Montreal scam artists Garo Manoug and Vatche Manoug, doing business under names including National Business Information Exchange, Inc., NBIE, yourcompanylisting.com, Corporate Information Exchange, Inc. and Cinex, Inc., have been barred by Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem from doing business in North Dakota. The Manougs’ operation involved sending bogus invoices and demand letters to North Dakota businesses for listings in “business directories.”
The scammers send fake invoices ranging from $249 to $798 to businesses and list an address in the United States to make it appear they are an American company. The company is actually located in Canada, where consumers have little or no recourse. When businesses objected to the charges, the Manougs would send falsified “contracts” with faked signatures copied from prior correspondence.
“There is a whole industry built up around these business directory scams in Canada,” Stenehjem said. “Businesses should be on the lookout for questionable billings for services which they never requested and which are of virtually no value.”
Garo Manoug and his attorney have provided inconsistent explanations for the violations of North Dakota law and have refused to provide information requested by the Attorney General during the course of his investigation.
Court Document:
- Cease and Desist Order
http://www.ag.nd.gov/NewsReleases/Pleadings/CPAT/NBIEC&D.pdf - News Releases
http://www.ag.nd.gov/NewsReleases/2006/10-11-06.pdf
Based on the court document, the respondents listed in the Cease and Desist Order are:
- VATCHE MANOUG, Individually;
- GARO MANOUG, Individually aka VINCENT THOMAS;
- CORPORATE INFORMATION EXCHANGE, INC.
dba CINEX, INC. dba CINEXCORP
dba YOURCOMPANYLISTING.COM dba YCL
dba MAYSIX & CO.
dba CAFE IGLOO.CA - NATIONAL BUSINESS INFORMATION EXCHANGE, INC.
dba NBIE
600-1184 Rue Sainte-Catherine O.
Montreal, QC H3B 1K1 Canada
514-337-7776
800-765-0508
800-765-0193 (fax)
and
6993 Place De Nevers
Montreal, QC H4K 1E4 Canada
and
6226 4th St.
Chesapeake Beach, MD 20732 - c/o Morris Chaikelson, Esq.
4950 Ponsard Ave.
Montreal, QC H3W 2A5 Canada
514-482-1896
26 Comments
October 16, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Here is Lori’s profile (Garo Manoug’s wife)
LORI Der-Assadourian
Directrice de compte Associé, Petites Entreprise
Account Associate, Small Business
Prime ship Produit Data
Data Products prime ship
1050 Beaver Hall
Bureau: 16e étage
Montréal, QC H2Z 1S4
1 866 235 5249 ext 7624
Tel: 514 420 7624
Fax: 1 866 875 7499
Email: lori.d@bell.ca
September 25, 2009 at 4:46 pm
I have filed some of these complaints about this scam company and my name is Marie in Garland, Texas.
You tried to scam me, but it didn’t work. I have talked to Luke, Peter, Vincent their so called attorney Bob (who sounds just like Peter on the phone) should all remember me.
Question since you are located in Canada why does every one there have a very common last name, like Thomas or Jones? You harassed me for over 2 years and I never paid you. I filed complaints with everyone I could find some several times.
Was it a competitor that got the cease and desist order in North Dakota on you?.
This company will only send you a fax, if they mail you and invoice file a complaint with the post office. File complaints with the Attorney General, FTC and the BBB in both your state and the state the faxed invoices are stating they are doing business in. Call the Canandian phone busters at 888-495-8501 and file a complaint.
This company will harass the hell out of you, but don’t ever pay them. They took a signature from the manager before me that was paying them and added it to a contract. I put up with it for 2 years knowing some day I would win.
Keep records on them, who, when and what.
Good luck
September 15, 2009 at 9:25 pm
While visiting a site called northamericanyellowpages.com, I wanted to find out how to update their online info regarding a business associate’s website. The FAQ says just send and email or call their 800 number. I called the 1-800-765-0508 number and heard a woman’s voice on a recording saying “Thanks for contacting yourcompanylisting.com. If you know the extension you want, dial it now, otherwise press zero for the operator.” I pressed zero and heard a woman’s voice saying a name and the number 227.
The point I’m trying to make is, it sounds as though northamericanyellowpages.com is a front for yourcompanylisting.com. I ran a trace on the IP address for northamericanyellowpages.com (207.107.208.229) and found it is being hosted by Rogers Telecom in Toronto, CA. I ran another trace on the IP address for yourcompanylisting.com (207.107.208.226) and found it also is being hosted by Rogers Telecom in Toronto, CA. Personally, I would stay away from any and all association with either of these two companies.
August 31, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Calls repeatedly from National Business Guide verifying cancellation of ad for upcoming year. Said they would be sending cancellation notice along with invoice from last years ad. Advised them that they were scammers and to not call back. Checked address in business guide and listing has address from 5 years ago. Last two times I pushed for information on company and they were evasive. Today gave a PO Box 5739 Chap NY 16254 and toll free number (Disc) 18887395681. Name given Doug MCNally. Advised him I had received repeated phone calls and to not call back. He said it was the first time he had called and he would keep calling till paid. I told him it was his dime and hung up.
June 23, 2009 at 1:13 am
Pierre Larouche is calling me to pay a 400$ bill , for a link in his web site (www.pubenligne.ca) This dude is a joke ! Don’t pay this guy if your receive a call from pub en ligne.. I chek his web site and it’s like a joke… poor desing and link are broke!
Remenber pub en ligne is a big scam !
June 23, 2009 at 6:06 am
Pierre Larouche = Sam Parker = SACHA VIDAL = scammer!
Beware boys! Sacha Vidal has his own company now (pubenligne.ca and webadsonline.ca) where he uses the alias “Pierre Larouche”. This very same crook used to use the alias “Sam Parker” at NBIE Inc/Yourcompanylisting.com
June 9, 2009 at 2:40 am
CANADA LISTINGS ONLINE I have a call from this company, some guy told me i was listing with his company before and he will charge me for a listing. I verified my record and that company is not even part of my vendors list. So i called back to tell them this was scam. there is always a voice mail any time i try to reach them and i don’t understand why they only have a local phone number from Montreal if they are calling me in Alberta. And what king of listing is that.quality is zero. scam,scam,scam
May 4, 2009 at 4:13 pm
2009-05-01 LE REGISTRAIRE DES ENTREPRISES
H:21:06:40 SYSTÈME CIDREQ
R-PU-U03-1 ÉTAT DES INFORMATIONS SUR UNE PERSONNE MORALE
INFORMATIONS GÉNÉRALES
======================
MATRICULE: 1165282733 NOM: 9199-0143 QUÉBEC INC.
IMMATRICULATION : 2008-07-08
FORMATION : 2008-07-01 CONSTITUTION
LOCALITÉ : QUÉBEC
DERN DÉCL ANNL : DEMANDE DISS/LIQ EN COURS: NON
MAJ ÉTAT INFO : 2008-09-23 TRANCHE EMPLOYÉS: AUCUN
CESSATION PRÉVUE: CONTINUAT: TRANSFORM:
STATUT IMMATR : IM IMMATRICULÉ 2008-07-08
RÉSULTANTE :
FORME JURDQ : CIE COMPAGNIE
ADRESSE DOMICILE: BUREAU 224 CODE POSTAL: H4R 1Y8
3131, CHEMIN CÔTE VERTU
SAINT-LAURENT (QUÉBEC)
RÉG. CONSTITUTIF: 024 LOI SUR LES COMPAGNIES PARTIE 1A
RÉG. COURANT : 024 LOI SUR LES COMPAGNIES PARTIE 1A
ACTIVITÉS ÉCONOMIQUES
=====================
7741 PUBLICITÉ
ADRESSE POSTALE
===============
DESTINATAIRE :
ADRESSE : CODE POSTAL:
PERSONNES LIÉES
===============
PERSONNES MANQUANTES: NON
NOM ET ADRESSE CODE POSTAL DÉTAIL PERSONNE
====================================== =========== ====================
VIDAL, SACHA ADMINISTRATEUR
ADMINISTRATEUR
ACTIONNAIRE MAJORITA
2321, ALBERT-MURPHY H7T 3A2
LAVAL (QUÉBEC)
——————————————————————————
NOMS DE L’ASSUJETTI
===================
DATE MAJ INDEX DES NOMS: 2008-07-08
NOM DE L’ASSUJETTI DATE DÉBUT DATE FIN STATUT
====================================== ========== ========== ==========
9199-0143 QUÉBEC INC. 2008-07-01 EN VIGUEUR
May 4, 2009 at 4:12 pm
These guys are back with a new scam, pubenligne.ca and webadsonline.ca, sending fraudulent invoices to compagnies… Sacha Vidal, a.k.a. Pierre Larouche is commiting the fraud…. and I believe he is on the verge of getting arrested by the Surete du Quebec in Montreal.
Here is the company he is using this time…
January 15, 2009 at 3:26 am
NBIE Inc. dba YourCompanyListing.com is the worst of the worst. They will harass the hell out of you. They will have you talk to various people in the company. All with common names Peter, Mike just to name a few. They at one time told me I had to talk to their attorney when he got on the phone his voice was the same as Peter’s.
I fought these crooks for 2 years yelling, screaming. Then I got smart and called the Canadian authorites. Then evey time they called and I found out it was them I would hang up without saying a word or just sit the phone down and walk off. They haven’t called in over a year, but I’m not sure they haven’t gone away.
Hang in there and don’t pay them anything. Be sure that if you have to send them corresspondance don’t sign it. They have been known to take that signature and add it to a contract (like you signed the contract).
Be careful, they are scum
Good luck
November 25, 2008 at 10:11 pm
I’ve been dealing with these guys for 2 years now. After seeing how other people have been spoken to by Luke, I haven’t even given them the courtesy of a phone call to tell them I’m NEVER paying them another penny. I refuse to subject myself to thier language and bad manners.
Basically the girl who worked here 3+ years ago paid these guys. Once I started, I realized right off the bat they were running a scam. We’ve send letters and faxes since early 2006 indicting that NO PAYMENTS would ever be made again. I’ll give them points for persistance though. We still get faxed invoices (finance charges are now being added) and my salesman gets weekly messages (he doesn’t answer when he see’s its Luke). I’ve filed with the FTC and the Illinois Attorneys General Office. I’ve even faxed copies of the compaints to Luke with copies of his invoices that say “DO NOT PAY” written on them in big bold writing.
They don’t seen to want to give up.
Luke – If your reading this – I’m not paying you!!!!!!!!!!!!! Give it up buddy!!!!!!!!!!
November 21, 2008 at 1:12 pm
YourCompanyListing.com NBIE Complete SCAM! Rude employees! No reasoning!
So we recently realized that a company had been fraudulently charging our credit card for 3 years. Upon realizing this, the credit card company immediately canceled the card and issued new. Low and behold… The company now has the nerve to send an invoice and call demanding money. The credit card didn’t work and it hasn’t even stopped them! Should we have looked at our statements more closely? Of course, but the problem has been identified and payment has been stopped.
I called the 800 number today and spoke with ‘Luke’… He’s a feisty little devil. When I told him we weren’t paying for services that we never signed up for he became quite hostile and began yelling at me.
I guess I should say- we’re being charged $799.00 for ‘Enhanced Graphic Profile’ including coupons, website link, color logo, print catalog and other internet services. We’re a salvage yard… We don’t have a computer, a logo, coupons or any of the above that we’ve already paid for the last 3 years. I didn’t demand a refund for the years prior I demanded that going forward they stop and I’m not paying the current bill. I’m also demanding that they quit calling and harassing and stop with the ‘past-due’ invoices. Well, they can continue sending but we’re not paying.
I ended up hanging up on ‘Luke’ because of the way he was yelling at me. You would think if someone was trying to fraudulently trying to get money out of you they would at least be nice.. Oh no…
After doing research on the internet I’ve found that YourCompanyListing.com or NBIE has quite the reputation… WOW. Apparently we’re not the only victim of this form of a business scam! They also have a cease and desist order in North Dakota and the BBB does not recommend doing business with this organization without asking about all the negative reports prior to engaging in business… Oh wait, you don’t have the choice of engaging- they do it for you!!
I have filed complaints with the BBB as well as the Federal Trade Commission and The Canadian Competition Bureau.
Please beware of any charges on your credit card from Cinex Inc, this is how our credit card was being charged- yet another business name!!
Don’t fall for their invoices or phone calls without doing your homework first!
November 12, 2008 at 8:21 pm
They have been bothering us for years. WE have caller ID and just don’t answer them. Today they called using a private number. LUke was on the line. They just don’t quit.
November 8, 2008 at 3:16 am
I’ve lost count of how many years I’ve been battling these ‘people’. I get 8 pages faxed every week from Luke or Michael asking me to pay this bill. The funny part is that they have the ardacity tp charge finance charges since this is the 2nd year I’ve refused to pay. My fax machine is the ONLY way they can get to me since I no longer answer their calls due to caller ID. Meanwhile I’ve been working with the FTC, BBB,FBI and phonebusters (since their HQ is in Montreal QC ) Last year through communicatoins back and forth through the BBB their letters were so hilariuos I actually FRAMED one. They mispelled my name, called me the wrong name, my companies name and variuos other mistakes. Finally they stopped responding to the BBB and they didn’t get their money. I guess they waited a year to see if I would have employee turnover or if I forgot. They don’t scare me one bit. When it first began the threats were scary but now I just find them funny. I’m still going to do my best to keep everyone else from falling victim to them and keep proper notes for their day in court. I helped bring down American Business Solutions/GLobal Management Solutions and I have nothing but time and patience to bring these guys down.
October 23, 2008 at 5:33 pm
Last year we received an invoice via fascimile of an invoice for a ‘2 corporate Telecom Directory-online’, which was back dated from 2 years ago, stating that we owed over $1400.00 for services we never ordered.
I checked out the so called website they said we were on & it was all incorrect information & was something we never submitted information for. We had huge blow out over the phone over the discrepancy. They even faxed us their contract, which states that the contract automatically renews every year, with or without the company’s consent…again, we never requested these services nor signed a contract.
We contacted our lawyer who said it was indeed a scam but there was nothing we could do about it and that we should just keep ignoring the invoices and annoying phone calls from employees of NBIE. We have, but – once again this day of September 11, 2008 received yet another invoice dated May 24, 2008!!! This invoice is for $798.00.
Also there is a note at the bottom of this invoice, which states as follows:
Please note that all YourCompanyListing.com orders are processed by CINEX Inc. The merchant name that will appear on your monthly credit card statements and receipts will be CINEX Inc. to obtain a copy of our W9, fax your request to 1-800-765-0193.There are no cash refunds.
I’m sure this company has swindled millions from large corporations, due to that fact that most companies don’t check all of their invoices that closely. Fortunately, we are a smaller company and are aware of all internet purchases. I will keep a copy of this for future reference. Please catch these people!!!
Candice
Franklin, North Carolina
May 15, 2008 at 1:54 am
National Online Listings is still scamming
November 12, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Sadly, I too have been forced to deal with these scum-bags. I’m already tired of it.
I went through this with them, or a group like them in 2003, and now they have come back as ProMedia Resources Guide. Since I have previously dealt with them, I was aware from the beginning that it was a scam. I decided to “play” with them for awhile, and played dumb and gave them my apology’s for not taking care of this sooner and I would make sure it was resolved. I’ve been running them around for about 10 weeks now and today I finally let them know that I was never going to pay because I knew all about them and that they were a scam. I also was prepared for the verbal abuse, and boy did I get it! I called him a few choice words of my own and told him I have reported them to the FTC and I actually got them to hang up on me for a change.
Whatever you do, don’t send these scammers any money, and report them to the FTC and your state Attorney General.
Good Luck,
Joe
July 30, 2007 at 5:10 am
I too am a victim of NBIE Inc./YourCompanyListing.com. I have also filed several reports on them with phone busters, Attorney General, Better Business and several other orginizations.
I have been dealing with them since Sept. 2005. The manager before me was paying for this bogus crap. I googled them & found rip off report. I refuse to pay them any money. I have talked to Sam Parker, Vincent Thomas, someone named Michael (who sounds like he has the personality of a door mat), when he got no where Peter Philips started calling said they were going to have to recall the CD (like anyone still has this bogus CD) and it would cost me several thousand more dollars, but he was willing to settle for $900 something. I hung up.
When he called again he said he wanted me to talk to his legal department and put Bob on the phone. Bob’s voice sounded just like Peter. I hung up. They call several times a week and fax the invoice all the time. I have sent them a faxed letter and told them I would only recognize a Texas Court of Law, to lets go. Shortly after they received the fax Vincent Thomas called and said he would call me as many times as he wanted and they have chosen not to take legal action and sue me. I told him to kiss my a** and he then proceeded to call me a ‘dumb a**’ and hung up on me.
They have started calling, sending faxes again. Peter called yesterday and wanted to know who my attorney was. I hung up, then 8 minutes later he called again, I hung up. I am not going to talk to them any more and will continue to hang up.
I refuse to pay this company any money ever, ever. They think that if they harrass you enough you will pay them, so it will stop. Some people have paid, but it didn’t end there.
I too will be filing complaints every time NBIE call. Am also keeping a phone record of the calls. I have a file at least an inch thick on them. North Dakota has a cease an desist order against NBIE/Yourcompanylisting.com. I hope something happens soon, but if not I’m a patient person and will wait and see. I would like to take their web site and write each and every person listed a letter informing them of this company, this is something I’m still thinking about.
I am willing to do anything to see these people go down.
P.S. Please read other scam reports on NBIE/yourcompanylisting.com at ripoff report.
May 4, 2007 at 10:32 am
NBIE’s Fave Five
1. Vatche Manoug : the mastermind who stole the database of customers from his competitor, and starts sending fake invoices and unendless mails & faxes.
2. Garo Manoug aka Vincent Thomas : the culprit who pretends to be a legal counsel, and likes to threaten businesses with his demand letters.
3. Levon Karabetian : the bastard who edits phone conversation into fake recording, and scans signatures on previous checks and paste them into falsified “contracts”.
4. Sacha Vidal aka Sam Parker : the caller who gets a fixed rate for every company falling into the scam.
5. Coreena Haigh : the secretary who provides pleasure to the four people.
April 25, 2007 at 10:08 pm
I took over the books for a shop in Sept 2005. Started receiving invoices in the mail & fax from NBIE. The manager before me was paying for this. When I did research on NBIE, website rip off report came up immediately. I refuse to pay this invoice or have any further contact with this company. I have sent letters to everyone, Attorney General in both states, Better Business burea, everyone, but this company continues to call. I am sticking to my guns and will not pay this invoice. Yesterday some guy Paul called wanting to know when I was going to pay, just hung up, so he called back wanted to know my attorneys name, so I hung up again. They think because the call all the time I will give in and pay, wrong.
They are upset because in the past the manager was paying them like a fool, now they aren’t getting any money. Paul with NBIE says if he has to recall the CD from everyone it could cost me alot of money. I doubt anyone they sent (if they did) still has the CD since they are worthless.
I am not every going to pay for this invoice. It seems if they were going to sue me they would have done something by now since it has been a year and half on going issue.
I will continue to hang up everytime.
April 24, 2007 at 7:14 pm
Thanks to this site, NBIE Inc. dba yourcompanylisting.com finally let me off the hook. First I got into heavy disputes with their collectors Sam Parker and Luke Zankiewicz. When they gave up, I was passed to Vincent Thomas whom we all know is the alias used by the owner Garo Manoug. I got into the fire directly with both Garo Manoug and his brother Vatche Manoug. Boy did the brothers know how to scream on the phone, threatened to harass by calling my business many times until I pay, threaten to proceed with legal action in Quebec and other yadda yadda yadda. On my defence I countered their threats by warning them that any further actions by NBIE Inc. will result in filing a report to authorities (Attorney General, Federal Trade Commission/FTC, Better Business Bureau/BBB, Competition Bureau of Canada, Office de la Protection du Consommateur) and posting them to ripoffreport.com and similiar sites so that the whole world knows that NBIE Inc., yourcompanylisting.com, cinexcorp.com and whatever other names/aliases they use are indeed a scam.
April 7, 2007 at 4:22 pm
Unfortunately the CABC found out too late what kind of person Mr. Vatche Manoug is. I have known the CABC for a long time and they are far from being scammers. They have helped the Armenian community in Montreal and across Canada often times. The Manoug brothers, being so good at what they do, scammed the CABC. They lost close to 8000$ during an event that Mr. Manoug was supposed to organize.
March 20, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Apart from the information on the Rip-off report, I found an interesting fact on Vatche Manoug. Apparently, Vatche Manoug is also the current president of Canadian Armenian Business Council (CABC) Montreal district. Shocking, isn’t it? I don’t know much about CABC, but one can just image what type of business council CABC is when its president is a scammer.
Link: http://www.cabc.ca/contact.php
March 6, 2007 at 4:14 pm
[...] About YourCompanyListing.com (a spin off of NBIE Inc.) – Montreal, QC and Chesapeake Beach, MD [...]
March 1, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Got a call from Luke, I tried to cover my bases from the get go. I accused NBIE of being a scam and Luke became so rude that he started swearing at me. I recalled the words “losers”, “deadbeat”, heck even “motherf*cker” coming from his mouth before hanging up the phone. A few days passed, I got a demand letter from NBIE Inc. / Yourcompanylisting.com. If you read throughly the cease and desist order from the Attorney General, this is exactly how NBIE operates their scam. Well I say NO MONEY to the two brothers. One last thing, I can’t believe Vincent Thomas is nothing but the owner Garo Manoug. WHAT A SCAM!!!!!
February 27, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Good job by the Attorney General to stop them doing business in North Dakota. Victims in other states should also report NBIE and all their alias companies to their respective state attorney general so that similiar actions can be taken. Gosh I can’t believe NBIE still around with their new scam name yourcompanylisting.com