Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Big News From Switzerland
For days now I have been getting reliable reports that the police have moved decisively in Switzerland against the Guides and associated companies.
I can confirm that at Novachannel AG, Intercable Verlag AG and Premium Recovery are not trading at this time, that arrests have been made and that at least one senior executive is reported to have evaded arrest and to be on the run.
I must qualify the obvious delight felt by all who have been touched by these companies, because it is not over yet, firstly this will all now go to court where the guide owners are sure to hire the best lawyers money can buy, secondly they have already moved parts of the operation out of Switzerland.
Around the turn of the Year Novachannel passed their med1web operation to United Directories Lda. In Portugal, United immediately set about actively hounding people who had signed Novachannels earlier mailouts, they have been very persistent and are also now mailing their own forms, forms almost identical to those previously sent by Novachannel.
Then on 1st May Intercable Verlag AG transferred disputed contracts to CEA Kft. of Budapest Hungary. CEA has already set about writing to Czech and Slovak victims who have signed Intercable forms in error. I will publish updated advice for people in dispute with the new companies soon.
These new companies are just the latest twist in a complex web of firms straddling the globe but primarily based in Europe. For over 30 years straw men and trustees have fronted holding companies that provided logistics, technical support and infrastructure, parts of individual guide activities have been secretly managed by these companies and while it is near impossible to ascertain the true owners of many of these firms money flows between them with great ease both as payments and loans. Again and again the core perpetrators have evaded justice, to such a point that some of them now feel above the law.
I know that employees of these companies, both current and past will read this blog, so I appeal to those of you reading to seize this opportunity and go to the police! You will have information that is almost certainly no longer in the paper trail. Details you consider minor might aid the case and make it harder for the guide operators to set up afresh. It is not just the current operators, if there is a resounding conviction in this case it will make it harder for people elsewhere in the world to run similar scams.
I will update this article and stopECG with details of how to contact the Lucerne police directly but in the meantime why not take what you know to your local station, even if you think the guides are unconnected.
Update: 2nd July / 6th July: as promised here are the contact details for Swiss Police, you can also pass information to me on stopscamguides@yahoo.co.uk and I will pass it on, as it is unclear who has overall responsibility I have published all relevant addresses.
Lucerne Police
Kantonspolizei Luzern
Kommando
Kasimir-Pfyffer-Strasse 26
Postfach 6002 Luzern
Switzerland
Tel +41 41 248 81 17
Fax +41 41 240 39 01
E-Mail info.kapo(at)lu.ch
Zug Police
Zuger Polizei
An der A
6300 Zug
Tel. 041 728 41 41
Fax 041 728 41 79
info(at)polizei.zg.ch
Ask for investigation officer Mr Daniel Stein
Swiss Courts
Eichwilstrasse 26010
Luzern Switzerland
Tel. +41 318 15 25
Fax +41 318 15 13
I can confirm that at Novachannel AG, Intercable Verlag AG and Premium Recovery are not trading at this time, that arrests have been made and that at least one senior executive is reported to have evaded arrest and to be on the run.
I must qualify the obvious delight felt by all who have been touched by these companies, because it is not over yet, firstly this will all now go to court where the guide owners are sure to hire the best lawyers money can buy, secondly they have already moved parts of the operation out of Switzerland.
Around the turn of the Year Novachannel passed their med1web operation to United Directories Lda. In Portugal, United immediately set about actively hounding people who had signed Novachannels earlier mailouts, they have been very persistent and are also now mailing their own forms, forms almost identical to those previously sent by Novachannel.
Then on 1st May Intercable Verlag AG transferred disputed contracts to CEA Kft. of Budapest Hungary. CEA has already set about writing to Czech and Slovak victims who have signed Intercable forms in error. I will publish updated advice for people in dispute with the new companies soon.
These new companies are just the latest twist in a complex web of firms straddling the globe but primarily based in Europe. For over 30 years straw men and trustees have fronted holding companies that provided logistics, technical support and infrastructure, parts of individual guide activities have been secretly managed by these companies and while it is near impossible to ascertain the true owners of many of these firms money flows between them with great ease both as payments and loans. Again and again the core perpetrators have evaded justice, to such a point that some of them now feel above the law.
I know that employees of these companies, both current and past will read this blog, so I appeal to those of you reading to seize this opportunity and go to the police! You will have information that is almost certainly no longer in the paper trail. Details you consider minor might aid the case and make it harder for the guide operators to set up afresh. It is not just the current operators, if there is a resounding conviction in this case it will make it harder for people elsewhere in the world to run similar scams.
I will update this article and stopECG with details of how to contact the Lucerne police directly but in the meantime why not take what you know to your local station, even if you think the guides are unconnected.
Update: 2nd July / 6th July: as promised here are the contact details for Swiss Police, you can also pass information to me on stopscamguides@yahoo.co.uk and I will pass it on, as it is unclear who has overall responsibility I have published all relevant addresses.
Lucerne Police
Kantonspolizei Luzern
Kommando
Kasimir-Pfyffer-Strasse 26
Postfach 6002 Luzern
Switzerland
Tel +41 41 248 81 17
Fax +41 41 240 39 01
E-Mail info.kapo(at)lu.ch
Zug Police
Zuger Polizei
An der A
6300 Zug
Tel. 041 728 41 41
Fax 041 728 41 79
info(at)polizei.zg.ch
Ask for investigation officer Mr Daniel Stein
Swiss Courts
Eichwilstrasse 26010
Luzern Switzerland
Tel. +41 318 15 25
Fax +41 318 15 13
Labels: CEA Kft, intercable Verlag AG, med1web, Novachannel AG, Police, Premium Recovery, scam, United Directories Lda
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Scam supporters latest tactic
I have posted here before about Internetvictims, a German forum which carries posts by persons sympathetic to, quite possibly involved with the scam guides
The forum is maintained by persons who have in the past worked for a company that now profits from the mailing of misleading contracts and they have shown by the removal of comments critical of the scam guides that they are not independent moderators of the discussion there.
A recurring name used to post is Der Weisse Ritter (The White Knight) (sic), the person (Or persons) behind posts in this name show by their content a close affiliation with, and deep understanding of more than one guide. They post against, and attempt to harm individuals who have taken a stand against the scams.
Often the targets are peripheral to the battle, people who, because of their position are forced to take action against the scams.
The latest posts name certain MEPs who have taken a stand against the scams and implore people not to vote for them, Of course the chances of a constituent for one of these MEPs seeing the post, much less being moved to vote against them is minimal, that is not the goal. The objective of the Der Weisse Ritter posts appears to be to deter those in authority, those who have the power to stop these scams from entering the fray, less they be defamed.
It is not the place of StopECG to offer political affiliations but the rather infantile activity on Internetvictims does raise an issue. Many readers of this blog have the chance to vote on Thursday and they should ask what their MEP has done for them.
Has your MEP assisted you in fighting the guide scams?
Has your MEP shown that they understand the problem?
When The Parliament looks at the matter again in early 2010 can you be sure they will do what is best for you as a victim of the scam?
If so, I hope you will be moved to vote for them!
That is Democracy 'Ritter', Knights belong in a time when it was OK for the feudal lord to steal from his subjects; your choice of name is very telling!
Jules Woodell
The forum is maintained by persons who have in the past worked for a company that now profits from the mailing of misleading contracts and they have shown by the removal of comments critical of the scam guides that they are not independent moderators of the discussion there.
A recurring name used to post is Der Weisse Ritter (The White Knight) (sic), the person (Or persons) behind posts in this name show by their content a close affiliation with, and deep understanding of more than one guide. They post against, and attempt to harm individuals who have taken a stand against the scams.
Often the targets are peripheral to the battle, people who, because of their position are forced to take action against the scams.
The latest posts name certain MEPs who have taken a stand against the scams and implore people not to vote for them, Of course the chances of a constituent for one of these MEPs seeing the post, much less being moved to vote against them is minimal, that is not the goal. The objective of the Der Weisse Ritter posts appears to be to deter those in authority, those who have the power to stop these scams from entering the fray, less they be defamed.
It is not the place of StopECG to offer political affiliations but the rather infantile activity on Internetvictims does raise an issue. Many readers of this blog have the chance to vote on Thursday and they should ask what their MEP has done for them.
Has your MEP assisted you in fighting the guide scams?
Has your MEP shown that they understand the problem?
When The Parliament looks at the matter again in early 2010 can you be sure they will do what is best for you as a victim of the scam?
If so, I hope you will be moved to vote for them!
That is Democracy 'Ritter', Knights belong in a time when it was OK for the feudal lord to steal from his subjects; your choice of name is very telling!
Jules Woodell
Labels: defamation, Der Weisse Ritter, Germany, Internetvictims, MEP, White Knight Der Weisse Ritter
