DataSource Solutions is a company that benefits from neglectful Account Receivable Departments. What they do is send out a billing for $495 to companies stating that you owe them for being listed on their website. Here is our story, which coincidentally follows the same problems that other companies have experienced.
It first started when we received a bill stating that we owe $495 for being listed on their website. We did not recognize the company name and the letter addressed did not have company name correct on the envelope, so we were already in doubt. We contacted DataSource with the 888 number they had provided. They said that our owner had given them a verbal confirmation over the phone to list us on their website for $495.
This set off an alarm already. The owner does NOT do any marketing, because we have a marketing director that does so. Secondly, we have NEVER agreed to verbal confirmations of ANY kind over the phone. This is not company policy, and why we would have changed that policy for them is suspicious. We tried explaining this to them, and they stuck to their guns. The owner was not in, so we knew we had to talk to him.
Upon discussing the problem with the owner, he was confused because he said he never authorized anything with a company called DataSource Solutions. We proceeded to look up these people to see what was really going on. Upon research, we discovered their website and other complaints from around the country about DataSource Solutions. All of the stories were the same (about the mysterious $495 invoice).
The website itself has its own design flaws as well. The website is set up to search by company name ONLY. You can choose to search by a broad category if you'd like. But from there the businesses are in no order, and are just listings. There are no links to external sites (meaning if you find the company you cannot be redirected to their website). DataSource Solutions opens up the Yellow Pages and adds companies to their list and sends them an invoice WITHOUT consent in hopes that you will pay it.
Then they claim they talked to someone and that they have a recorded conversation with them. However, none of us ever recalls their company stating before conversations that For quality costumer insurance, the following conversation may be recorded. We made note of that when we called them back to dispute the invoice. So if they recorded us, we were unaware.
We called back telling them that the owner had never authorized such a listing and they snapped back stating that we had and that they have voice recorded conversation. When asked to recall the recorded conversation, they could not provide the evidence. From there, we were flustered and said that we will not, under any circumstances, be paying their invoice and that if they made any other contact with us that we would contact our attorney. We hung up and ended our conversation.
I had contacted the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General's Office. I still continue to make known about how much of a scam this is so that others are aware of these people's dishonesty and that others will not be taken by DataSource Solutions. After doing the research, there are many companies doing this. I've done all I can do, I just want everyone to be aware!
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