Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Don’t Mess With Me!

USDirectory.com (a.k.a YP.com, YP.net, Web Pages.com) will rue the day they ever messed me! We have been dealing with this company for years. They inundate you with checks that if you deposit them, you sign up for their web directory service in which they charge you $50 a month for something we already get for free. Generally, we just watch for their checks and then I shred them when they come in, BUT the company keeps changing their name, and inevitably, one will slip through the cracks and will be given to our Teresa (who works for our accountant) and it will get deposited.

We used to get bills from them and I would have to call and cancel the service – which is annoying in itself. But NOW they have started taking the tracking number off the back of your check and auto-debiting your bank account without you knowing it. A person should not go to so much effort to avoid signing up for something you don’t want. And yesterday, was the straw the broke the camel’s back.

After so much work, I discovered that yet another check had slipped past us, so I called the company not only to cancel our service, but to also to once again tell them to take us off their mailing list. This is when it all blew up. I went to close my door so that anyone in our reception area wouldn’t hear me yelling at them, but I was a little angrier than I thought and accidentally slammed my door. I have had it with this company and I told them it is my goal in life to shut them down, and today, I took steps to do just that.

I called the Better Business Bureau this morning in Florida. They took my complaint and then gave me a list of other places to contact because it seems there is an ongoing investigation into this company. I have talked the Attorney General’s Office in Florida, I’ve talked to the Consumer Affairs Office in Florida, I have filed a complaint with the US Postal Services Criminal Investigation Department, and have contacted the Direct Marketing Organization.

I’m sure that places like this will always find a way to operate, but you better bet I’m going to do my best to make it really difficult for them. I’m really a pretty docile person, but don’t cross me too many times or you will be sorry. So be warned! =o)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi my name is Dan, I am 23 years old and from Chico, California. I own a screenprinting business I also got taken by this company. it was not for very much. I informed my mother of usdirectory.com and she sent me a link of your blog I am just curious what steps you have taken since this blog. I have spent too many hours dealing with their lies to quit now.

Stacey said...

I contacted my local BBB. They put me in contact with the Florida BBB (can't remember what county, but it you call you're BBB, they should be able to assist you). I was also put in contact with the District Attorney's office in that area. They sent me a form to complete because they are working on a case against this company. Problem was, all of our accounting is outsourced and our accountant hadn't kept any of the necessary paper work for me to proceed. I highly recommend starting with the BBB. When I explained to them my situation, they gave me all kinds of agencies to contact because they did have record that complaints had been filed against this company. Maybe I said something that struck fear into them the last time because I have not received anything from them in months and it had been on a regular basis. Hope this helps. Good luck.