They might have done business with them, you never asked them.

Believe me, if someone in the UK says they did business with so and so then ya gotta believe it more then you don't because the UK gangsters aren't worth bragging about and are not big enough for the likes of you to get worked up over.

By saying that they were wannabes smacks of envy to me because you live in Newcastle and have bypassed these folks is completely your choice. You always have the option to be with people if you so desire to.