The campaign continues against a pernicious direct-mail scam known as the European City Guide.

The organisation works by sending a form directly to businesses across Europe. The form appears to be asking for info rmation and prominently displays the phrase ‘cost free', but hidden in the small print is a notice that returning the form will lead to costs of almost €3000 per year.

Since the year 2000 I have received complaints every year recently about the activities of this organisation. Already this year, more than a dozen constituents have asked me for help after having been duped into signing these dodgy contracts. It is targeting Yorkshire businesses again – and I myself received a mailing today!

My advice to anyone who receives a mailing from the European City Guide is to throw it away!

The ECG concentrates on small businesses and individuals, and once it has obtained a signature by deception it pursues a strategy of intimidation and bullying to try and extract payment.

The company has previously been pursued vigorously by Trading Standards and the Office of Fair Trading. It was eventually traced to the Catalan region of Spain. In 2003, a Spanish court fined the company heavily and shut it down for a year.

It now seems to have switched bases and is operating from Valencia. But its unscrupulous methods are the same.

A website has been set up which gives up-to-date information and support for victims of the scam: click here.

I also strongly support a petition to the European Parliament for legislation to deal with this issue.