BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Future Publishing has this morning urged distributors to be vigilant when handling requests for test product following a bizarre series of phone calls from a ‘reader’ pretending to work for the publisher.
Andrew Dodd, writer on Future’s mountain biking titles, this morning informed BikeBiz that it all began with a series of phone calls in which ‘deep-breathing’ and requests to join the Future ‘Wrecking Crew’ were the only dialogue.
"It turns out this chap – who’ll remain un-named – has now also been contacting distributors for product, stating he works for us," said Dodd.
"With a strict code of conduct towards testing, Future are very careful who they employ, and who reviews what kind of product – so, naturally, the answer to his request to join our team was no."
Distributors are urged to double check requests for review product from all claimed sources.
Dodd added: "Existing long serving members of staff at all Future magazines have accounts registered to the Future postal address- which bar exceptions for a few select photographers – is the postal address all items should be sent to."
