Quote:I must say that after making a post in the MSE forum I find myself not at all comfortable with the groupie type aspects of that place where no criticism of Martin Lewis is allowed, where people write posts sycophantically so as to get "Thanks" from other posters and where Martin Lewis constantly locks any thread that he doesn't like the discussion in.
For the benefit of people that have not studied your words of wisdom there ..........
Quote:I note these various unreasoned requests to claim 18866 are still the good guys. But given the unhealthily close business relationship between Martin Lewis, who runs this forum, and Finarea I would suspect that all of these posts are from people with a business connection with Finarea. I note there have been no such posts defending Finarea over in the SayNoto0870 discussion forum.
These were two early replies ...
Quote:This assertion is both ludicrous and potentially libellous. What evidence do you have that Martin Lewis has shares or other interests in a Dutch/Swiss company? Or anybody else here?
and, followed by Martin Lewis himself
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=911375&postcount=27 Quote:Dear NonGeographicalman
let me make something absolutely plain. There is no relationship between me and Fineria neither financial or in any other way. In fact i can get paid links to all major providers, the way the comparison services do, yet i choose to link to the cheapest provider as thats what this site is about and thats my ethical stance.
By doing this i forgo the tens if not hundreds of thousands of pounds that the comparison sites make annually. There is absolutely no linkage in any way and i find the assertion offensive.
You can read thousands of posts on this forum with happy 18866 users. Though in fact i now plump for 1899 ahead.
If it were about anyone else i would have the post deleted for libel. However I will have it here to ensure no one thinks any different. However may i warn you before posting on my forum such untruths about anyone else - libel is an offence, you may be sued, as may i if you post such, so please be incredibly careful again.
You then made a series of further allegations that anybody that replied was connected to these companies, added veiled allegations of corruption at Ofcom, and other contentious matters.
Naturally, people reacted against your assertion that 18866 behaviour was a "scam", which you reinforced with "attempt to deceive", "Next time why not accidentally make a charge of £50 on my credit card and see if I notice?" "a secret price rise for 18866".
The company is not acting fraudulently. You may deplore the fact that the company did not send you an email, but it was published on their website. Futhermore, you are lying on MSE when you say you did not know for 12 days - you read it here sooner than that.
You are the person that first made focused personal attacks on anybody opposed to the degree of your rants. Some defended themselves and pointed out they had no connection, except as customer, with the Finarea companies.
I would imagine that Martin closed the matter as he did not wish to see the flame war continue that you sparked, or take the risk of you making further hyperbolic and untrue allegations.
People here that think I am exaggerating, or being too robust, should read your comments for themselves and form their own opinions.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=93386I differed with Martin myself on mobile roaming to some extent - he thought the double callback arrangement I described a bit too complicated for anybody except phone nerds, even though it costs only 7p per minute.
People more aware of certain recent events at MSE might feel that there are good personal reasons for me to fail to show here any of the unreasoned sycophancy that you have alleged against people there.
But as far as upholding the right of people to read fair, balanced and independent discussion of various products without fear of personal attack on people whose point of view differs, I must say that I agree with Martin Lewis and not with you.
I must apologise to other readers here that it is inevitable that this post reads like a personal attack. I am merely pointing out exactly what NGM did on MSE, including an entirely unfounded allegation that Martin Lewis (who also sponsors this site, don't forget) is corrupt.