Capital letters

Capital Letters tested this with "garages" and a London area. We spoke to four garages with "priority" listings.

None was aware they were on the BID website, or had ever heard of it, let alone paid for it. All had paid for entries in Yellow Pages.

We contacted Matthew Adamson, a BID director, who was adamant you agreed to take the full service. You deny this, as you refused to give a credit card number when asked because you wanted time to consider it.

The key question on any directory is whether the general public has heard of it and knows where to find it.

But unless you put quote marks around Business Internet Directory, it is nowhere in Google's top 20.

Mr Adamson refused to say where or how the service was publicised or answer any other questions. "These will be dealt with by our legal department," he said. He does not have a legal department but his solicitors say: "We are satisfied that there are no issues that cause any concern for our client."

He offered to expunge your debt if Capital Letters refrained from writing about it. We refused his offer.

In April 2003, Business Internet Directory was fined £4,500 at Brent Magistrates Court and ordered to pay costs of £4,708 for illegally demanding payment in relation to an internet directory entry and failing to provide ownership details. The case was brought under the Unsolicited Goods and Services Act 1971.

The court heard additional evidence from three complainants in Hampshire following demands for payment when the charges had not been authorised.

Can $3m win really be true?

I have been told I have scooped the first prize of $3m in an Australian lottery. This is obviously a load of nonsense, but does the lottery itself exist?

CM, London

Yes, it does. But all you get for the £15 demanded is - from the very tiny print - is the right "to purchase chances in the lottery." How many you get is not clear.

This particular piece of lottery nonsense comes from Global Prize Centre which works from a postbox in Winnellie (population 841) in the remote Northern Territories.

If you go there, you might find a D Railton, the self-styled "controller for the World Search for New Millionaires Program". But don't rely on finding him from his picture, as it is "merely a representation used for marketing purposes." The names and photos of "winners" are equally representational.

Mystery of the book club bill

I was recently sent unsolicited goods by mail order book company The Mystery and Thriller Club of Swindon, SN99 9XX.

After repeated attempts at communication over two months (their phone line was automated without any option to explain my situation to a staff member, so it took a number of letters and emails), they eventually agreed to send me a prepaid label to return the goods to them.

I returned the books. However shortly afterwards they sent me a demand for full payment, and a threat to refer me to a debt collection agency if I did not do so.

I emailed them explaining that I had returned the goods. But this week, I received a further payment demand from a debt collection agency, Computerised Debt Collection Agency.

This threatened my credit rating and demanded £67.51 within seven days. What should I do?

MW, Herts

You have sent back the unsolicited goods. You owe this organisation nothing.

You now have a number of possibilities. You could ignore the demands from the debt collectors even though they will become increasingly shrill. Remember that threats to your credit rating are only worth worrying about if you actually intend applying for new credit.

You could write back to the collectors scrawling "see you in court" over their letters. They will not bother taking you to court where, in any case, they would have to prove you owe money.

You could complain to the Advertising Standards Authority which has dealt with past problems at this and other "clubs" working from the same Swindon address.

The Mystery and Thriller Club is owned by Book Club Associates, which is, in turn, a subsidiary of German publisher Bertelsmann. BCA has two directors with UK home addresses who would doubtlessly be glad to read your helpful comments on how they can take their business forward.

Or write to the chairman, Dr Dieter H Vogel at Bertelsmann AG, Carl-Bertelsmann-Straße 270 33311 Gütersloh, Germany.

Why did they deduct £100?

My mother died in June, aged 82. She was a non- taxpayer who was paid interest gross because she signed tax form R85.

But Direct Line deducted £100 from the interest paid on her £25,000 account when it returned her money to us.

Is this right?

CH, Manchester

Yes. Personal allowances expire on death, so there is no tax freedom from the date your mother died, as the money then belongs to the estate.

Direct Line has calculated the sum correctly. But it has failed to explain the point properly to you. It now accepts that it should have treated you to a better exposition of the tax rules, especially given the circumstances.

Direct Line will write and apologise to you and will also include a cash gesture, which you have already told me that you intend to give to charity.

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