GCCC, ACCC, TGA spotlight on Paul Vickery and wife Alicia Davies over fake reviews for Tikool Pty Ltd, banned hangover treatment Fresh Start Everyday Detox

A Gold Coast woman, who is spruiking a banned hangover cure, and her husband, who changed his name after being convicted over a failed vending machine company, have drawn the attention of authorities over their latest business ventures.

Paul Vickery, formerly known as Robert Paul Davies, and his wife Alicia Davies. Photo: Supplied

A GOLD Coast woman, who is spruiking a banned hangover cure, and her husband, who changed his name after being convicted over a failed vending machine company, have drawn the attention of authorities over their latest business ventures.

Paul Vickery, 47, changed his name from Robert Paul Davies after being sentenced in 2015 to 200 hours of community service over an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission probe into his Natural Food Vending company, which went into liquidation in 2010.

Meanwhile his wife Alicia Davies’ business is spruiking hangover remedies that were axed by the regulator for non payment of fees more than two years ago.

Vickery’s new venture, Tikool, claims to help businesses improve their online reviews and thus increase sales.

Paul Vickery and wife Alicia Davies. Photo: Supplied

However, some online reviews for his new business — and the Fresh Start Everyday Detox business owned by his wife — appear to have been completed by him, his family members and a fellow director of the company.

“The people in the Tikool team really go above and beyond with their customer support. Amazing product and service!” reads one review of the company, signed with the name Paul Vickery.

“Tikool provides an awesome review management program!” reads another in the name of Cameron Shakespeare, a director and shareholder of Tikool.

“Now our family business is booming, we have and will continue to recommend Tikool to other business owners, it’s a must have,” reads one under the name Alicia Davies.

“Wow the results have been great / it took a bit of trainning (sic) with our staff but once we got into it we have seen the increase in business,” said one under the name Cheryl O’Meley, Ms Davies’ mother.

Reviews on the Tikool website completed under names of a director's family. Photo: Supplied

Fresh Start Everyday Detox has also received rave online reviews under the names of those running the company and related to it, in sometimes bizarre exchanges with themselves.

“This product is amazing!” begins one lengthy review by Alicia Davies on the Fresh Start Detox Facebook page.

The company, of which Ms Davies is sole director, replied “Thanks Alicia, we really appreciate hearing valuable feedback from our valued community!”

Mr Vickery also posted a photo of himself raving about how well Fresh Start worked for his hangovers, backed up by an enthusiastic “Thanks Fresh Start Everyday Detox!” from Ms Davies and a grateful “Huge thank you!” from the Fresh Start Facebook account.

Paul Vickery's status about banned hangover remedy Fresh Start Everyday Detox with bizarre replies from his wife Alicia Davies. Photo: Supplied

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The Therapeutic Goods Administration said it would conduct its own review of Fresh Start Everyday Detox, which was deregistered in 2016.

“Based on the information provided it appears that these products are being advertised and may be in breach of the TGA’s advertising requirements,” a statement from the regulator said.

“The TGA will review the advertising to establish what action will be taken.

“Advertising therapeutic goods that are not entered in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods is illegal and a range of compliance and enforcement options are available to address noncompliance dependant on the seriousness of the breach.

“The TGA’s compliance approach includes education such as training, website and social media content, through to criminal court proceedings.”

Screenshots of online advertisements for Fresh Start hangover cure, which had its TGA approval cancelled three years ago. Photo: Supplied

Importing or supplying a good that is not included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods risks a court order for an individual and fines of more than $1 million, and 10 times that for a corporation.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is also aware of the reviews for Tikool and Fresh Start, but was unable to comment on specific cases.

“Businesses are not allowed to make statements that are incorrect or likely to create a false impression” a spokesman said.

“This rule applies to any information provided online, such as testimonials or reviews on their websites or social media pages.

“Reviews may mislead consumers if they are presented as impartial, but were actually written by the reviewed business, a competitor, someone paid to write the review who has not used the product or someone who has written an inflated review to receive a benefit.”

Paul Vickery, formerly known as Robert Paul Davies, and his wife Alicia Davies. Photo: Supplied

Mr Vickery was convicted in the Federal Court for failing to comply with a compulsory notice from the ACCC after he closed down his Natural Food Vending company the same day he was required to produce documents about it.

Gold Coast City Council confirmed it too was investigating Tikool, after a complaint from a resident that the company was operating an unapproved call centre from a waterfront residential apartment at Chevron Island.

Despite their purported expertise in improving the online presence of businesses, Tikool has been unable to stop forums of complaints about Mr Vickery and his businesses, including claims of high-pressure sales calls from Tikool being made to people on the Do Not Call Register.

Robert Paul Davies, now named Paul Vickery, with a hangover relief vending machine.

Calls to Tikool went to voicemail yesterday and Ms Davies did not return the Bulletin’s calls.

Tikool’s website and Linkedin page gives two different addresses, one in Sydney and one in Brisbane, however the company is registered to the Chevron Island apartment the council is investigating.

Mr Vickery, whose Linkedin profile description says “VR (virtual reality) and the blockchain together with smart contracts are advancing our world every day”, is also director of companies called Krypto Kiosk International, Wall Street Digital and VREDU.

As well as a number of vending machine operations, he was previously involved in a coffee pod franchising venture which is no longer operating.

Mr Vickery, when he was known as Robert Paul Davies, also previously made headlines after alleging in a civil claim that he was assaulted and choked by a police officer after being arrested for drink-driving in 2006. The case was settled out of court.

Injuries to Robert Paul Davies, who settled out of court after alleging he was assaulted by police.

The ACCC’s tips for reading online reviews:

* Seek information from multiple sources;

* Look at multiple reviews and comments about the same business and take note of any irregularities, such as a spike in positive reviews over a short period of time or multiple reviews with a similar tone and vocabulary, as they may have been authored by the same person; and

* Be wary of reviewers or online contributors whose profile indicates that they have only ever written one review.