The internet yellow pages called our company about two months ago to verify a order that we supposedly placed. The company told us that we had purchased online advertising and they needed our credit card information so the bill could be paid. My husband, who is the owner of the company, told them that we did not do any online advertising this year and in fact we didn't order any advertising at all this year, so they must have the wrong number. They told my husband that they had to verify his information and needed him to pay the bill. After several rounds with this representative my husband informed him that he was not paying for this. The representative got angry with him and told him he would send an invoice in the mail. Furthermore if we did not pay the bill it would go to collection.
As soon as my husband told me what happened I told him it was probably a scam. Just in case, I called all of the online advertisers in our area and asked if they had any advertising in our name, all of them said the same thing "We don't have any information for advertising with your business". Two months have passed and we still have not received the "invoice" in the mail, so we just figured it was a scam.
Then the company calls back today. A woman told my husband that he needed to pay his outstanding dept for his online advertising. My husband once again told them that our company did not order any advertising. The representative then informed my husband that they had a recorded phone conversation where he told them yes to advertising with them. My husband informed the representative that there are ways to manipulate voices to make them say what they wanted them to say. We only have one steady employee for my husbands business and that's him, no one else answers the business phone. So my husband would know whether or not there was advertising ordered. The lady got very upset and angry with him after he told her again that we would not pay these charges. She informed him that he would be transferred to their LEGAL department. My husband hung up at this point.
If a company calls you on the phone and says that you've ordered online advertising make sure to get the name of the company and the representative's name and employee number. Then hang up and look up that company. Do not give them your personal information and defiantly do not give them your credit card or bank account information. Please don't fall victim to false companies like this one.
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