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28/01/2009, 17:02 Kas33 Joined on 23/08/2004 Posts 55 I seem to be in an annuaire that I don't know about! I hope someone can shed some light on this for me. My husband set up as a micro enterprise in April, just working part time. Since then we have had a deluge of phone calls and post asking us to pay for various publicity, all of which we have said no to/binned. Today I had a phone call from a company claiming that we were put  in an "annuaire des entreprises" (I think) in April and that we haven't paid for 2008, we still owe 790€! I asked her to put something in writing to me as I didn't fully understand the situation, I think I had assumed that I hadn't translated correctly. She said she had no email, just a fax, and if she sends me a letter it will be too late to cancel. She also said that she sent me the bill mid December but hadn't had a response and that is why she was calling. Apparently if we don't send a cancellation letter registered to arrive by Monday (the deadline to cancel has already passed) we will automatically be in it for the next 5 years and will have to pay for all of that too. She has offered to put us in the category of "finding it hard to pay" which we have to quote in the letter, and she will chase us in 6 months. (Gee, thanks! Does that come with interest?) She is also going to call on Friday and get from me the reference number of the registered letter I am sending so she can trace it through the system. I can't find this company on the internet, or the annuaire. I wonder if something was sent that we had to opt out of, otherwise we would be automatically included and billed. And where are all the clients that have been enticed by the entry that we are now due to pay? Is it all an elaborate scam preying on foreigners that don't fully understand the system? Has anyone else had a phone call? Help!         Karen    Report

28/01/2009, 17:17 Punch Joined on 23/08/2004 Mayenne (53) Posts 763 Re: I seem to be in an annuaire that I don't know about! Kass33 - don't worry. There are quite a few private entreprises in France offering to give you a listing in their own " annuaire des entreprises" . I have been contacted by several over the last 15 years since , some more pushy than others. It is common to get factures through the post for these and I just thrown them in the bin. Our local CAPEB  issued a warning las year about this.   If you have not signed up for the annuaire or paid any money then you do not owe a bean and therefore just ignore them . You say they sent you a bill in December - did you receieve it and sign it ?? Have you any paperwork at all ? Has your hubby signed up for anything unbeknown to you. It sounds much like over pushy sales staff to me.   http://www.punchardrenovation.com    Report

28/01/2009, 17:50 nectarine Joined on 02/08/2007 Lot-et-Garonne (47) Posts 525 Re: I seem to be in an annuaire that I don't know about! Don't worry about these, I used to get them in the UK as well. The company produces a private directory and sends you an unsolicited bill. Most people ignore them, or write and tell them that they haven't asked for a listing and so don't intend to pay. However, there's a good chance that in large offices someone will open this bill and think #"hmmmm, we'd better pay this" assuming that someone else in the company has authorised it ... that's where they get their money. Ignore the bill, you didn't order it and so it is unsolicited mail. The chances are the directory is circulated to a very very limited market anyway and so won't affect your sales in any way. If they ring, speak very very rapid English to them and give THEM the problem of trying to communicate with you, chances are you'll be left alone from now on. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back    Report

28/01/2009, 19:36 Callie Joined on 19/04/2008 Near Saumur (49) Posts 534 Re: I seem to be in an annuaire that I don't know about! Don't worry about it. We were hounded by AGF insurance for a premium when we had never signed any sort of contract or agreement ! We ended up with debt collectors' letters followed by a court summons. It wasn't until we sent AGF a registered letter with Avis de Reception repeating that we had neve signed a contract - but see you in court" that they left us alone. AGF even had the cheek to ask us to pay up and the whole business would go away !!!!!!    Report

28/01/2009, 21:54 Kas33 Joined on 23/08/2004 Posts 55 Re: I seem to be in an annuaire that I don't know about! Thanks to you all, that is reassuring. They are adamant that my hubby has signed their contract - but I deal with all the paperwork and finances as my french is better, and I am frankly bewildered. I was a bit spooked by the phrase "if you don't send a registered letter by Friday you will be automatically in next year's and you'll have to pay" and "I'll call you at 10am on Friday to confirm the number of your registered letter". What sort of advertising bills you at the end of the period anyway, after zero correspondence? I asked why the bloomin' thing hadn't been sent out to us, it was because we ''joined" in April and it was too late. Therefore too late for the print run, n'est pas? Karen    Report

29/01/2009, 8:57 Callie Joined on 19/04/2008 Near Saumur (49) Posts 534 Re: I seem to be in an annuaire that I don't know about! We suddenly found ourselves in the France Telecom annuaire, under our listing with a mobile phone number and Mr Callie as being an estate agent !!!! Heaven knows where or who made that one up. Must get on to Orange and make sure it's deleted next year..... Kas33 - you could always ask them to send you a copy of the 'signed contract' by registered post !    Report

28/05/2009, 20:28 Clair Joined on 23/08/2004 Forum Moderator based in the Lot (46) Posts 11,287 Re: I seem to be in an annuaire that I don't know about! Just like the OP, I have received an invoice for a directory listing I have never requested. The invoice links back to my recent SIRET registration. The T&C on the back of the invoice say that "Telecom 118 makes an offer to the client..." and "by returning the payment slip, the client accepts the offer..." The letter, although laid out like an invoice, is actually  entitled "offer". Apparently I have until 03/06/09 to pay €263.12... Clair Real Virtual French Person    Report

04/07/2009, 12:07 andrew Joined on 04/07/2009 Posts 1 Re: I seem to be in an annuaire that I don't know about! Hi there, We have just moved to france in May this year and just registered as self-employed. (autoentrepreneur) I too have a letter from telecom118. Strange thing is I also had a call last week asking for a room for our B&B ? - Now i have an invoice for 263.13. - We have no B&B and never asked to advertise one. This is clearly a con, and the people trying to con me are lucky I don't live in Paris, as I would have gone to their premises and administered some good old British Justice. And I really can be very nasty indeed, so the lucky ones are them for now, as next time im in Paris I might very well go down there for a word. BE WARNED TELECOM 118 your card is marked, you will piss the wrong person off one day. James Andrew    Report

04/07/2009, 15:17 Pickles Joined on 23/08/2004 Posts 586 Re: I seem to be in an annuaire that I don't know about!  andrew wrote: We have just moved to france in May this year and just registered as self-employed. (autoentrepreneur) I too have a letter from telecom118. Strange thing is I also had a call last week asking for a room for our B&B ? - Now i have an invoice for 263.13. - We have no B&B and never asked to advertise one. This is clearly a con, and the people trying to con me are lucky I don't live in Paris, as I would have gone to their premises and administered some good old British Justice. And I really can be very nasty indeed, so the lucky ones are them for now, as next time im in Paris I might very well go down there for a word. BE WARNED TELECOM 118 your card is marked, you will piss the wrong person off one day. A French Google search reveals that the address given in Paris is actually just a mail drop or accommodation address provided by a business services company. Telecom 118 is not actually based there. Regards Pickles    Report

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