Telephone scam?
Author
Discussion

zebedee

Original Poster:

4,596 posts

308 months

Thursday 1st December 2005
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Some company called me yesterday claiming to be offering to install a kitchen for free in order to take some pictures for their brochure. BOLX I thought, so didn't go along with it and I just annoyed the woman until she hung up. But I wonder what she was hoping to achieve - my guess is that I would have had to pay for the kitchen first, then they would have decided not to feature it, so I'd never get my money back - but who would fall for that kind of thing - or is it cleverer - anyone any experience, just out of interest?

ofcorsa

3,546 posts

273 months

Thursday 1st December 2005
quotequote all
we had this, they say you pay for the kitchen(overpriced) up front but the money is refunded when its used in the next brochure, chances are they will never use your photo. Well that was my take on it

pdV6

16,442 posts

291 months

Thursday 1st December 2005
quotequote all
Or possibly its Kitchens D****t, who may well be telling the truth but you simply wouldn't want the kitchen that they install for you!

My money's on ofcorsa's explanation

alfaman

6,416 posts

264 months

Thursday 1st December 2005
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could be that the "installation" bit is free , but you still have to buy the kitchen

JonRB

80,086 posts

302 months

Thursday 1st December 2005
quotequote all
alfaman said:
could be that the "installation" bit is free , but you still have to buy the kitchen
Or, indeed, the kitchen is free but you have to pay for the installation plus a number of other sundry charges.

TheLemming

4,319 posts

295 months

Thursday 1st December 2005
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Either of the above options are possible and likely.

Basically it comes down to this. If it sounds like its too good to be true, it probably is.

If you adhere by that little rule, you might miss out on something good every so often, but you will also miss out on endless opportunities to eb ripped off and generally screwed around.

I work on the theory that if I have a choice as to whether I deal with a company, it will be one with transparent "offers" and prices and as little bollox as possible.

bmw114

676 posts

267 months

Thursday 1st December 2005
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Many years ago i asked Moben Kitchens to come and give me a quote for a kitchen, the guy that showed up was full of himself and only lasted about 12 minutes before i said, and this is more or less exactly what i said.

" I tell you what, put your brochure back in your briefcase and GET OUT,don`t come in my house telling me what i want, I tell you what i want, On your way"


The next day i got a phone call from the so called manager telling me i could have a kitchen fitted at cost price.

No i did`nt fall for it.

simpo two

92,921 posts

295 months

Thursday 1st December 2005
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The profit they make out of a few chipboard boxes is scary. And bathroom units cost twice as much!

I was perusing a brochure by Utopia, looking at units. It went something like:

Unit 220mm deep: £300
Unit 540mm deep: £260

To Salesman: 'So it's cheaper if I buy the bigger one and saw the back off then?'

'Er, hmm... yes!'

So I did, and got some handy shelves with the sawn-off bits