Misleading advertising envelope from CitiFinancial Europe plc

Stephen Hewitt

On 2 September 2003 a misleading advertising circular from CitiFinancial Europe plc was delivered to an address in Cambridge. The envelope claimed "Specially delivered by hand to ensure you receive the enclosed" but in fact it was delivered by the postman with other letters in the usual way.

The envelope was addressed as follows

The Occupier

Specially delivered by hand to ensure you receive the enclosed. Please read carefully.

In contradiction to the "delivered by hand", the front of the envelope also reads "DELIVERED BY Royal Mail". On the back it reads "If undelivered, please return to: P.O Box 86, Workshop Notts S80 1ZF".

At the bottom of the enclosed advertising circular is the following:

Citi and Arc Design is a service mark of Citicorp. Citi is a trading style of CitiFinancial Europe plc which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Registered in England No. 1375237. Registered Office: CitiFinancial Europe plc, 87 Castle Street, Reading RG1 7DX. Ultimately owned by Citgroup Inc., New York, USA