Business Data Center aka Premium Marketing Services, Inc. (and possibly aka Infomatika Publications) attempting to collect payment on an invoice for a telephone directory listing and CD-ROM Directory that our company had not ordered or purchased.
On 11/16/05 our accounts payable department was contacted by a Michael Klien (MK) with Business Data Center, regarding payment of an invoice sent to our company from Business Data Center for a listing in www.Americanbizpages.com, and a CD-ROM Directory.
MK questioned why it hadn't been paid, or the directory wasn't returned if it was not ordered to begin with. Our AP person asked him to fax a copy of the invoice, and gave it to me, her supervisor as it had my name on it as authorizer for the purchase.
I immediately called this individual and was told he was busy and would call me back. I then checked with the Better Business Bureau of New York and discovered that a business with a different name (Premium Data Marketing, Inc.) was listed with the exact same address, and it indicated that complaints had been filed against the company for attempting to collect payment on invalid invoices.
I called PDM again and asked to speak with the Principal listed in the BBB listing (Mike Conolly), and was asked the invoice number and told my file had been transferred, and they would have to have someone call me back. I indicated I needed to speak to someone immediately or be called back immediately or I was filing a report with the BBB.
The person on the phone said "I don't have a rocket on my back so I don't think I'll be able to have anyone call you back that quickly." She told me she would pass on my message and I hung up.
After hanging up, I didn't receive a call back immediately so I filed a report with the BBB of Buffalo, the Attorney General's Office of New York, and the Federal Trade Commission.
After filing these reports I did recieve a call back from Mr. Klien who I informed that we did not order or authorize this directory listing and/or the CD-ROM and he was to immediately void this invoice (from July) and take no further action to collect. He did not acknoweldge or respond directly and redirected the conversation.
When I reiterated my point to him that we had not ordered this directory listing and/or CD-ROM again he failed to acknowledge this and attempted to redirect. He then hung-up.
We had a similar experience (in 2004) with an Informatika Publications located at 100 Walnut Street #106, Champlain (near Plattsburgh) NY 12919 with an affiliate called Infomatika, Inc at 3300 S. Gessner, Suite 250 Houston, TX 77063, whose (bogus) invoice was also dated in the month of July.
This experience fit the Federal Trade Commission's description of "Directory Scams" which can be found at ftc. Gov
They must have called our business initially to obtain my name, and may have sent unsolicited materials and an invoice, however this invoice did not state "this is not an invoice." Also, the website on which the alleged listing appears states that it is undergoing "hardware updates" and will be back online in 48 hours.
The invoice also asks for credit card information.
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