
If it looks to good to be true...
..etc, etc...
A group-buying website may have breached consumer protection laws when its advertising for cheap iPhones encouraged 15,000 people to sign up to its scheme – despite there being only eight phones for sale at the advertised price, a consumer regulator has said. The company behind Groupola and its director have signed promises to …
With such evidence as "50% sold = 202", the company should be made to sell a total of 404 at the advertised price. Being a marketing scam (sorry, scheme), they'll still have all the contact details of everyone who signed up.
Better still they should be made to have a free give-away to those pepole for the remaining 396 phones.
That's OK then! Obviously just a very enthusiastic, loyal member of staff who made an "error of judgement" (how I hate that weasel-word).
I wonder if said "employee" is being disciplined for lying about his/her connection to the company.
"OFT will continue to prioritise cases that protect the integrity of online consumer reviews and comments"
Sock puppets are common.. hard to prove (but isn't that the OFT's job?) but anyone who hangs around forums long enough soon gets to see a few. That horse bolted years ago - it's considered a legitimate way of doing business now.