I was contacted about a free trial. I declined and said I do not buy anything over the phone from solicitors especially if it is an 800 number. The rep said, I understand. Thank you for your time. Just to verify that we spoke and so I can take you off the mailing list can I have your month and day of birth. I said ok hung up and forgot about it. I didn’t realize that I had just been scammed.
Apparently they started sending me the “Keep up to date on Payroll” publication. I never opened the envelopes because it looked like junk mail and threw it away. What I didn’t know was inside the envelopes were invoices! After the first one there were PAST DUE invoices! Since I never opened the envelopes (apparently I got 10 of them, although I think that is a lie) I was surprised Monday morning to get a call from International Credit Recovery collection agency. They said I was in collections for $108.00. I asked what company had put me in collections and they said Progressive Business Publications.
I contacted PBP and, after several heated conversation, asked to speak to the supervisor. The supervisor, Nikki Shimmel said I had entered into a contract with them and I owed the money. She said when I gave them my date of birth I basically signed the contract. I paid the money just to get the experience over. Nikki is VERY good at scamming people. She has apparently had that same conversation with many people. Not only do I feel like they stole my money, the scammers (I have a hard time believing it is a legitimate company) stole my time and my credit rating.
I also think the collection agency is in on it. As soon as I got off the phone with Nikki and paying $49.00, they called me again saying they would take $50.00 and get me out of collections. Makes me wonder if they are all sitting in the same office.
On a side note, just as I was in the middle of dealing with this fiasco, my wife received an invoice from them! She has never even talked to them! Wonder how they got her birthdate? This time we immediately called them and cancelled.By the way, if you need it, the phone number is 1-800-220-5000. And looking at the publication it contains nothing of real value. So not only do they steal your money, they have nothing to offer. The newsletters are nothing but a front.
I called several places today, to see what I could do about it, and the best information I received was to file a complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which I am going to do as soon as I am done writing this complaint. Since they are using the USPS to conduct their transactions, it would be considered mail fraud.
If they contact me or mail something to me again, I will put in another complaint. I will do it every time they try something.
These scammers need to be put in jail and this operation shut down. They use strong arm tactics to back you into a corner and then they steal your money.
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