Beware the Venus Fly Trap scam

Beware the Venus Fly Trap.

No, not the carnivorous plant, but the scam that could cost you dear.

A few rogue traders may be lurking among the honourable businesses at trade shows and exhibitions around the country - and there's a trick the rogues use to try to persuade you to part with your cash.

As Kristian Jones of law firm Clapham & Collinge explained: "Many show visitors are there for a good day out with friends or family, or perhaps to gather a few ideas to improve their own homes. They have no intention of purchasing the expensive items on show.

"Visitors will generally be off-guard, having paid a relatively small entrance fee. On the other hand, exhibitors are naturally looking to maximise returns on the relatively high outlay they've made to exhibit.

"The rogue trader will be looking to lure unsuspecting visitors with specifically designed contracts and a well rehearsed sales patter.

"Many a show visitor has fallen into this kind of 'Venus fly trap' - walking into a trade stand with no intention of actually purchasing the item on display, only then to be subjected to high-pressure sales tactics which ultimately lead to giving out personal details, or worse still signing a document to 'hold a show price' or take advantage of 'a special exhibition offer' without having read the terms and conditions they've signed up to.

"Usually these terms and conditions will be in tiny print or on the reverse - they may even be folded down so that they are not at all apparent. The unsuspecting visitor - the victim - may not realise the consequences of his or her actions until months later, and the full implications can be very costly running into thousands or even tens of thousands of pounds."

Mr Jones, a civil litigator who has extricated clients from costs contracts, added: "Some rogue traders go one step further.

"Not content with relying on the chance of a visitor unwittingly signing up to a 'contract' without having fully read the terms and conditions, they actually make verbal representations to the person to induce them to sign the terms and conditions.

"They will use phrases such as - 'you are only signing to secure a show price should you wish to purchase in the future' and that there is 'no obligation' or that the customer has the 'right to cancel'.

"These verbal representations are then denied by the exhibitor when the 'customer' in the cold light of day contacts them to cancel, or refuses to accept delivery and make payment for a product they were not aware they had ordered some months earlier."

Mr Jones said the best advice was to beware - and not sign any document without having read the full terms and conditions - and being sure you really want to buy the product.

"Don't allow yourself to be lured into an impulse purchase based on the promise of a reduced show price," he said.

"If the exhibitor can offer the product at that price, they will invariably do so after the exhibition.

"If you are unfortunate enough to have already signed a contract at an exhibition what should you do? Firstly, instruct a solicitor as soon as possible, secondly ask your solicitor to establish under the Freedom of Information Act whether there are other similar claims to yours issued by the same company within the court system, and thirdly seek to have your claim transferred to a court to be either joined as one claim with the others, or at least heard by the same judge.

"So do beware of being lured into this kind of trap - there is no easy escape."