Have you ever received an invoice for a business directory listing that you never ordered? Perhaps you had experienced the following scenario.
You received a phone call from a telemarketing company claiming that someone (could be your ex-employee) from your office had previously authorized the purchase of business listing in a business directory, and they would like to verify your business information, such as company name, address, telephone and fax number. This so called verification would lead you to believe that your business has already been listed in their business directory.
Shortly, you received an invoice, typically between $399 and $798, in the mail or fax for your “order”. A few days or one week later, someone from the Account Receivables department called to collect the payment for your company listing. If you refused to pay the invoice, the caller would harrass you and even threatened to initiate a legal action against you, and also forwarded your invoice to a debt-collection agency that could damage your credit rating.
Well, if this scenario happened to you, please be on your guard. You could be a victim of a business directory scam.
Here are what you should do if you received a phone call from a collector:
1. Do NOT under any circumstances send these scammers money.
2. Tell him/her that you are not going to pay for the invoice, and let this scammer know that you are going to take the actions outlined in the step 3 and 4.
3. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission by visiting the the FTC website (http://www.ftc.gov) or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).
4. Report the scam to your local Better Business Bureau and your state Attorney General.
Remember folks, you are NOT obliged to pay for services that you never requested or ordered. Last, your credit rating will NEVER be damaged/ruined just because of not paying this business directory scam.
To help you recognize this scam, here is a list of companies known to scam small businesses:
- ABI Publications
- B2B IPages – Chicago, IL
- Business Data Center – Plattsburgh, NY
- Canadian BizOnline
- Canadian Media Pages
- ClearView Corporate Communication, Inc. – Chicago, IL
- Canora Pages – Montreal, QC
- Commutel Marketing – Montreal, QC and Victoria, BC
- Empire Direct Group – Plattsburgh, NY
- DataSource411 – Montreal, QC and Rochester, NY
- Horizon Data Inc. – Champlain, NY
- Info US411 – Middletown, DE
- Infotel Publications – Montreal, QC
- National Business Information Exchange (NBIE) Inc. – Montreal, QC and Chesapeake Beach, MD
- Reed Publishing aka Reed Directories
- Target Publications – Ansonia, CT and Champlain, NY
- Tradeshow Data Center – Plattsburg, NJ
- YourCompanyListing.com (a spin off of NBIE Inc.) – Montreal, QC and Chesapeake Beach, MD
- YourYellowURL – Ottawa, ON and Watertown, MA
The list will go on and on… so please share with us if you know any of similiar companies.
160 Comments
September 17, 2009 at 3:52 pm
I just got my first call from United Business Listings, and I followed my lawyer friend’s advice. Stay calm and ask them for their contact information. After I got the information I told the caller,”I believe their has been a big mistake and we would like to settle this in the court here in Texas. Can you please send a representive here so that this matter can be resolved.”
There wasn’t much talking after that.
This has also worked for a scam called Go Green.
September 8, 2009 at 8:05 pm
I just got a call from a company that told me they were google y pages. Or Google yellow pages. I have been aware of these companies for a few years now and get just as irritated each time. The great part is that they always use myself as the contact person. But for the majority of 2008 I was on maternity so there was no way for me to place these “false listings”. When it was time for me to “renew” my 1 year listing for $495 I go to battle each time. There is never a number they can be reached at- and are always calling from a private caller. Thanks for the info, I know that I can just put them on permanent hold till they go away. It is good to know I am not responsible for the invoices even if they do send.
August 21, 2009 at 9:50 pm
This sounds like exactly what has been happening to our company!! I signed up once for a one year contract to Phone Pages well a year later they call back and say that every year your account is automatically renewed for another year so please pay up!! what a scam! I have been harrassed by phone calls from several different companies, sometimes 5 or 6 a day!!I gave my name out to phone pages slightly different than it actually is and guess what?? They all call me that slightly different name! So who do they get there info from?? Here is a few of the companies that have called-B2B communications, Phone pages, Canadian Media Pages, Glovex, Sky pages, Canadian Bizonline, and many more!! Thanks everyone for sharing, helps to keep everyone on there toes!! Good Luck!!
August 19, 2009 at 11:45 am
A simple solution to this is just tell them to put us in their do not call list.
August 17, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Don’t worry about the recordings. Unless it has a time and date stamp that’s written in stone, it’s worthless.
August 7, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Anyone hear of “Globex & U” – we just got an invoice and it looks strangely similar to one from Canadian BizOnline….
August 5, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Bejeezus guys , haven’t you read the postings??
Despite all their so called “legal threats” which amount to nothing more the BS baffles brains , these scammers don’t have a legal leg to stand on.
Of course they’re not afraid of the police , bureaus etc. All they do is close up shop , open up under a new name and carry on.
Don’t even bother acknowledging their existence. If they call put them on hold (racks up their bill) until they hang up.
Put “Return to Sender” on any mail and drop it in the mail box.
After my go around with ABI we must have been taken off their lists because we haven’t had any solicitations at all from any of these scammers.
If you do get “threatening letters” from a collection agency , make sure it’s a legitimate licensed agency (not a side line business of the scammers) before you contact them explaining why you are refusing to pay the bill.
These scammers aren’t going to waste time and resources traveling to your area for a small claims hearing for a paltry $300 – $400.
August 4, 2009 at 9:04 pm
I’ve been nailed by Sky Publishing in Canada. They are not afraid of police investigation, nor complaints to the government (who would you complain to?) They threaten to go after you personally, damage your credit, and they have a doctored recording of you agreeing to their terms. They are a very sophisticated scam, with the exception that they have no real website when you google them. I think I’m screwed.
August 5, 2009 at 3:03 pm
No your not.
Read how others have treated these scammers.
August 6, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Ignore them !!! I get calls from these scammers all the time. Tell them where to go!!
July 31, 2009 at 7:46 pm
I’m the Business Manager for our company, and we were scammed by National Online Directory. They phoned us to supposedly verify our address and got one of our employee’s names. We then got a lengthy letter that looked like junk mail, and way down the letter it said that $39.95 per month would appear on our bill. God knows why I read the whole thing but I did. We reported them to the FTC, the Attorney General and the Direct Marketing Association.
October 14, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Pat,
I am a Property Manager for an real estate company and the same thing just happened to us as well. Exactly as you described above…I have tried calling them and all they say is that they can’t hear me but they say this before I even have time to speak. I have called multiple time with the same result. Did you ever get billed? What was the outcome.
July 31, 2009 at 11:44 am
Hi
Please help!! Im not sure if this is a scam or not I received paperwork to list my business under the World Wide Web, I never asked for this information. Under the small tiny print it stated that the cost was EURO 995. Now they are chasing me for this cost and as it was signed state I have no legal leg to stand on.???
June 22, 2009 at 3:11 pm
BEWARE !!!! The scammers at Canadain Biz Online are now sending out invoices under the name Direct Market Link …. Another fraud…
June 9, 2009 at 9:03 pm
This is to inform people that a company calling themselves A.B.I, a so called on-line publications company is at it again. Do not respond to them in anyway, they will tell you that they have recordings of you or your employees placing the order- and they don’t. They are scammers trying to get your information and money. Remember A.B.I is not a true company.
June 3, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Massive crackdown hits fraudulent telemarketers
By Tobi Cohen, THE CANADIAN PRESS
2009-06-02 18:57:00
Andrea Rosen, deputy commissioner of competition with the Competition Bureau, left, and Eileen Harrington, deputy director, bureau of consumer protection with the Federal Trade Commission, speak at a press conference in Montreal, Tuesday, June 2, 2009, to launch “Operation Mirage”, a campaign to combat fraudulent telemarketing operations in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
MONTREAL – Calling it the biggest crackdown of its kind in the country, the Competition Bureau of Canada swept down Tuesday on some 50 businesses and individuals believed to be involved in illegal telemarketing schemes.
While no arrests were made, officials say at least 10 search warrants were executed and that it’s only a matter of time before the fraudsters are rounded up.
Dubbed Operation Mirage, the initiative was meant to send a warning to scammers that they’re being watched, deputy commissioner Andrea Rosen told a news conference.
It’s also meant to raise public awareness of their modus operandi and to alert potential employees of these fraudulent businesses that what they are being instructed to do is illegal, she added.
“Montreal has a lot of students and recent immigrants,” Rosen said. “These people are looking for legitimate jobs and are easy pray for fraudulent telemarketers.”
Rosen said the scam was related to the sale of bogus phone directories, which she called a particular problem in Montreal and one that costs legitimate businesses in Canada and the United States millions of dollars.
As part of the scam, businesses are led to believe they have worked with the company before and have previously consented to the sale and need only to confirm pertinent information.
They are often pressured into the sale with promises of reduced prices and when payment is not received, they are told they will be reported to the credit bureau.
Rosen said they are led to believe they are buying space in the Yellow Pages but noted these directories are not released to the public or used for marketing.
“If you buy something from a telemarketer that is deceiving you, then you are likely to be put on a list that will be sold over and over again and you will receive many, many more phone calls for these useless products,” she said.
“Fraudulent telemarketers create an illusion of legitimacy.”
While she acknowledged a similar raid two years ago has yet to yield any charges, Rosen said that one was more complicated.
In the past, she said, the Competition Bureau has taken a number of individual cases through the courts and secured convictions of up to three years jail and fines mounting to $2 million or $3 million.
She’s also hopeful this investigation will benefit from new amendments to the Competition Act.
The changes mean penalties for criminal telemarketing offences have nearly tripled to 14 years in prison from five.
As part of the Canadian investigation, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed suit last week to halt the operations of three suspicious Montreal telemarketing companies.
The agency alleges the telemarketers bilked thousands of small and medium-sized U.S. businesses and non-profits of millions by getting them to pay for listings they never ordered in worthless business directories.
The complaints were filed in Illinois northern district court against Reed Publishing, National Yellow Pages Online LLC and Integration Media Inc., all of which go by a number of different names.
“Fraud doesn’t know any boundary or any border,” said Eileen Harrington, deputy director of the Federal Tade Commission’s consumer protection bureau.
“This is the beginning of this operation. We expect to stand with the Competition Bureau throughout on this.”
June 10, 2009 at 8:02 pm
I am the Office Manager of a company that has been dooped for the last time by these online scammers. There must be a way of informing others to these practices. I have paid out over $2,500 over the past 2 years because I was not aware. All of the companies that have contacted me are from Montreal, and I finally threatened them back today with legal action and they backed down….asking me not to go any further with my accusations. Here is a list of companies that I have dealt with…I hope it can help someone out there not get trapped.
Canadian Biz Online, Yelloworx, Horizon Data, Canadian Media Pages, Phone Pages and Oispages. I have now started my own file on these scams and have informed my co-workers not to give out any info. Let’s band together to but these scammers out of business!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!
May 27, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Has anyone ever heard of Data Link and what do you know about them?
May 26, 2009 at 6:04 pm
We have had similar experience with at least five (5) firms this spring, including ABI Publications. Others include Tri-Page Data and Marketing (Plattsburg, NY) and YP Business Infor (Boston, MA). We also ran into one firm whose published telephone number did not work and their listed website was bogus. Similar sites contain information that we be secured within seconds from a Google search.
May 24, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Hi Karantina,
Thank you for displaying some of the information from my website. The main source of information for business directories is http://www.stopecg.org, managed by Jules Woodall.
Despite what Colin says, there is NO benefit to a ‘free’ listing. The scam companies are only using your listing to legitimise the website and ‘con’vince other companies to become part of the scam.
The more people that are aware of this type of scam the less success the scammers will have.
May 19, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Canadian BizOnline just moved in the same office building where I work. If anyone is interested in knowing their physical address, it’s 740 St-Maurice, Montreal, suite 101. They are not listed under the name Canadian BizOnline – they use the name 9109-2494 Quebec Inc.
One of the owners drives a 2009 BMW M6 and the other drives a 2009 Porsche Turbo. They seem to be doing really good on the scamming business in order to afford 200,000$+ cars.
May 7, 2009 at 5:59 pm
(Sigh) Here we go again. There have been so many of these types of scams over the years that I’ve lost count. National Online Yellow Pages, National Advertising & Publishing Inc., etc, etc. They’re all a variation of the same scheme. Calling this practice a “scam” is too kind of a word. These people are nothing more than common thieves, and should be dealt with accordingly. It’s up to the various AG’s to see the damage these thieves are causing the public and use laws that are already on the books to deal with them. Substantial jail time coupled with widespread news coverage will only slow the practice. There’s just too much money to be made by cheating people in this manner to stop it all together …
April 29, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Just be careful when you are verbally sparring with these people – we believe they doctor their “recorded authorizations” by recording you giving an affirmative response (doesn’t matter what the question was) and plugging it into a sentence in which you are authorizing their services. I have had many calls from yellow page ad people and I am very careful not to say “yes”, “ok”, “sure” etc.; They tell me the name of my company, state my street address or phone number, etc.; then ask if that is correct, sometimes they just ask if I’m having a good day. As soon as they tell me who they are I say “The head office makes these decisions – do you want their number?” Usually they hang up. By the way, it doesn’t matter if you have a head office or not and you don’t have to give them a legit number – if you didn’t search them out for their services then you don’t owe them anything – just hanging up is also a good option. Or, screen your calls if possible – any 800, private or unknown calls can leave a message, if legit you can return it later. The only way they will get control is if we let them – the more people onto this the fewer people they can scam and the quicker they will be on to some new kind of scam so spread the word…
April 24, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Wonder if anyone has heard of Nationwide Data Solutions or consumerpagesdirectory.com? I have received an invoice which they claim is 5 months old. Didn’t order this online directory listing – so wanted to see if anyone had some insight?
Julie
April 22, 2009 at 6:42 am
Strange? I had a rash of directory online calls from ABI Publishing during a 4 week period, starting from the last 2 weeks of March and suddenly silence.
I was either telling them off, ignore their unknown number, put them on a lengthy hold (personal favorite) or answer and hang up. Depending on my mood for each call. Just having fun, but it drives them crazy.
Don’t know how they can live with the guilt with the empty threats. Always the same callers too Carl or some woman. The threats are meaningless and still have not seen an invoice from these fraudsters.
Thanks to this website and the posters, except “vendetta” (are they a website scam too?) for all the informative information that gave me newfound confidence.
April 9, 2009 at 1:17 pm
You know one upside to all of this is that we at least are getting free advertising (if you can call it advertising) on a number of these scam sites yet no phone calls , invoices etc. since I blew out the ears of Carl over at ABI Publications and refused to pay anything.
Since they simply cut and past into their data base from legitimate sources and no one bothers to keep it up to date , we’ll probably be there until they shut down and reopen under a new name.
Frightening thing it that even if revenues are cut by 3/4 that’s still $1B (according to vendetta) they can fight over and try and suck out of unsuspecting companies.
In an odd way I kind of miss being hassled by ABI as it was almost fun arguing with Carl and listening to his feeble excuses and empty threats.
Bring it on scammers!! lol
April 7, 2009 at 9:47 pm
National Online Directory, aka My Local Reach scammed me also. They supposedly get you listed higher in online searches. They put a $39.95 monthly service fee on my AT&T phone bill that I never authorized. I didn’t see it for over a year. Then, when I call them, all they’ll let me talk to is a customer service rep who has no authority or desire to help me…won’t give me a corporate office phone number, etc. Can’t these people find an honest way to make a living? We need to put a stop to this.
April 24, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Will, you should call AT&T and have them block third-party billing to your account. This way, they cannot continue to bill you for a service you never requested and they more than likely never provided. And you’re protected from any other of these leeches that will try to attack you through your phone bill.
April 7, 2009 at 7:07 am
ABI Publications (most frequent), Canadian BizOnline, Canadian Media Pages, Reed Publishing, Sky Publishing,
YourCompanyListing.com, YourYellowURL
They call constantly and never leave messages. Each call is always the same story (unregistered P# number), stating I’ve been listed for 2 years now and the latest payment for 2008 is past due before they can close account on 5 year contract. Impossible, only been in business since Dec 2008. They threaten to sue, I asked for proof of my contract from 2007 or early 2008. They mention a payment was made last year and question the delay paying this invoice? I asked for a refund of my supposed payment was unauthorized and I will sue to recoup the theft. They always hangup before revealing any details, but they do call back with a different person with the same story.
Don’t fall for their trap or let this scam bother you. Reading this board, we now know this is a truly unethical scam. Threaten to report them by getting info. for the BBB. I called in the complaint for ABI Publishing, there are more than 250+ on file in less than 12 months. Let’s all unite to work together to report complaints. United we can shut them down!
April 8, 2009 at 4:34 am
omg…noooo you cannot shut them down you don’t understand how this works..lets say you get enough complaints against them and close that company down..in 5 business days they are up with new owners and new name and back to the same thing…this is why this scam never goes away!..you are not questioned when you open a business nor when you close one down..there is no limit on how many companies you open .You are simply limited to your financial means..if someone wants to keep doing this scam all they have to do is invest $10,000 to have 3 or 4 “sales reps” and 1 or 2 “collectors” 1 person recording so called “sales” not even if the reps are somewhat compitent and a p.o.box in the usa!!!..and thats over shooting the amount!Don’t you understand that by simply reporting a company you are putting a band-ade on a cut that needs stiches.Complaints are good but have you seen the statistics?have you done real research??this is a $41 BILLION a year scam.There are certain steps you need to take to close them down..it take much much more than just a couple of you to post on a board…if you really wanna damage this scam this is what you need to do…get all the companies you know of to join a group..maybe on facebook or something…if you have a company and deal with other companies day to day..send them an email to join aswell..get as many companies as you can to be in 1 place..i.e. twitter..facebook etc..and just give us a month..even less now..it is not stupid people that fall for this..it is unaware people..and we are about to raise awareness on a national level..the documentary we are doing is gonna be talked about on the news..if you wanna be proactive(and I admire your efforts..everyone on here) take my advice..make a group and get as many companies as you can on there..or even just regualr people that are sick an tired of scams and telemarketing calls..sick and tired of feeling helpless..and get them on one group..either way we are going to the media with this..this is gonna be big news..ive gone under cover and worked in these places..I know more about this that anyone you will encounter..my partners and I wanna help..we really do..and WE WILL..I don’t have to post here..but you all seem so fed up..I wanna extend my immidiate help to you before it gets very known on the media because we will be so busy we will not be on here reading posts.
March 30, 2009 at 6:22 pm
Just got a call from someone wanting to verify our business information. I’ve been onto these kinda scams for a couple of years now though so I know better. I didn’t verify anything but instead, asked for his name and contact information. The following is what he gave me, however, after googling the information I realize that it’s all fake (surprise, surprise!!)
Michael Turner
Data Link
69 Century Drive
Clifton, NJ 07014
He says someone from their sales department will call me back with a recorded authorization from me. (haha) I promptly informed him that if I received an invoice from them that I would report them to the FTC, BBB and S.A.G. He said there was no need to make threats and quickly ended the call.
What I wouldn’t give to get my hands on these people!
April 7, 2009 at 4:11 am
I was reading the posts here..if you really wanna get back at these people or really get to them where it hurts(there pockets) stay tunned…you will witness a revolution unfold and we willat that point place a link on here..all you will have to do is place a testimonial and tell all the businesses you know to watch our video…we are gonna take this scam down once and for all…and we will educate you and inform you of new ones breaking out.The key is knowing the scam before you get suckered…and to know how to really get at them…let me explain something to all of you here..1st off the bbb(better bus. bur.)cannot help,they are a 3rd party mediator..ive seen as much as 890 complaints against one such company and they are still not closed..2nd..the a.g will not do much because they have 50 states in america..if each state gets 2 complaints they will react in the same way..they will get a letter saying(some error) and will let it go..but all the a.g.s need to compare notes if they did it wouldnt be a complaint here and there would be like 100 complaints..the ftc and fcc work on a simaler level..they key here is to get your name out of circulation 1st..to educate all staff working on phone is 2nd..there is alot more to this scam…we will help..give it a month or so..we will post a link and you will see.
March 30, 2009 at 3:01 pm
I received a letter from a company called ComTel Communications. The letter states that they spoke with an employee of ours and that arranged a 5 page web profile for a 14 day trial period ending when? You guessed it, today. Of course, there’s nothing on the envelope to indicate when it was actually mailed.
So, I call them and speak with ‘Migdalia’ and told her that she did not speak with anyone from this company, no one requested, confirmed or authorized any services and furthermore, that the person that they listed does not and never has worked with our company.
She asked for the company name, and I refused to give it to her. I told her, ‘you already have the phone number and the mailing address- that should be enough.’ She asked me to fax her the letter that we received in the mail and that she would send me the confirmation number for the cancellation. I’m pretty sure that this is just another attempt to get more information from us, so I had her give me the confirmation number in advance.
I still have not faxed her the letter and do not plan to.
Has anybody else dealt with them?
March 23, 2009 at 10:05 pm
stay tuned for more updates…We will also place our website on here .. and we will teach you all you need to know..you will be armed..full of knowlegde and confidence and you will also have someone in your corner.Please keep in mind…these scammers have developed there scam over time..and we have developed our methods over time aswell..We even have an ex-telemarketer working for us.
March 23, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Hello all…I’m calling myself “V” or “Vendetta”. I’d like to let you all know that not only is there help,not only the public will be made aware,but..this will all be exposed on the media in the U.S.A some time this summer with the help of a very well known public speaker.My partner and I have started the most powerful webside regarding scams and we are going to blow the door off its hinges with the b2b directories scam 1st!,as our break out to the general public.
March 17, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Good lord..I’ve visited a few of the sites I’d never heard about until I started frequenting this site and our company is listed on just about all of them!!!
Thankfully since our go around with ABI we haven’t heard a peep from any of them (other than the”canorapage” I mentioned.
There MUST be someway of getting a warning out to the general population.
I’m going to try our local paper with a link to this site as a “public service”
March 17, 2009 at 3:11 am
@Matt: YOURCOMPANYLISTING is another business directory scam! It’s the same animal.
In fact, they had been issued a cease and desist order by the Attorney General.
You can read the story here: http://internetscam.wordpress.com/2007/02/24/cease-and-desist-order-against-yourcompanylistingcom/