Comments on 0481 616 258

50.00%
Spam Score
0 complaints this year, 48 total complaints

0 complaints this year, 48 total complaints

Comments on 0481 616 258


Peter

Posted on February 9, 2017
Caller type: Telemarketer
Location: Australia
Countywide Austral are at it again promoting an advertising package to help my business on behalf of StreetSmart.
Saw nothing by way of advertising of course and am now being hassled by a nasty littlle collection agency called Black Collections in Double Bay NSW.
16 found this comment helpful
16

vincent

Posted on November 11, 2015
Caller type: Unknown
Location: Australia
Got a call from 0481 616 258 yesterday saying he is a police officer (surname is k a p p ler) asking our business to support the federal police association...a few hundred dollars to have an ad in their magazine...reluctant to give his office number which is (03) 9937 0200 (which belongs to a publishing company) but insists me to ring him on his mobile ( 0421 732 270 ). Pushy with bogan language.
7 found this comment helpful
7

Anonymous

Posted on June 1, 2016
Caller type: Unknown
Location: Australia
Extorting money by fraudulently claiming to advertise for you in a journal without providing a proof prior to publishing (as agreed they would do during initial phone call from a mobile phone). I was in the process of rebranding the business and asked for it not to be published until I confirm the rebrand. They proceeded anyway and then proceeded to keep harassing me for payment. I smelt a rat and started ringing advertisers in the publication only to find they have been scammed in the same way. No proof to approve and taking money by deception. As close as you can become to being illegal.
ACCC are aware and so are the entities they supposedly represent.

Countrywide Austral Pty Ltd....you are on notice!
4 found this comment helpful
4

Anonymous

Posted on September 5, 2018
Caller type: Unknown
Location: Australia
My husband unwittingly agreed to an ad in the Police Association newspapers. I had already had a similar experience a few years' previously and knew their modus operandi!! I warned him not to get involved and the bill hasn't - and won't - be paid. What they also do and try and scam you further via a phone call from a university research person who wants your cooperation to participate in a research project for school kids. I had this phone call just the other day and hung up as I recognised the same behaviour from my previous experience where they did exactly the same thing. Avoid them like the plague and ignore their "debt collector" threats.
3 found this comment helpful
3

Phil

Posted on April 5, 2016
Caller type: Unknown
Location: Australia
This is a real company, just the business method is very confusing to most owners. Salespeople work for commissions only, and are not very well trained, so they can make mistakes and give these wonderful organisations a bad name. I used to work there and I see the day-to-day operations of the business. The company director actually works closely with the AFP association and Countrywide Austral has long-term contracts with all of these organisations - I have verified it myself in my spare time.
3 found this comment helpful
3

Anonymous

Posted on January 28, 2020
Caller type: Scam call
Location: Australia
Caller: Countryiwde austral

SCAMMERS ~ Marketing scam, make you reply i agree to your details being so correct after inital call, then no other feedback proof or request for ad logo & design, they apparently" print your details in a very poor magazine for "streetsmart", there is no proof to confim the marketing, weeks later a surprise bill is sent just for $440 then debt collectors, call & tell them I said i didnt agree to the ad was never sent any proofs for an ad> when complained to ombidsman they finally sent a copy of the mag that they claim went to schools> ad is pathetic, no actual details for your logo or pics !! then they threaten legal action when you expalin you never wanted them to do an ad which as Im a local lawn mower man- is no use to me if the advertise NSW wide!!! SCAM SACAM DO NOT TRUST THESE SCAMMERS
1 found this comment helpful
1

john

Posted on August 2, 2019
Caller type: Unknown
Location: Australia
Caller: black collections

hey everyone
I've been getting calls and texts and emails since 2015 saying they will be a garnishee order or a default and all this other crap if I don't pay.

If this was real they would have placed a default on my credit file.. that way I would actually need to pay it if I wanted to obtain any type of credit at all.

They keep the threats going and going to scare people and get people to eventually buckle and pay the money.
1 found this comment helpful
1

Thomas

Posted on May 21, 2019
Caller type: Scam call
Location: Australia
Caller: Pretending to be Police

Outright scam
1 found this comment helpful
1

Anonymous

Posted on December 15, 2017
Caller type: Unknown
Location: Australia
I had country wide austral ringing me threatening me with a bad credit if I don’t pay up $385 too the auspol which They also rang me on a mobile number saying there a police officer now have recived email from black collections saying I owe $496 otherwise i will have a GARNISHEE ORDER against me or a sheriff after me too take my belongings too pay the bill
1 found this comment helpful
1

katie

Posted on September 28, 2016
Caller type: Unknown
Location: Australia
we are in the same boat with the police and the ambos... both threatening debt collectors... I've asked them for a signed contract of sale... so far ive received nothing
1 found this comment helpful
1

CM

Posted on August 3, 2016
Caller type: Unknown
Location: Australia
Received a call from what was suppose to be the Police asking for advertising support for their Smart Kid journal supposedly to help young adolescents. I asked to see a copy of the journal and was advised it was on the website and could have a look any time. Theres no journal on their website, in fact there is very little information at all. Turns out they are not part of the Police or the Ambulance services, who I was also approached to support their Activ Ambulance journal. I was annoyed my information was past on until I realised their the same people CountryWideAustal. I phoned St John Ambulance and they know nothing about the Activ Ambulance journal and warned me it may be a scam. CountryWideAustral have been reported to ASIC and consumer affairs but still seem to be able to operate. They are providing deceptive, false and misleading information, insisting the small business's owner email their support and commitment as soon as the individual indicates they'd like to help the services these people are falsely saying they represent. You have a right to make a formal complaint with consumer affairs if you pay for a service and there is no proof the service has been completed. You also have a consumer complaint if you do not receive an advertising contract and information in writing advising what you can expect from your service. The issue many small business who did email their agreement to support now face is ...if they don't pay the advertising fee CountryWideAustral may lodge your unpaid invoice (Min is $150 and most people are being charged $300) under Credit Report refer ASIC's link https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/borrowing-and-credit/borrowing-basics/credit-reports. Preventing or delaying further credit or loan applications. I did phone the phone number on the invoice and a lady answering to CountryWide did answer the phone, but that may be a plant.
1 found this comment helpful
1

Lucy sposaro

Posted on June 7, 2016
Caller type: Scam
Location: Australia
I agreed because they told me they where from The Australian fed police and if I wanted to support them I believed them I'm a stay at home mum of 3 with a home based business... I thought I was doing the right thing until I did more research after I agreed. Turns out this has been a scam for some time now you might also get a call claiming they work with the ambulance to.. Once u agree and don't pay they Nagy with calls and emails you always speak with someone who is not professional and just sounds like someone who wants money... Report it to the police and threaten them back they also threaten legal action on you when you don't pay. I know because I have 2'outstamding payments from them ... I wish I knew all this before but if it gets on to a debt collector I'll be taking further action.
1 found this comment helpful
1

Roslyn

Posted on December 2, 2021
Caller type: Unknown
Location: Australia
Caller: Black Collections

I have been getting these emails for years saying Final Notice for $440 for Countrywide Austral Pty Ltd and I just delete them as fast as they come in. ASIC has been trying to prosecute the director of Black Collections. This is such an old fashioned scam, they should try something different.
0 found this comment helpful
0
Posted on August 18, 2021
Location: Australia
Comment has been removed.

Anonymous

Posted on January 13, 2021
Caller type: Scam call
Location: Australia
Caller: Countrywide Austral (aka Street Smart) aka Scam Artists

Our business has continually received calls and emails from these people, we have contacted the ACCC and Consumer Affairs Victoria to advise them of the scam they have going.

We get calls from different sections of the organisation and they are told every time to not call again and take us off their call register.

A Current Affair or Today Tonight need to know about these Scam Artists.
0 found this comment helpful
0

Anonymous

Posted on November 30, 2020
Caller type: Unknown
Location: Australia
Caller: Black Collections

Pay up...or else.
0 found this comment helpful
0

Anonymous

Posted on July 10, 2020
Caller type: Debt collector
Location: Australia
Caller: AIPOL ,BLACK COLLECTION

I have received a phone call on 13/12 /2020 from so called police journal to support suicide prevention and I fell for it . They did not send any payment plan and info how it works.
And later I received a letter saying I have an outstanding bill of $440 but I didn’t receive any journal.
They sent an online copy which is pathetic, I have been getting numerous phone calls to pay which I had blocked as I went to Police and they said it’s a scam ,I told the callers but they threatened me that if I don’t pay I will be sent to debt collectors and now I have been getting calls and spam emails from them that the collection company will take me to court or Garnishee which I don’t understand.
Really upset as I am running a very small home based business and Covid has affected it pretty badly
Any response will be highly appreciated
0 found this comment helpful
0

Anonymous

Posted on July 23, 2019
Caller type: Debt collector
Location: Australia
Caller: black collections

streetsmart rang me but i emailed them saying i do not agree then all of a sudden i have black collections after me for a add in qld streetsmart and i live in the bush why would i agree to pay 660
then i get a phone call from another magazine i did not agree with sent me a bill for another 700 for another add in qld
0 found this comment helpful
0

Jeff

Posted on July 15, 2019
Caller type: Unknown
Location: Indonesia
Absolute scammers, just block/ignore they can’t do anything to you.
0 found this comment helpful
0

Anonymous

Posted on June 30, 2019
Caller type: Unknown
Location: Australia
Caller: police jornal

same deal here, got a call to advertise my business but then i felt like it was a scam and never paid. Now they are sending 'debt collectors' but i am glad i am seeing these comments on here, obviously a scam and just ignore.
0 found this comment helpful
0

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