company has ceased trading!!

[joan&jaylan]

6 months ago i sold my house in england to buy 2 houses in brasil off of an agent in scotland. I rang his office 2 days ago and an answer machine said '' we have been forced to cease trading and you will be receiving letters soon '' some 40 others have put their money into this and i would like to hear from them - also has this happened to anyone else and how did they come off??

[vehelpfulguy]

Well I have to say that selling your house in Scotland to buy 2 in Brazil sounds like you have been a part of a scam.

Why on earth do people fall for these scams. Didn't you suspect anything ?

[Buenchico]

I've got to admit that I'd be very worried if I was in your position. The fact that the firm have bothered to leave a recorded message, however, might be a good sign. It suggests that it might have been a legitimate company who've just got into difficulties. If it wasn't a total scam there might be some chance of getting at least part of your money back.

On the other hand, though, the recorded message might just be a deliberate ploy to try to prevent aggrieved clients heading straight to the Trading Standards department. As this is a possibility, I suggest that this should be your immediate course of action. Don't wait a minute longer than necessary - Try to find out the relevant phone number over the weekend (see below) and make that call first thing on Monday morning.

When seeking the relevant Trading Standards contact details remember that you need to contact the TS office for the area in which the company was based. Your local TS staff (assuming you still live elsewhere) will be unable to help. If the company was based in a metropolitan area (e.g. Edinburgh) then the TS Department will be part of the metropolitan council. If the company was outside a metropolitan area then the TS Department will be part of the county coucil (not the district council) for that area. [That information is correct for England & Wales - I think that it should also be correct in Scotland]. If you have any problems finding the relevant contact details, either ask at your local library or just post a question here on AB.

Chris

[joan&jaylan]

no i didn't suspect anything..until it was too late and i had already handed over majority of the money - then i thought can't pull out now because that will cost me money..and i had no definite facts on which to pull out.