I was contacted via phone at my business, on multiple occasions, by various individuals claiming to need to update my business address for "my free Yellow Pages listing." I've been receiving these calls for years and assumed they were some sort of scam. After being relentlessly harassed (even after telling them I had no interest in what they were selling) I one day decided I'd just see what it was all about and take the call.
I told the person on the other end of the line that I didn't want a Yellow Pages listing and wanted to taken out of the directory altogether. He insisted that I needed to confirm my address or it could be printed wrong. I would be able to opt out of future listings when the next directory was being put together.
OK. I'll play along.
So I go through a series of questions which confirm that they have my business information generally correct. A couple of changes are needed, so my rep makes them upon my request. Finally, he tells me that he will need to transfer me to someone like his "confirmation manager" or something. I'm a little hazy on that detail. At this point, I will need to answer yes to a series of questions that once again confirm my business information. My answers will be recorded, he says.
So it goes down just like he says. Some other guy reads off my information just as it should be and I answer "yes, " when asked if it's correct at short intervals.
Then things took a turn...
The final questions is more of a statement. It basically said that I'm agreeing to be charged 39.95 a month for this or that. I said "No." The guy gets back on the line and says I won't be billed unless I send a card back in the mail indicating that I want the service. I tell him that they should change the message to that then, because it has me agreeing to something I don't want.
We went back and forth for a bit as he assured me that they just needed my vocal confirmation IN CASE I opted into their bullsh*t charge via mail.
I'm sad to admit that I had a lapse of reason and said "yes, " to the final question. I was railroaded by this guy (who was getting a bit nasty) and actually believed him when he said I wouldn't be charged.
So what do you think happened? Come on, you guys are so cynical. You think everything's a scam. These guys were just trying to make sure my business got a correct listing in the Yellow Pages, right?
Wrong.
They're crooks.
I've been charged over $40 a month for several months now. I just noticed this month. Lucky for me, I've already switched to Comcast phone and internet service. The switch will be taking effect next month so I don't have to spend time trying to deal with this.
I'm leaving AT&T because they've handled my account very poorly. This nonsense is just one more reason I'll never do business with them again.
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