Stop The European City Guide!

StopECG is implacably opposed to all companies that mail documents that they claim to be legally binding contracts where the document is formulated in such a way as to make it possible that people will sign it in error.

DISCLAIMER This website is in no way affiliated or assoaciated with the European City Guide (ECG). This is a non-commercial website established in Opposition to the ECG on account of it's marketing tactics, and to other companies that use or profit from similar tactics. If you have come here seeking their services you are in the wrong place!
StopECG is not responsible for the content of external sites which we link to

International help.. Click your flag! | @nti Copyright please distribute!

Site for Czech readers  Site for French readers  Site for German readers  Site for Italian readers  Site for Swedish readers ~ Click Varningslistan  Site for Polish readers Site for Greek/Cypriot readers Site for readers from Finland

Many Thanks to Server Centre Limited their generosity and support over the years

That we are here is something of a miracle! Over the last 4 months our service providers have received a string of legal threats. In what started out as a coordinated attack, different guides that are listed on stopECG employed British law firms to issue threats of law suits and/or injunctions. In each case the demand not been for modifications or clarifications to our advice, but for the removal of the site. It appears that the intent is to silence us and deny the many thousands of businesses that are in dispute with these guides the valuable public service we offer.

So far the threats have come from Novachannel, Construct Data and the European City Guide. However it is Birmingham Law firm, Wragge & Co LLP acting for Novachannel AG who continue to harass. When we hosted our own server our upstream provider was threatened on the tenuous argument that they could in theory prevent disputed data from crossing their network. This claim has serious implications for online freedom of speech!

We apologise for the fact that during this period there may be broken links and periods of downtime. Please bookmark this page to follow out fight. Please also Pledge to support us

To see older versions of this site, which will remain whatever the lawyers do, please visit http://www.archive.org and search for http://www.stopecg.org/

Please, before you do anything else, WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!
Latest News
28th Dec 2005 5th Newspaper Article Discussing DAD and Director Inga Kruskop
15th Nov 2005 Launch of The stopECG Blog!
31st Oct 2005 4th Newspaper Article Discussing Ovag International AG ad CEO Frank E. Dohms
24th Sep 2005 3rd Newspaper Article Names Silvio Vogt + offers more info on Meinolf Lüdenbach
10th Sep 2005 2nd Newspaper Article Names Meinolf Lüdenbach as The man behind the guides
6th Sep 2005 SECO Press Release Police Raids on Premium/Ovag/Novachannel
More.... Read the News Archive
StopECG, Full Contents
ACTIVE GUIDES European City Guide | Novachannel AG | Construct Data (The Fair Guide) | TVV Telefax Directory | International Business and Trade Databases | Intercable Verlag AG | IT&T International Fax Directory | UTP Digital Directories | International Medical Information (I.M.I.) | Deutscher Adressdienst GmbH / DAD
DEFUNCT GUIDES European Internet Guide | First European City Guide | Tour and Travel Guide | The Millennium Guide
DEBT COLLECTION Gravis Inkasso Gmbh | Premium Recovery AG | Ovag International AG
RELATED FIRMS/PEOPLE Maiwolf Holding / Maiwolf Management | Micro Mailers | Eye-Net | Meinolf Lüdenbach
NEWS/PRESS News Archive | Going the the Press | Petition to the European Parliament
OTHER WARNINGS (most recent first) Business Internet Directory Ltd (Advisory) | Operation Zero | NoDots Internet service | Lottery 'Winner' Scam | Domain registry warning | Data Protection scams | The 'Nigerian Scam'
Can You Help?! We need people to translate this site and to set up their own national anti-ECG groups. Particularly in Eastern Europe. This site is copyright free, please take text and use it!
If you can offer any other support, Please emial

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European City Guide, CONTENTS

 		bookmark this site!
(Netscape users press CTRL+D)
  1. Free support for those who have become embroiled
  2. If you get their letter (warning and advice)
  3. Tips for those of you who have already signed
  4. What you can expect over the next year or so
  5. Get Active, Notes on where to send complaints. incorporating:
  6. everything we know about the ECG!
  7. Link to us and help to forwarn others
  8. Take the Polls
  9. Links
ECG Contract Poll
When you Signed the ECG mailshot, did you realise they would bill you
Yes
No

view results
more guide polls

Support
It is important that you stay in touch! Please email stopscamguides@yahoo.co.uk You will then be kept informed of developments.

If you get their letter (warning and advice)
Then you are presumably reading this page because you wanted to check it out before returning it... We maintain an archive of ECG mailshots, so please scan it and send us a copy (Preferably in jpg or PDF format). If you consider it to be misleading then please Send letters of complaint.

Too Late! I have signed it!
If you have signed less than 10 days ago and did not wish to take out an advert with the ECG, you can still cancel, Fax them a cancellation and follow this up with a letter by recorded mail.

If you are here because the 10 day deadline has passed and you are now receiving unexpected demands for money you will need to write a number of letters of complaint. Please do this! Doing nothing is not an option. First IMPORTANT please fill out our Petition to the European Parliament against the ECG

To Pay or not to pay

For legal reasons StopECG cannot issue advice either generally or to individuals on the issue of whether you should part with money based on the document you have signed. All we can do is appraise you of the situation as it stands and allow you to make up your own mind. We hope the notes below are of assistance.
  1. The European City Guide has many companies on its books who have, or are disputing the validity of its contracts.
  2. Versions of the ECGs form have been ruled to be both misleading and deceptive by the courts in Barcelona. (Note 1, Below)
  3. As far as we can ascertain no one who has refused to pay has ever been taken to court. Court action has often been threatened both by the guide and the associated debt collection companies. Threats can be very direct and urgent but in every case we have followed the threats have passed without court action occurring.
  4. StopECG would actually like the ECG to bring a court case against an individual for non payment, we have a wealth of evidence and a fighting fund and in the event of them attempting to enforce a contract we consider to be misleading on an individual we will do all we can to prevent them succeeding!
  5. Those who have paid often receive further demands for money, if you read the small print of the document you will discover that it runs for 3 years, so paying an installment may not be the end of this issue.
Note 1 Various different contracts produced by the ECG up to 2003 have been ruled in the Spanish courts as deceitful and/or misleading, International co-operation halts cross-border scam (OFT Press release Contract up to 2001) The ECG appealed this decision and lost. Spanish ruling protects UK businesses (OFT Press release on the appeal) and European City Guide shut down OFT Press Release on the 2003 Ruling. These rulings mean that if you signed before summer 2003 the ECG are not in a good position to take you to court for non-payment.


Get Active!
The more you do, the stronger your position, the actions below are listed in approximate order of priority
Please go through the sections below and do as much as you can, where there are More.. links a new window will open with additional information and pro-forma letters to speed up your task.

Whenever filing official complaints, we recommend you keep your letters short, polite and factual. If you feel the original document was misleading, please breifly explain why

You should include copies of all Correspondence you have had with the guide and with their agents. We reccomend you send high quality photocopies and should keep your original correspondence on file. If you have lost or destroyed any documents please note this in your letter of complaint.


Contact The Valencian Authorities in Spain

Why: The Catalan authorities have ruled against the ECG on 2 separate occasions, eventually closing them, and fining them 300,000 Euros. The ECG then simply moved to Valencia and started mailing very similar contracts! The Valencian Authorities have the power to take similar actions to the Catalans. For that reason alone this letter is the most important one you can write.

How: Please follow the notes in the red box above, Keep your letter as simple as possible.
Enclose photocopies of all your correspondence with the European City Guide.

We recommend you send letters by post and then follow them up by email if you do not get a response. Send to:

Dirección General de Comercio (Regional Government of Valencia)
Mr. Gregorio Lleó Alamá
C/ Colón, 32
46004 Valencia
Spain

Tel. 0034 96 3869608
Fax. 0034 96 3869642
E-mail: rosell_ber@gva.es
You should copy your correspondence to central coordinating body

Instituto Nacional del Consumo
(Ms. Lourdes Dietta)
C/ Principe de Vergara 54
E-28006 Madrid
Spain
E-mail: lourdes.dietta@consumo-inc.es


Did you sign up before the summer of 2003?

Please check your contract with the ECG, if it states that the place of jurisdiction is Barcelona you have signed the older version which as been ruled as misleading by the courts in Barcelona

The ECG launched an appeal against the ruling but then moved and it is unclear if the appeal will be heard, that said, if you are receiving demands for money based on the condemned contract you should contact the Catalan authority.

Explain to them that you know they took court action and penalized the ECG in 2003, and that you cannot understand why you are still being pursued for money even after the ruling! Explain that you are writing to the Authorities in Valencia as well and CC the letter to the 2 addresses above.

Please remember to include copies of all your correspondence with the ECG and the debt collection companies they have employed.
Send your complaint to:

Generalitat de Catalunya,
Dirección General de Consumo y Seguridad Industrial,
Avda. Diagonal,
405 bis,
08008 Barcelona,
Spain
IMPORTANT: If you are also filing a complaint against Premium Recovery AG or Gravis Inkasso Gmbh. Please include the fact that your contract has been ruled as misleading with your letter of complaint. We recommend that you print off the OFT press release and send a copy.


Letters you should send direct to the ECG
Why: If you are unhappy with the current situation you must let the ECG know, there are also aspects of the contract that you may not yet be aware of.
How: We will go through this in stages, some pro-forma letters are provided, simply save them to your own PC, replace or delete the parts in red and mail them off!

If you have started receiving demands for money and wish to dispute the contract and/or the way in which your signature was obtained.
You Should Write to the ECG and request cancellation. They may not agree to cancel, however you will have put them on notice that you are not satisfied.

Important note regarding the ECG's Contracts.
That small print not states that you are signed up for 3 years, (expect to get demands for all 3), it also contains a real killer clause that states that the contract will self-perpetuate, year-on-year unless you inform the ECG in writing 3 months before the end of the third year that you do not wish it to continue...
Unless you want your relationship with the ECG to run into a fourth year you had better write to then right now and request cancellation of that clause!
Pro-forma letters: Word Document | Text
NOTE: The Pro-Forma letters are drafted on the assumption that you are disputing the contract in its entirety. If you accept the ECG's contract and are simply canceling the additional year, please remove the second paragraph, which reads This notice is given without prejudice and in no way constitutes my acceptance of your contract or terms.

Expect a response from the ECG to this letter, if you do not get one we reccomend sending them a reminder

Beyond this it is up to you to write letters to the ECG as you see fit, there are a few questions you might wish to ask the ECG, please do not just trundle this list off to them, take one subject and elaborate on it. Please also send stopECG the replies you get! Facing The Debt Collectors
In the early years ECG used the Swiss company OVAG International to pursue those who had not paid. Late in 2003 two new companies were established Gravis Inkasso Gmbh and Premium Recovery AG
If you have not paid the ECG you can expect one of these companies to contact you, often with very direct threats of court action. Please click on either of the company names above for additional advice on where to complain to if you are unhappy with their conduct

Write to the Mayor Of Valencia
Why:As The elected official for the City the mayor has the job of ensuring that Valencia is seen in a favorable light both at home and abroad. If you have a dispute with a company in Valencia, the Mayor should know!
How: By Post is best; we recommend keeping the Mayor appraised of your correspondences with the Dirección General de Comercio and of their replies.

Write To:
Dña. Rita Barberá Nolla
Ayuntamiento de Valencia
Plaza del Ayuntamiento, 1
46002 Valencia

Phone: 00 34 96 352 5478
WeB: http://www.ayto-valencia.es/

Contact Your MEP
This topic is now covered on our page detaion the Petition to the European Parliament

Going to the Press
Why: Getting articles in the local press will forwarn others about contracts they may recieve in the post.
How: Getting an article into the local press is surprisingly easy More..

Contact Local trading Standards
Why: Differnet local Trading standards work together and the more people write in, the better picture they will have of any problem across the whole country. Also they feel compelled to act and forwarn others.
How: You can find your local contact from Their website or by phoning your local council. You do not need to write a letter, a phonecall will do it.
Press release by Bath Trading Standards

Contact Your National Self Regulation Organisation
Why: Self Regulation Organisations (SROs) Enforce responsible advertising from within the industry, some have legal powers as well. They also liase with government enforcement agencies. Getting a letter to your national SRO is important.
How: To find the contact details for the SRO in your country visit:
http://www.easa-alliance.org/about_easa/en/easa_members.html

You should provide copies of your correspondence with the ECG + a letter explaining why you feel mislead. Make it clear that you are filing a Cross Border Complaint

Contact The Office of Fair Trading
The Office of fair trading have done all they can at this time They ask that you do not involve them in furthar administration by sending letters but complain direct to the Authorities in Valencia

The Give 'em the slip option
Many people have written over the years suggesting simply returning ECG mail unopened, we do not advocate this, if you have a dispute with the ECG, please stand up to them and do the letter writing suggested above

Other Letters you might wish to write
If you are unhappy withthe ECG then please feel free write to anyone who may have influence over this situation

Spanish Embassy (UK)
Spanish Embassy Office for Economic and Commercial Affairs,
Second Floor,
66 Chiltern St,
W1U 4LS,
London
Email: buzon.oficial@londres.ofcomes.mcx.es
Tf. +44 207 467 2330- Fax. +44 207 487 5586

ECG's Bank
Caja de Ahorros y Pensiones de Barcelona (La Caixa)
Av. Diagonal, 621-629
E - 08028 Barcelona
Spain

European City Guide, Info about the compny

Started 1998
Contact Info 1998-2004
EUROPEAN CITY GUIDE
BALMES,
127 E-08008,
BARCELONA,
SPAIN.

TEL.: +34 93 452 04 23
FAX: +34 93 453 61 15
Contact Info from early 2004 - July 2004
European City Guide
Ribera 11, 3o 4o -
E-46002
Valencia
Spain

Tel : +34 902 36 34 70
Fax : +34 902 36 34 71
Contact Info from July 2004 - Presnt Day
European City Guide, S.L.
Martinez Cubells, 6, 4° pta.8
E-46002
Valencia


Tel : +34 902 36 34 70
Fax : +34 902 36 34 71

E-MAIL: info@eurocityguide.com
WEB: http://www.eurocityguide.com/
http://www.eurocityguide.net/
To See all the ECG's Domain names Check the link farm article

A Whois search indicates that the domain name was registered by a certain LOPEZ PELAEZ. He appears in the company regestration documentation as LOPEZ PELAEZ TORRES FRANCISCO.

Countries affected.
The 50,000 businesses listed in European City Guide are spread over 38 countries, all the states below except Spain have been affected. Where a name is linked you can get information in that language.
PLEASE: If you can spare the time to translate information for us, get in touch!

ANDORRA  AZERBAIJAN  AUSTRIA  BELGIUM  BOSNIA  CROATIA  CYPRUS  CZECH REPUBLIC  DENMARK  ESTONIA  FINLAND  FRANCE  GERMANY  GIBRALTAR  GREECE  HUNGARY  ICELAND  IRELAND  ITALY  LATVIA  LIECHTENSTEIN  LITHUANIA  LUXEMBOURG  MALTA  MOLDOVA  MONACO  NETHERLANDS  NORWAY  POLAND  PORTUGAL  REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA  RUSSIA  SLOVAKIA  SLOVENIA  SPAIN  SWEDEN  SWITZERLAND  TURKEY  UNITED KINGDOM   2   3  YUGOSLAVIA

Link to us, and warn others about the ECG!
The advice on how best to link to stopECG has moved to This Page

Links
There are currently several other webpages dedicated to stopping the this company: (For a rough translation of non-English sites try using This link

That's It, stay strong, and from now on always read the print!