Un-knowingly signed - Two Year Contract
Complaint
connie
Country: Canada
In December 10, 2010, I received by fax a sheet from Yellow Pages requesting corrections or additional info update. I made a few changes, signed it and faxed it back. Two weeks ago I received an Invoice for the amount of $1,428.00 which I have to pay upfront plus $119.00 monthly fee for another year totalling $2,856.00. I called and emailed them saying that I thought that I was just updating their info as their fax was very obscure and to me was just requesting additional info. It did not look like a purchase order and I had no signing authority in decision making for the company and that I would like them to cancel that order.
I just received a letter from them saying that I have no other choice than to pay and that I ligally signed a two year contract.
I am very upset and disagree with their tactics of confusion people into signing a contract without knowing.
Can you please help?
I just received a letter from them saying that I have no other choice than to pay and that I ligally signed a two year contract.
I am very upset and disagree with their tactics of confusion people into signing a contract without knowing.
Can you please help?
Comments
Just a fax version of the common "business directory" scam, which is usually done by fraudulent telemarketers calling "to confirm your information".
Normally, these scams try to extort $400 to $600 out of small businesses. They must figure that since they got your signature on a fax, they can extort a lot more than the usual scam. It's still just a con.
The fax you signed didn't make an offer disclosing its terms, so your signature wasn't any agreement to terms that were never disclosed. Their sending you an "invoice" is just an attempt to defraud you.
"It did not look like a purchase order"
If it did, or if it even hinted at the amount they now claim is due, no one would fall for it. This whole scheme is built on turning some innocent "confirmation" into a fraudulent claim you "agreed" to a "contract". They normally try to get something out of lower level employees, usually just a phone recording of "yes" to "confirm information", which may be turned into a doctored recording of an "agreement".
"I had no signing authority in decision making for the company"
It's a con, run by crooks, nothing more. Even if you hadn't sent back the fax, this type of scam will send fraudulent invoices, after repeatedly calling until they record something they can doctor or fraudulehtly misrepresent. File fraud complaints with the authorities, and make sure you company is aware that these crooks are trying to con them, so they don't accidentally pay this.
"I just received a letter from them saying that I have no other choice than to pay and that I ligally signed a two year contract. "
If it didn't claim it was an offer, didn't disclose terms, and didn't disclose any amount and what they were going to do in exchange, it's not a "contract". All of the normal terms of a contract offer are missing for a good reason. They aren't selling some "product", just running a con.
They are just criminals blowing smoke. They will make all sorts of threats, maybe claim you will be sued, or you are defrauding them, even that you committed some criminal act. Some crooked "debt collector" might even start harassing you. These scams are well known to law enforcement, so court is the last place they want to be.
This is nothing but a fraudulent scam. Contact law enforcement. If you are in Canada, contact RCMP. In the U.S., contact FTC and your state Attorney General.