I received the following email today regarding Brando Racing and upon doing further research it is a similar complaint to many others made on the forums etc.

“This outfit have tried to con £97 from me.They offered a 90 day free trial of their tips (one a day) as long as I sent them a bank standing order for £97 a month which they said I could cancel at any time. This seemed a fair offer and I used the free post envelope to send my standing order. I then received a phone number to ring each day and the tips were rubbish. I then realised that Brando had not put their address or tel no on any letter so I could not contact them to cancel the s/o. MY bank said they could not cancel the standing order until it was sent by Brando and although I spotted it the day Brando sent it to my bank the bank said they had to pay the first payment and then I could cancel. So Brando got one payment and no doubt lots of other mugs also lost one payment of £97 very clever! ”

If anyone has anything to say about Brando Racing be it good or bad then please let me know.

And Another

“I had exactly the same result with BRANDO as you mentioned in your Newsleter of 5th June. Over the 3 month trial period, I found the results extremely poor. I sent a letter to them asking them to cancel my direct debit before the first one became due but although they did not reply or bank it on the 1st of the due month, a couple of weeks in, they took the first £97.  Like you mentioned, I also had seen my bank before this date and but they explained they could not stop a SO until it had been received by them.  I wrote to BRANDO to explain I had written to them to cancel my SO, but they said they never received the letter (very convenient for them). They inferred that they would not be sending me a refund. As you say, a nasty SCAM.”

And Another

“My story is very similar to the one you wrote about. In my case I tried phoning the number given (0844 371 8010 plus a pin number) I could not get through to the number given as my local telecoms gave the message that the number was not recognised -  so the service was no use to me; so sent a letter to Brando at: Mr Namath 43 Portland Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 5DQ.(Posted  2/9/2008) Formally requesting him to cancel my standing order mandate for £97 commencing not before 1/11/08. asking for Brando to confirm to me this had been done. Not receiving a word my suspicions were aroused. So looking online at my bank standing orders Oct 1st 12th 22nd 23rd 24th 30th Nov 6th 10th 17th. Then presumed he had done the “honourable” thing! Happened to go online again 27th Nov (14:24) and to my horror saw the £97 had been taken that very same day the 27th.I immediately phone the bank and asked them to cancel all future payments and try and retrieve the one sent, the person I spoke to at the bank was quite helpful and also hopeful that they could get it back – but he phoned me next day saying “it” had gone through and they could not get it back for me. I then sent a second letter to Mr Namath – suggesting if he had not got my first letter he would reconsider in the circumstances and refund my money as I am an O.A.P. Imagine my feelings going on line to the bank on 8th December seeing that a further £97 had been taken on the 4th December (just SEVEN days later)! That 2nd £97 was a fight between me and my bank which I eventually got back about three months later ! ! Hoping this will confirm to you what my thoughts are about BRANDO ! !”