The BVI-registered billing company Platte International Ltd (earlier known as Micro Bill Systems Ltd), which has attracted attention after consumer complaints about pop-up bills for pornographic websites, has stopped trading in the UK. Its management company Platte International (UK) Ltd has shut down, without explaining the reason. The announcement of this fact came through the written answer in parliament informing the Office of Fair Trading that “Platte would cease trading from 25 February 2009 and Platte International Ltd (British Virgin Islands) ceased marketing to the UK from 2 February 2009. “
Platte International BVI has stopped buying sponsored links on search engines, so UK consumers will not be led to sites that install its software, but its decision to stop operations in the UK became a surprise. Stanly Hiwat, the Brazil-based CEO of the BVI company, did not answer any questions on this matter. However, he confirmed that he had cancelled his “management contract” with Platte International (UK) Ltd – the company run by Ashley Bateup, the founder of MBS, – and the fact of closing the UK company, “as a direct result of that decision.”
Another question not answered by Hiwat concerns VAT unpaid by Platte International (BVI), which is a company registered offshore. The BVI company claimed it did not exceed the VAT threshold, which makes £67,000 a year for delivering electronic services to UK consumers from outside the EU, but probably it did. And finally, the most current issue is that people have received payment demands from a debt collection company Oriel Collections, on behalf of Platte International (BVI).
Many computer owners in the UK actually suffered from the pop-up billing system of MBS and its successor, Platte International Ltd., but the Office of Fair Trading declined to ban it. Some victims of the pop-up billing system have the opinion that the OFT failed to act in time, and now they ask them to outlaw all such systems in the UK.