Alistar Frater

Warning! Pete McDougall (A ‘Rosendale Fraudster’) Punting

By The Basa ⋅ March 12, 2006 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

It would appear that one of “Rosendale’s Fraudsters” is punting around various community centers for some business. Him and his partner Susan Mackenzie at (this is a laugh…..) Community Initiatives, otherwise known as CityConnect.cc sent the following email around to community centers and community organisations - must be running out of work at Haywired in Craigmillar because people are complaining that the place is always closed:

Dear practitioner,

Cityconnect Ltd are writing to you to introduce ourselves. Experienced community practitioners, we provide IT support, consultancy and training to community and voluntary organisations.

For example, do you need:

• Technical support for your computers, network and staff? If so, we can provide a complete wraparound service level agreement tailored to your organisation’s needs for as little as £1000.00 per year. This includes on-site troubleshooting and fault resolution, e-mail and telephone support.
• Staff training for IT confidence and competence building? We can provide bespoke training designed around your organisation’s workflow at approximately £100.00 per half day session including all support and learning materials.
• Your office networked so that all of your computers can communicate with each other, the internet and printers? A secure and fast wireless network in your office which enables file and printer sharing can be set up starting at £150.00.
• A new website or your own e-mail system? If your answer is yes, then we can quickly help you build a website for your organisation and train you to maintain it yourself. Prices start at around £300.00 for building the site, web hosting and e-mail set-up for your staff.
• High specification computers? We can supply and install hi-spec computers with the latest Microsoft software and 64-bit hardware, plus a 17″ flat screen for £700.00 per machine.
• Want to acquire or upgrade peripherals? A package including top quality Olympus zoom digital camera complete with an Epson all in one printer, scanner, CD printer and photocopier, along with easy to use imaging software and training on how to set up and use it all is available for £800.00
• IT advice, digital inclusion guidance and consultancy. We have proven expertise in this area.

We are happy to quote for any services, new equipment, hardware or software which you might require for the coming year. These can be delivered retrospectively should you require to offset this against current budget surpluses.

Visit www dot cityconnect dot cc to find out more about us, and see our full range of FREE RESOURCES which we are sure you will find useful.

If you think Cityconnect Ltd could benefit your organisation in any way, call Pete 07970 598 754 or Susan 07817 626 932 for friendly, non-techie,community-orientated advice and further information.

Best regards,

Susan Mackenzie and Pete McDougall
Directors, Community Initiatives

Cityconnect Ltd

A company registered by guarantee in Scotland No. 276247
mobile: 07970 598754
Prince Regent Street
Leith
Edinburgh
EH64AP

E pete@cityconnect.cc
W www dot cityconnect dot cc

“Cityconnect Ltd is a company with charitable objectives seeking to promote the use of ICT in communities and the voluntary sector, using an innovative approach to learning, unbiased advice,
appropriate solutions and ongoing support.”

“This e-mail and any attachments is a confidential correspondence, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited.”

Well, some comments..

1. There expertise is extremly suspect. If someone would like to call them in, we shall supply free of charge an expert or experts to go over all of their dealings with them and act as your consultant - it could be fun.
2. Staff training: this must be how to commit fraud and give your family jobs.
3. Building websites: Look at what they have done for themselves. www dot cityconnect dot cc and www dot cityconnect dot ltd dot uk - not exactly an inspiring start. They may offer to launch your website at the National Museum of Scotland and get his wife to organise the no expense spared party - don’t go for it.
4. email system: If you allow them to set up your email system you are literally handing over the keys to all your company communications to a fraudster. Not a good idea.
5. High Specification Computers: Are these the ones that community education may get from BT through fraud? Maybe that helps him keep the prices low.
6. IT advice & Digital inclusion: Well they have banned the IP addresses of EdinburghSucks some inclusion that one. Anyway let’s look at IT advice, oooops failed here also - they haven’t managed to ban through proxies. What a bummer.
7. “delivered retrospectively should you require to offset this against current budget” - oh, just another wee bit of fraud thrown in. Gies your money now and honestly we’ll deliver them later - Yeah, Right!
8. Free resources - erm…. a collection of links and not necessarily the best stuff for you anyway.
9. “This e-mail and any attachments is a confidential correspondence, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited.” - Yep, sure it is….. Sue us - we’re getting copies daily.
10. “Cityconnect Ltd is a company with charitable objectives” - Yep and in their case, charity always begins at home.

What is interesting is that they don’t mention their other site at www dot cityconnect dot ltd dot uk because that one lies about who their clients are. They mention that the City of Edinburgh Community Education is one of their clients - This must be Rosendale’s way of giving a bung to keep them quiet. We will be following up with the others tomorrow now that we’ve taken a copy of their websites. For those of you that want to see their ‘clients’ then click here.

P.S. If anyone has a digital picture of McDougall, Frater, Mackenzie or any of the Rosendale Fraudsters, feel free to email them to thebasa at Edinburgh Sucks dot com.

Random Posts you may have missed

• January 22, 2008 -- Paul Nolan going for more public money.
• June 29, 2006 -- Teflon Don doesn’t trust Fraudster Rosendale
• January 30, 2008 -- A plea for help - Journalists, Councillors anyone
• July 4, 2005 -- Donald Anderson Leads… from the back
• April 11, 2006 -- Quis custodies ipsos custodiet?

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