 persons and receive 208 tickets with a guarantee of a minimum of 2 minimum prices a week that are shared between the 100 persons of the syndicate. Furthermore, I was to receive a Haggle Card for life which I could use to claim discounts on all online purchases. You think it is too good to be true right – yes then it is.

Realising that her explanation was sounding to me like rocket science, she asked if I play the lottery, I said NO! She then goes on tell me I will receive all she is telling me by post (the letters and Haggle Card did arrive today). Then came the answer to the question I was dying to ask: What do I have to pay?

Not much really!!! Considering what I stood to win. I was to pay £44 a month for an initial 3 months by Direct Debit beginning 1st of May. Now, my antennae are up, I decide to quickly check them out while still on phone. A quick scan brings up only negative reviews but I decide to play along.

I gave my Sort Code and Account Number, with the assumption that a Direct Debit will not be set if they are fraudulent and all they can do with the number and sort code is pay money into an account. Was I wrong??? So it seems! I was immediately passed over to her ‘Manager’ who seemed to have been waiting right there to welcome me to the fold and to reiterate the message that I should not forget them when I hit the jackpot.

IS IT A SCAM?

At the face value, it does not look like a scam. The number with which I was called is a London Land-line. The websites all look functional and legitimate  A company Check reveals that it is an active registered Company. But once you begin reading all the reviews that have been written about Eurochance100 and DTD European Services LTD that owns it, you cannot but marvel at the amount of negative reviews there are. NOT A SINGLE person has ever won their millions or their other prizes. (I will be including some of the reviews at the end of this write-up).

THE WORRYING PART

The first worry here is that DTD European Services LTD is an authorised UK Company. Its main business is defrauding citizens of their hard-earned money. But they are doing so in a legal manner. How such a company is allowed to operate beats me.  This is nothing but broad day-light robbery.

The second worrying aspect is that to be able to make paperless Direct Debit agreements, DTD European Services LTD has to be a member of AUDDIS (The Automated Direct Debit Instruction Service) which enables organisations to send new Direct Debit Instructions to their customers’ bank electronically, instead of in paper format. What this means is that unlike a Standing Order, where the person’s bank pays to the organisation, with the Direct Debit, the Organisation’s bank makes a request directly from the person’s bank account.

Many people like me could realise this and know this, long before the date of the first withdrawal, hence we can easily cancel the Direct Debit before any attempts are made to collect the money. In such a case, should the Bank pay the money still, the customer is entitled to a refund under the Direct Debit Guarantee.  BUT, should a person not know, like some of those in the reviews expressed, the money is taken out continuously from their account every other month.

The third disturbing aspect is: HOW DTD GOT TO LAY ITS HANDS ON PEOPLE’S INFORMATION – NAMES AND CONTACT NUMBERS WITH EMAIL ADDRESSES? This only goes further to show that somehow, there is some complicity between certain agencies and DTD European Services or they acquire it through phishing. I know for sure I never gave them my information and never entered the draw they claim I did.

ALL SAID AND DONE….

There is no doubt that in a capitalist country like the UK, profit maximization is basis for every business. However, I would have thought that a country that prides itself on standards, would be able to protect its own citizens from fraudulent businesses. How DTD European Services LTD operates its Eurochance100 scam unhampered is still a mystery.

To those who erroneously think like I did that it is not possible to set up a Direct Debit on your account using only your name, Sort Code and Account Number, think again. (As I write I just checked my online account and saw that the Direct Debit is already in place, the frequency of withdrawals is UNKNOWN and the amount to be withdrawn is not stated)

• For those who receive such calls, ask yourself this basic question: Why is this not very popular if it is so easy to win? And the first basic instinct for survival – IF IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE – THEN IT CERTAINLY IS!
• If you have received the call, quickly contact your bank and cancel the Direct Debit. Don’t wait another day.
• Finally, in the Capitalist world, there is no such thing as a ‘free lunch’. If it comes too freely, then check again because you may be paying in many ways than you know. 

While it is left for everyone to make the choice after reading, my wish it to just inform people to be wary. I am lucky I will not be losing money to this. Some people have not been too lucky and some may not be too lucky in the future.

Spread the word and let them know so that they can make an informed decision when entering into an agreement with DTD European Services LTD

DTD European Services LTD

addresses 

Knoll Business Park
Old Shoreham Road
Hove
East Sussex
BN3 7Gs

Telephone: +44 (0) 844 880 2598
Fax +44 (0) 127 360 7361
E-mail: info@eurochance100.co.uk

VAT: 880231931