Jcom SKYMEDIA called me on or about March 13. I was under the impression at the time that I was confirming information for the Yellow Pages and understood the amount due to be four dollars and thirty-nine cents ($4.39) which I assumed to be postage. When they confirmed it at four hundred fifty-nine dollars and ninety cents ($459.90) rather than $4.39 amount I thought I was agreeing to, I said wait, but by that time they had hung up. Since I did not know the source of the call or remember the name of the company, I had no way of getting back to them and assumed I would be able cancel the order on receipt of a written confirmation.
Unfortunately, their invoice, dated March 14 was not mailed to me until March 28 according to the postmark on the envelope, and I immediately called to cancel. I also returned their invoice with the notation please cancel. They did send me a sample copy of their publication which arrived a few days prior to their invoice, but since I did not remember the name of the company and it did not contain an invoice, I was merely puzzled by this. I was informed that the information had already been entered and could not be deleted from the new publication. At that time, I offered to pay a small amount to have the entry deleted, but was refused. I regret that their advertising department is more hasty, and their billing department is not as efficient. Further, I would add that I had no proof that this information was already entered since they had sent me a sample copy of their publication which did not include a listing for me. Even had I known the name of the company, when I tried to locate them through the Yahoo Yellow Pages, with their invoice in hand and using the address they list, I could not locate a listing for them, so I would not have been able to reach them in a more timely manner in any case.
I have spoken to two of representativesJune and Carolynfrom this firm who said they had limited authority to reduce the amount to $281.94. I still find this unacceptable. When I complained to them that I knew nothing about the company and could not find anything about them on the internet, I realized that I had been misspelling their name as the art work on their logo made it look like jconSkymedi (obviously I was projecting my opinion of the company).
The complaints against them that are already listed are similar to mine: (1) the listing had been solicited by phone; (2) I thought that information was merely being confirmed for the telephone directory; (3) I was put in touch with a supervisor for quality control, the tape of which the company claims is proof of confirmation; (4) I believe the tape was tampered with; (5) I thought they were talking about small amounts—$4.39 (apparently the price has gone up over the last few years) not hundreds of dollars; (5) when I called to complain, I was offered a reduced, but still substantial, price as an alternative.
Although I called and wrote to cancel this listing, I have continued to received frequent calls from their representatives (June and Carolyn) about payment of their bill. They inform me that they do not have authority to go beyond offering me a 40% reduction on my bill. I have asked to speak to someone who does have more authority but have never heard from anyone else (is there anyone else?). Further, at my recent request (May 4) for a copy of my listing, since the sample copy of their publication did not contain it, I was sent a sheetnot a printer's galleywhich could have been produced by any number of means (I could easily duplicate it on my computer), and I certainly would not have approved this listing if I had had a chance since mine is a home based business and it contained my home address, information I would not have wanted listed (I work by appointment).
Phyllis
Oak Park, Illinois
U.S.A.
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