Rogue Trader (o/t)

[pompei]

The other week Mrs P got a computer man out of Yellow Pages in Grimsby. Cutting a saga short, he made a balls up and although admitting it in the phone, he has not kept promises to return and fix it.Turns out the address in the phone book doesn't exist. He gave her a business card and the company name was different to the Yellow Pages name ...(AAA Computers ). He had mentioned to her that he actually lives in Lincoln. I've Googled AAA Computers and his Lincoln number, and the address is AAA House with his postcode. We sent a letter to this address and the PO returned it as not known. I've also been for a look, and asked about, and can find nothing.He also advertises in Thomson directory and they let slip he was called Paul Robinson. Online Electoral Register search produced nothing either in Lincoln or Grimsby.Mrs P said he turned up in an old maroon Merc or BMW, and I've driven past a few times but not seen it. Trading Standards don't want to know unless we can trace him .... and can't/won't help in that. Yellow pages quote data protection and all that crap Anyone got any ideas on how I can trace him short of paying for a private dick? Thanks fellas

[Talbot]

Anyone got any ideas on how I can trace him short of paying for a private dick?

Get someone else to call him up as another customer, and then you "mysteriously" appear and grab him by the short and curlies.

[Richard]

Get someone else to call him up as another customer, and then you "mysteriously" appear and grab him by the short and curlies.

I'd say that's about the only option, but go with a clear idea of what you are going to do. Be careful though, somebody who goes to that much bother to cover his tracks must be well dodgy and could be dangerous.

[ashmicro]

I might be ale to help - fix the computer that is. I'm a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. What seems to be the problem?

[Ross_K]

Is this one a possibility?

AAA COMPUTERS LTDKey Company DetailsCompany Number: 03853905Company Category: Private Limited CompanyStatus: DissolvedDate of Incorporation: 06/10/1999 Address: 4 BOROUGH ROAD MIDDLESBROUGH CLEVELAND TS1 5DPCountry of Origin: United Kingdom

There's a Paul Robinson showing up as a company director with a Lincoln postcode too:

robinson, paul 18/03/1961 lincoln LN1

[Split_Pin]

The site is only open Monday to Saturday but this may help:

 

http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/toolsT ... Info.shtml

[r.welfare]

Ooer, a dissolved company that still appears to be trading raises suspicions for certain. Using Companies House to identify this chap's address may work - although the Lincoln address he has registered as a director may not be his home address, it could be that of the company secretary (usually a firm of solicitors or accountants for small companies), so that might be a non-starter.I'd probably be speaking to a local solicitor as a startoff to see what's what. Had a similar issue when my wife's previous car was incompetently serviced (for £1100!) by a Skoda "specialist" that subsequently went pop before any recompense could be achieved. Decided to cut losses in the end and fix the issues myself (didn't cost owt) but had the guy's home address and was very tempting.

[pompei]

Thanks for your help!We had considered the "ambush" trick, but decided against it ...Ross, thanks for that info - where did you find it?I'll try the companies site tomorrow - i'd already tried a similar search but came up with nothing

[Ross_K]

Ross, thanks for that info - where did you find it?I'll try the companies site tomorrow - i'd already tried a similar search but came up with nothing

I got it off www.solocheck.ie - it's an Irish site obviously, but they've got access to Companies House data. It's handy because you can access it at the weekends, unlike the Companies House website. You have to register, but it's free and takes a few minutesI use it a lot as I'm self-employed and deal with non-paying assholes on a daily basis