Is this a scam?

[geegee]

Have just had someone called Ramon on the phone, claiming to be from my municipal police office, saying my newly established company must pay 30 odd euros to be included in a guide to services. He wanted the company CIF and bank details and claimed it could only be done over the telephone. I asked for details of the guide to be posted but he was really really insistent, tried saying he needed the bank details in order to send me details...

Needless to say I was not keen on giving out bank details over the phone and claimed my Spanish was too bad to understand properly what it was for (not far off the mark). I finally managed, after at leat 20 minutes of haggling to persuade him my fellow Director had the details and was in the UK etc., and call back middle of next week.

Anyone else had this experience?

I will go along to the local police and check it out, but suggest if anyone else gets such a call not to be as polite as me and just put the phone down. To my knowledge no Spanish institution, least of all the police, do business over the phone!

[gretch]

Certainly sounds fishy to me, I think you did the rihgt thing, giving your bank details over the phone to a cold call can’t be right

[Beachcomber]

Do you have caller ID on your telephone? Was the calling number withheld?

No-one can require you to pay for an entry in any kind of guide if you do not wish to do so and none of the police services in Spain would make a call of this kind.

Write everything down whilst it is still fresh in your mind and give your local Policia Local as much information as possible when you call to see them.

[Lorraine - Mijas]

Just over 12 months ago whilst working in a bar, I received a 11.30pm visit from 2 very smartly dressed Spanish guys who produced some sort of ID and said they where the police and that they wanted donations/subscription for advertising in the local police magazine, they made it fairly clear that this was not an optional payment, I told them I was not in a position to authorize any payments and told them to come back another time , after what seemed like a lifetime of pressure from them they finally left, empty handed !! To this day I still not know if they where legitimate or not.
Lorraine

[geegee]

Lorraine, sounds like it was the same story given us both - pretty much word-for-word what this guy said to me.

Yes, I have caller ID, Beach (thanks to your freebee instructions!) but funnily enough when I checked it was 'number withheld'...I firmly believe it was a scam and will definitely do my civic duty and report it.

Be careful out there folks!

[spanish_lad]

Just over 12 months ago whilst working in a bar, I received a 11.30pm visit from 2 very smartly dressed Spanish guys who produced some sort of ID and said they where the police and that they wanted donations/subscription for advertising in the local police magazine, they made it fairly clear that this was not an optional payment, I told them I was not in a position to authorize any payments and told them to come back another time , after what seemed like a lifetime of pressure from them they finally left, empty handed !! To this day I still not know if they where legitimate or not.
Lorraine

they came round at 11.30pm and you think it *might* be a bit dodgy? ...

[ian.wilson]

Hi All,

As far as I remember there is a Police Guide Book for advertising, however you do not have to join if you do noy want to. What they do is try to scare you into joining (I am the police thingy). I remember this from years ago when my mum & dad had a bar in Marbella back in the late 70`s.

Regards
Ian

[ian.wilson]

Me Again

Sorry, forgot to mention this is something the police have to do in their own time. So it`s likely that it may be at an odd hour when they ask for it. My parent s did advertise in it and got some good spanish custom out of it.

Regards
Ian