Two years ago a telephone marketer contacted our camp director and asked if they could "verify the mailing information and contact name." Within a couple of weeks, Ameri-Source sent an invoice for a two year advertisement listing our site under "campground" for $299.95. We refused to pay because there was not written authorization, no purchase order, and we are not a campground facility. The invoice was supposedly sent to collection. Unfortunately we had staff turn over in the finance department and because an item stated "collection" payment was erroneously remitted.
Now two years later, we are again being invoiced. I called three times, had to leave voice messages. Spoke twice to an incredibly rude "supervisor" by the name of Thomas who refused to let me speak to a manager, got so antagonistic, yelling, interrupting, refusing to listen to me that I abruptly ended the conversation. "Thomas" stated that this person, who is not authorized to create advertisements without corporate approval, gave verbal authorization and that the original invoice stated it was a two year committment and would be renewed every two years and that since we remitted payment once, we must do so again. No such statement is on the original invoice, which we have on record.
We have submitted copies of all invoices & correspondence to the Colorado Attorney General's office, who in turn remitted our information to New York's Attorney General. We have also sent a certified, return receipt letter to the company stating we will not pay, they may remit the account to collections, and if they choose to pursue that route, they must provide written authorization on our company letterhead or a purchase order number.
Since "Thomas" didn't know our camp serves people with disabilities and is not a "campground", nor did he know it is operated by a nationally known not-for-profit, I would state Ameri-Source had no written authorization for this so called "advertisement".
This company creates such a disgusting image for the legitimate telemarketers who are struggling to sell valid products and services that states such as Colorado have created a "no call" list to remove phone numbers from telemarketer calling lists.
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