Last October I received a phone call from Pin Point Marketing; aka, Metro Directories, aka United Metro Directories. The sales rep was selling ad space to be placed in three local high school sports schedules.
The cost was $200.00 for a 3" x 10" banner ad to be placed inside a 11" x 17" sports schedule. The sales rep said my ad will be placed in three independant local high school sports schedules to be released in the Spring of 2008. I was also told that Pin Point Marketing ships 5000 sports schedules to local businesses and public schools for distribution. The sale rep further explained that each school distributes these schedules at every game, and businesses posts them in their establishments. I purchased one banner ad for the Spring and one ad for the Fall schedule, a $400.00 investment.
The result has been an endless and frustrating game of cat and mouse. I have spoke to several representatives of the company in question, including Jennifer Brian, Matt Simons, and Shane (last name unknown). Since last February I have requested copies of the schedules be mailed on numerous occasions for my own marketing and distribution purposes only to be told by Jennifer time after time that they are in the mail. My original order was made on 10/22/07. To date yet to receive a physical copy of these posters nor have I ever seen such a poster in town or handed out at a high school game.
I have determined that Jennifer and her associates are nothing more than lying petty thieves that steal money from hard working small business owners. The proof is beginning to pour in.
I have learned that based on Better Business Bureau (BBB) files, this company has an unsatisfactory record due to failure to respond over complaints such as sales practice issues, delivery, product and refund/exchange issues among others. The BBB processed a total of 25 complaints about this company in the last 36 months. I wonder how many other small business owners who were cheated thought about doing something but didn't?
The Tomball Magnolia Tribune reported that The Tomball Independent School District and Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce warned local businesses that Pinpoint Marketing was contacting local business and asking them to buy advertising on athletic schedules. The company was claiming to be affiliated with Tomball High School when they were not. After I read this article I notified the Bellingham School District. They will be posting a warning out to our local business community in the days ahead.
It is evident that this company is a fraud to put it simply. Today, before I began writing this statement or whatever you want to call, I received a phone call from Samantha, one of Pin Points sales reps. Apparently Pin Point Marketing doesn't realize that I'm on to their scam.
I asked Samantha if she would email me a pdf of the 2008 Spring and Fall sports schedules before I decide to purchase anymore ad space. I was astonished to find an email a few minutes later from Pin Point Marketing. It was the Fall 2008 schedule!
Excited I opened that attachment only to find my suspicions were right. My schedule is completely bogus. United Metro Distributions or Pin Point Marketing or whoever they really are inserted unknown names of schools and inaccurate dates/times of games in the schedule. It's not real. And the 11 x 17 poster design is absolutely amateur. Maybe I should be thankful that this poster isn't being viewed by my local community folk.
Karma where are you? Find these people and make them pay for their disgusting lives. I have much work ahead to expose these people for who they are. Fellow readers it's time to act. If you've been scamed do something about it. Write to the BBB and your state attorney's office.
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