[Content site] MF Publishing London

Aptly named, it seems.

How awful for you. Looks fishy in every way. And threatening people with legal action before they've even started doesn't look good either. How to win friends and influence people. Not.

I may be wrong and this is just an idea but maybe they will charge applicants for these 'information packs'. Usually the most logical way to recruit people is to give full information upfront and welcome enquiries. Maybe there will be no reviews website at all...

Then again, maybe I'm just a cynical old so and so...

Legal action in the UK is very expensive, especially in libel actions.
This guy is just blowing smoke.

I say consult a solicitor if necessary (I don't know what was contained in those posts you removed), and then restore them. All of them.

Unless UK law is vastly different from US law, and the posters in your forum were simply speculating and asking questions, it's valuable information for others (and his responses and threats even more so) and certainly not actionable.

The threat of legal action is the golden tool of scammers and incompetents. No one wants that, so the threat alone is often enough to get them what they want.

He requested access to the fire. Let him smoke himself back out.

What does MF stand for?

I agree with waylander about the legal issues, they can also take quite a while to get going.

Visiting the wordpress site that guy seems to have a fondness for the ; amongst other things.

Kindly put, para. You meant a fondness for the consistently incorrectly utilized ; I believe?

Hurts my brain-balls.

Sorry, R.E.D. Cross posted. We're itching and aching together on this one.

TheRightEyedDeer:
A guy named Paul from MF Publishing London has subsequently:
* threatened us with legal action
* misspelled the word 'libelous' numerous times
* contacted our web provider to lodge a complaint
* threatened us ... again ... with legal action
* made several demands to remove posts he deems objectionable and, even though we have complied with all of his requests, once again, threatened legal action

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If you've removed all posts that this Paul fellow has deemed objectionable, then I suggest that you email back to him and ask him on what grounds he still wishes to pursue libel action. In that email, I'd remind him that there is no Legal Aid in the United Kingdom for defamation law suits and therefore he will be responsible for all costs and that as part of the English legal process, you will have full discovery over his business practices (including methods of payment, his means of business etc etc). I would conclude the email by stating that if he is intent on pursuing legal action against you, then he should let you know the name of his solicitor and their contact details so that you can liaise with them direct.

People like Paul are vermin. They threaten legal action at the slightest provocation but 9 times out of 10 don't have the bollocks to go through with it. Given that you've complied with his requests (and personally, I'd have told him to go stick it up his jumper and come back with a court order), he's not going to have a leg to stand on.

TheRightEyedDeer:
At The Write Idea, we have merely asked questions regarding the validity of MF Publishing London, querying who is running it, what their qualifications are and where the money is coming from to pay the writers they are trying to hire.

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And there is nothing in English law that prevents you from asking questions. In fact, the fact that Paul signed up as a member meant that he had a right of reply if there was anything there that he wanted to set straight. The fact that he chose not to and instead resorted to legal threats would suggest to an impartial observer that he can't give a convincing answer.

One thing I did notice from the blog is that the address they give for submissions:

MF Publishing London (Applications), New Cobon House, Suite 210, 3 Cobon Road, Docklands, London, E3 2DA.

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appears to be a mail forwarding service (thank you Google) which can be hired for £40 for 3 months or£120 for a year. Now, there's nothing wrong with using a mail forwarding service (and this particular one appears to be entirely legitimate and has been in existence for over a decade), but the fact that MF Publishing is supposedly looking for a load of editors and writers, who it's proposing to pay, when it doesn't have a permanent office site, doesn't have a registered address and indeed, does not appear to be a registered company, does not exactly inspire confidence in the long-term business strategy of Paul and his friends.

So if I were you, I'd also ask Paul what his registered business address is so that you can investigate launching a civil action against him for harrassment.

MM

TheRightEyedDeer:
We will henceforth attempt (again) to enter into a dialogue with this guy.

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Don't dialogue with him - you don't want to give him that kind of legitimacy.

Set out the action that you've taken to address his complaints, tell him that he needs to precisely set out what his remaining complaints are in writing and in sufficient legal detail for you to consult with your attorney, inform him what the legal process is in England re libel actions, tell him that if he wants to continue his nonsense then you will only deal with his solicitor from hereonin, which is why you need the contact details and finish by saying that if he doesn't stop threatening and harrassing you, you're going to look towards taking legal action against him, which includes tracking down his internet service provider to get his personal details and finding out who the backers are of his alleged website to look into the possibility of restitution against them.

The guy has v. little credibility and I think you should make clear that having gone along with his nonsense for this long, you're not prepared to tolerate it any longer.

MM

Good luck.

I am not an expert on law but I believe the UK Tradings Standards departments (local government based I believe) will investigate what appear to be dodgy practises to part innocent people from their money. (Not that I'm saying this is, by the way.)

I still suspect such 'businesses' work in this way. People will apply for an 'information pack' which will say very little of any value. They will be charged for this. Then nothing happens. This kind of scam is rife--usually on postcards put in newsagents' windows where jobs appear to be offered. Often the 'job' is to recruit more 'workers'.

How many editors and writers does one website need to review TV, Film and books, anyway?

There is also a BBC TV programme called Watchdog that investigates this type of thing.

Goodness, what a tool.

Just treat him like a proper troll and ignore all future postings. Nothing will pain him more.

TheRightEyedDeer:
He still seems to just want to whine and not pony up with details about his organization.

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If I were you, I'd print out his responses or screencap them, just in case Paul decides to do some more sabre-rattling in future.

MM

OK - now I feel really sick - I'm new to the online writing game and just spent ages putting two reviews together for MF Publishing job and emailed them over with CV . Not too happy with a 'rogue' having all my contact details and possibly now going to plagiarize my copy! Anyone got any suggestions? Help, help, please