David Crum, of Newton Crum, who knows the firm better through his antiques trade connections, tells BB the breakthrough came in February when Construct Data signed a far-reaching out of court settlement following a case brought before the Austrian courts.

That settlement bound the company to its promise to cease mailing misleading contracts out to European Union countries. Construct Data also agreed to cancel its demands for money against companies that had signed up for their advertisement services in error and dispute the contracts.

Construct Data agreed to the settlement after the Schutzverband gegen unlauteren Wettbewerb, which represents Austrian commercial interest in relation to unfair competition, launched a court action against the firm at the beginning of last year.

StopECG, the online campaign group lobbying against Construct Data and other scam guides, has warned the firm is now telling its victims the settlement holds no significance.

The agreement the company signed is, says StopECG, clear and binding.

Many people were sucked into this scams that began with the unsolicited arrival of a form asking the company to update its details for inclusion in a guide.

The small print reveals, however, that the form, once signed, ties the company into advertising at high rates and often for years. During those years the company is hounded for payment with attendant legal threats.

According to Antiques Trade Gazette, it seems unlikely Construct Data will abide by the legally binding agreement it signed. So beware and be ready when that missive asking for a signature drops through the letterbox…