Deciet
Complaint
Hoodwinked
Country: United States
I was contacted by a representative of Online Public Yellow Pages telling me that the owner of the business, and then he gave his name, had told him that he wanted to cancel the online advertising that he had previously received at not cost. He then told me that it had to be canceled that day or it would bill and he would be liable for the advertising going forward. The owner of the company was not available so I agreed to cancel the advertising. He then transferred me to a voice verification system in which the woman told me that I would be receiving a bill for past advertising. I told her that all I was doing was attemtping to cancel something that was free. She then transferred me back to the sales rep without telling me that she was going to do that. I explained to the sales rep what happened and he reassured me that there would be no bill and that I needed to just answer the questions to get it done.
When the bill came, I sent an email to their info@ address and kept a copy of it. I then received another bill and I mailed them a letter, and filed it. I have since received a collection notice with the name of a person and phone number, so I called her. She explained to me that we never had any advertising and that I in fact had authorized new advertising. That was news to me, and I told her so. She then went on to pay the recording which sounded as if it had been altered. I know that I told the woman that I was not authorized to pay a bill and that my understanding was there wouldn't be one. That was no where in the recording. I also said that I was cancelling advertising, that was nowhere in there. She went on to say that the account will be referred to a collection agency and hung up on me.
When the bill came, I sent an email to their info@ address and kept a copy of it. I then received another bill and I mailed them a letter, and filed it. I have since received a collection notice with the name of a person and phone number, so I called her. She explained to me that we never had any advertising and that I in fact had authorized new advertising. That was news to me, and I told her so. She then went on to pay the recording which sounded as if it had been altered. I know that I told the woman that I was not authorized to pay a bill and that my understanding was there wouldn't be one. That was no where in the recording. I also said that I was cancelling advertising, that was nowhere in there. She went on to say that the account will be referred to a collection agency and hung up on me.
Comments
File fraud complaints with FTC.
If their New Jersey collection agency mails you a bill, file a mail fraud complaint with the US Postal Inspector.
Sometimes they call "to verify your information", then doctor or edit the recording into some other script, to fake an "authorization" to use for the con.
Other times, if the victim claims they didn't order the "service", they play the "cancellation" game, record that, then claim it is an "agreement" to pay for this "cancelled service".
You don't pay, they start sending you bills with "interest".
It's all just lies and fabrications.
With these scripts, all paths lead to threats and demands for money.
It's all fraud, so file fraud complaints with FTC.
Ignore their threats. Despite THOUSANDS of small business complaints of shakedown attempts, including threats of lawsuits, there are no credible reports they have sued ANYONE. Only several shill posts, like this:
https://complaintwire.org/complaint/VWW8UqGchQU/public-yellow-pages
What else can I do besides contact the FTC and write them a drop dead letter?