Local Biz USA called to ask me to confirm information about my company's web address for a free directory listing. I confirmed the information. They forwarded me to another person for additional information. The person asked me for my name, position with the company, company name and the month and day of my birthday, which I provided. The Indian-accented person was difficult to understand and I hung up. I received a bill on my AT&T business account for charges for a monthly premium listing. I called AT&T and they removed the charges without question and they supposedly blocked third party billing on my business account (which they haven't done). Two months later I received a collections notice from an affiliate of Local Biz seeking payment for what they described as a 5-page Web directory listing about my company. I searched their site for any information about my company and could find nothing. Neither did I supply them with any information about my company. I wrote a letter to the company complaining about this and forwarded a copy to the North Carolina Attorney General's office, consumer complaints division. They followed up and wrote to the company my deceptive billing practices complaint. I just want to share this information with others so practices like those of this company will cease. I received a letter via the state attny. General from a Mr. Roe Ventola with Local Biz saying that they had built a site for me and mailed me an information package — neither of which they had done. Regardless, the matter is ended on my end, but I wonder how many people are paying these ripoff artists via their phone bill each month.
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