Another vendor-related telecoms leasing scam has surfaced, this
time affecting GPs in Britain, and leaving them tied into unwanted
leasing contracts worth thousands of pounds.
The alleged scam involved GPs signing up to digital phone
leasing contracts through telecoms vendors that later went bust,
thus leaving them indebted to some of the UK’s largest lessors.
Go deeper with GlobalData
According to Dr John Cormack – one of the GPs affected by the
scheme – his practice, Greenwood Surgery, was approached by BC
Telecom, a firm that allegedly claimed to be BT subcontractors, in
early 2008.
BC Telecom told Greenwood Surgery that it needed to change its
telephone system, or it would no longer be compatible with BT’s
lines. Importantly, said Cormack, the company also said that
Greenwood Surgery would be reimbursed for the new phone system.
Although his practice did receive an initial reimbursement, BC
Telecom then went into liquidation. This left Greenwood Surgery out
of pocket, however, as it remains tied to a contract with one of
the UK’s largest lessors.
Another practice, the John Tasker House Surgery, also in Essex,
had a similar experience. Practice manager Annie Taylor said the
main surgery had converted to digital phones previously, so they
were not surprised to be told their branch surgery needed to change
over too.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData“However, the full cost of the contract is £25,000 (€27,500) and
our main branch phone system cost us £7,500,” she said. “We would
never have signed up if we had thought we would be paying that
much.”
Earlier this year, Leasing Life exposed a similar scam,
where Austrian doctors that signed up to work on a ‘health hotline’
found themselves liable for telecoms leasing contracts that vendors
coerced them into.
A full report will appear in the next issue of Leasing
Life (November 2009).
Jason T Hesse
