[OT]Spam from Bargain Bobs

[David Hearn]

I've never heard of Bargain Bob's Hardware Clearance Store, but I just received some spam to my personal email address and my work email address from them. Its highly unusual for me to receive spam to both accounts at the same time - the only time I've got emails like that are from Screwfix (which since I signed up for those emails, I don't class as spam).

Now, I'm wondering where Bargain Bob got his email list from, and I'm really hoping that it isn't Screwfix.

So - has anyone, who uses special email addresses (eg. [e-mail]), received spam from Bargain Bob? If so, can you confirm if it came via Screwfix or someone else?

Thanks

David

[Angela]

accounts at

[e-mail]),

I just got one too, and I use screwfix but I have no idea where this one came from though

[Martin Carroll]

In article , David Hearn writes

Yes

I can confirm that it is the screwfix mailing list that is being used.

I can't see any reference to screwfix in the headers!

Martin

[Lardman]

Have also just had the spam ... and am not a happy bunny.

Its definitely screwfix

about to send a very snotty email to "Barginbob" and also to screwfix. !!

Lard

[David Hearn]

Question is though, is Bargain Bob actually a Screwfix company? If so, then it (possibly) can legitimately use its customer details. Kinda like the Dixons group.

Ethical and legal are very different things though.

D

[Thomas Singer]

[e-mail]),

Came to screwfix@ and registrant is down as "screwfix direct" note lower case, however this is not the same name as screwfix.co.uk is registered to which is "Screwfix Direct Ltd", and they are registered through different agents. Very odd.

Also the two sites have the same product codes but different prices (more expensive at bargainbobs), plus the bargainbobs website is very badly designed and not user friendly.

There is something fishy going on here, maybe screwfix are going to try and go 'trade only' while bargainbobs will be for us regular guys? What ever the reason it's a big pile of crap and I'm not impressed.

Tom

[Angela]

registered to

different

badly

I have spam software and it wouldn't let me bounce the email because the headers are forged................that is not the kind of game you would expect a so called reputable company to play.

I have sent them a snotty email and reported them for spam.

Angela

[mike ring]

"David Hearn" wrote in news:bs7hjn$u44$ [e-mail]:

You bet- my swimming club can't get a lifeguard because the Data Protection Act won't let us find qualified types, two old people die because the British Gas "is not allowed" to contact help, and every villain and crook in creation is selling on all our details.

The lawyers must be very proud of themselves

mike r

[Paul]

Just had a look at bargain bobs web site and under the about us section the address is Scudamore Road, Leicester. i live in Leicester and there is a screwfix distribution warehouse on Scudamore Road, make of that what you will???

Paul.

[Dave Plowman]

Sounds like a very convenient law for some to hide behind - including the police. I find it hard to believe they weren't exempt from it otherwise what's the point in a national criminal database?

[Colin Wilson]

They do appear on the data protection registrars` search engine - just enter the post code:

1DX

So they do appear to be playing "ball" legally, but it might be worth a complaint over misappropriation of data.

[Thomas Singer]

Just phoned them up and the person I spoke to (as well as his superiors) denied all knowledge of bargainbobs. A member of their technical team is going to call me back, I wait with baited breath...

As a side note, as well as the products being more expensive, delivery is

3-5 days at a cost of £5???

Tom

[Paul]

Just checked on the royal mail website and for that bargainbobs post code this came up- Screwfix North Gate Entrance Scudamore Road LEICESTER LE3 1DX

[Mike Hibbert]

They are even stupid enough to state ....

"USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION . We will not collect any personal information about individuals, except where it is specifically and knowingly provided, for example, at the time of registration or the placing of an order. This data is referred to in this Privacy Policy as 'personal information'."

on the website!

[Andy Hall]

I have an account with the Registrar of Companies, and looked up their details from their Annual Return.

Until the 23rd October this year, Bargain Bob's Ltd. was a dormant company known as Aromatic Duck Ltd. (I kid you not).

The registered office is

Mead Avenue Houndstone Business Park Yeovil Somerset BA22 8RT

(Screwfix's address).

The register is held at

Northwest House

119 Marylebone Rd London NW1 5PX

(which is unsurprisingly the head office of Kingfisher PLC).

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

[Rick Dipper]

[RichardS]

[e-mail]),

I was beginning to wonder whether this might all be a discreditation exercise by someone deliberately setting up spoof screwfix stuff, and with improper access to the ScrewFix mailing list, but this appears to be a smoking gun.

Glad they don't have my email address now!

-- Richard Sampson

email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

[USENET]

I think the issue was that the Soham murderer (I forget his name) hadn't actually been convicted of anything previously and thus keeping data on him is decidedly difficult having regard to the DPA.

[Toby]

I does beg the question, why would they (SF) bother? Is it a test to see if they can get rid of SF's call centre and go web only?

It looks like a shoddy effort, even the t&c page is badly written. It almost looks like the directors are high ranking Nigerian officials looking to launder some ill gotten gains from a Canadian lottery scam.

There are many firms that use multiple brands as part of comparative marketing exercises, but this doesn't really work with direct mail order.

[Andy Hall]

Given this, I don't quite understand what they are trying to achieve.

One could imagine that it's a vehicle for offloading end of line or overstocked product from Screwfix, this is implied in their "about us" statement, but then the prices are higher.

I suppose the other possibility is that they felt that they are not reaching a sector of the market, because Screwfix markets itself as for the "trade" - whatever that is.

It could simply be to reduce the rate of producing new catalogues from Screwfix - that's an expensive hobby.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl