A warning about Deutsches Internet Register - Germany

If you run a small business you may get an official looking letter from "Deutschem Internet Register". They send you a form for you to check your company's details. In the covering letter they talk about basis free entry in their database. However at the bottom of the form in small writing you sign up for a 2 years contact for €1,140 per year. Basically it's a con. Beware.

If you do sign the dotted line. Don't pay the invoice which comes a few months later and consult your lawyer. I'm consulting my lawyer at the moment because I fell for it hook, line and sinker. (sigh) I'll let you know the outcome.

More info about DAD (link in German)

Eep - good luck, the vicar!

Reminds me of the fake scam letters someone would send to patent applicants, from the European Patent Register, something which doesn't exist. Lots of ppl fell for that

Now where are Darknight, and YL6 to tell you its your fault for signing without thinking?

I got a letter from the European Patent Register, faxed it to my patent lawyer and she told me she'd never heard of them, but obviously a scam.

Its your fault for signing without thinking.

Here's the warning from the EPO and WIPO re: Patent Register. Pls be careful!

They were quite smart. They put a few contact details down wrong from your company. So you automatically correct the mistakes and send it off. In your head is the covering letter about a free entry. I was dumb, they were clever. Bastards.

Wow, I'm sure I remember applying to a job opening there some years ago

Well, that is what you get for calling it a "covering letter" instead of a "cover letter". Serves you right for not speaking proper Engrish.

Shut your cake hole.

We had a couple of these things turn up once we had been registered. It'd be easy enough to get suckered in...luckily I had been forewarned.

That should be "pie hole" thank you very much.

My accountant warned me about these when I started up. and sure enough, in they came. Apparently, if you pay, then it means you agree to the terms under German law. So don't pay.

So, if you don't pay the invoice :

1. Will they take you to court? 2. Will they win in court? (these are my questions to my lawyer)

I started a website or three and got the same crap. Its like the Who's Who book. You are only a Who's Who if you pay them to be listed. When they asked me years ago when I hadn't done a damn thing, I knew it was a joke! Today, they would have to pay me to be listed!

It's not actually a real invoice. It's an offer dressed up like an invoice.

I hope that's the case.

Found this link in German about what to do after you've signed the dotted the line.

To help you guys on this.

Not got time to get you the links but it is covered under the European Union directive on unsolicited sales or distant selling. Basically, if you sign-up all you have to do is send the the response letter saying you do not want the good or services. If it is a good you send them back or ask them to pick them up. If they fail to pick up the goods within a reasonable time them become yours.

It was a while since I last did some research in this area for my brother in the UK when he signed-up wrongly for a unsolicited phone/contract and he followed my advice and sent it back and heard nothing more from them. I maybe wrong but I am pretty sure that at the time I found out this is covered by an EU directive...which gives you quite a few rights but the trick is to respond quickly (14 days) and in writing quoting all the relelvant EU laws...

Hope that helps and sorry I couldn´t get the links for you but a search on the area on the web should help.

OK, cheers.

Basically my lawyer has sent an email telling them we don't want their services. He reckons that should be the end of it.