Another Ripoff, Wth!

Business By costumeczar Updated 23 Oct 2009 , 7:04pm by MichelleM77

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costumeczar Posted 22 Oct 2009 , 6:07pm
post #1 of 16

I just got a call from someone asking if I wanted to continue or discontinue my listing with "Yellow blue book", which is they said is some kind of online yellow pages. I don't do any of those, so I said to discontinue it, thinking that they'd leave me alone (fat chance). So she says "Fine, I'll discontinue that, and send your final invoice to you for $7.45" (Or $745, who knows)

I asked her again what this listing was, and she said it was an online listing like the yellow pages, and I told her I never signed up for anything like that. She said it was "verbal confirmation", and asked if I was sure that I'd never spoken to a representative about it. I told her that I never do them, so if they have anything it's not a legal confirmation unless it's in writing. She said "I'll look into this" and hung up.

So watch out, there's another scam going around. I guess they tell you that you owe the final balance and bill you for something, hoping that you won't remember that you never signed up for it.

15 replies
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Kiddiekakes Posted 22 Oct 2009 , 6:10pm
post #2 of 16

Yup...That's how these scammers get your money!!! I have heard of that here....Say No...and demand that you did not verify anything and that you will not pay for anything!!

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KHalstead Posted 22 Oct 2009 , 6:25pm
post #3 of 16

there's another scam going on too that I fell victim too....when you order stuff online (vista print is who got me with it)...in the fine print you're agreeing to sign up for something else when you hit "no thank you" on an offer...you have to evidentally click the "skip this ad" button instead (who knew?? Not me obviously!)....I noticed a $4.95 charge on my online statement and looked back and saw that I had been getting this charge for 3 months. I didn't recognize the name of the company charging it, so I googled it and came up with a list of companies that "trick you" into this...and vista print was one of them (the only one on the list I had done business with, so I'm pretty certain it was them). I called the company and explained that I did NOT want to sign up for this and was unaware that I was being charged. She said "so you want a full refund for all 3 months?" I said "well, yeah...I never signed up for it" she said "ok ma'am, you should receive your refund within 24 hrs. thank you" she didn't question at all!!! They did send me a full refund that showed up on my online bank statement within a couple hours too!

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leah_s Posted 22 Oct 2009 , 7:00pm
post #4 of 16

When you get that online (any color) pages question, don't say anything. Hang up. If you answer their question, you're confirming a relationship with them and they've already got you. Say nothing.

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Auryn Posted 22 Oct 2009 , 7:36pm
post #5 of 16

Another thing I have been told also, is never give out your full name and never answer anything with a yes or no. Give full detailed answers. Easiest thing is to just hang up on them

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HarleyDee Posted 22 Oct 2009 , 7:37pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leah_s

When you get that online (any color) pages question, don't say anything. Hang up. If you answer their question, you're confirming a relationship with them and they've already got you. Say nothing.




That's just crazy! icon_confused.gif

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costumeczar Posted 22 Oct 2009 , 7:52pm
post #7 of 16

Well, I told her that I didn't sign anything, I had no agreement with them, and that if they have any charges listed for me they're false charges, so she can go stick that in her pipe and investigate it.

I can't wait to see if they try to send me an invoice!

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littlecake Posted 22 Oct 2009 , 8:17pm
post #8 of 16

they pulled that on me 2...said i owed them 275.00.

don't worry, after i threw a mini fit...never heard from them again.

i think they try to $$$ from the people who don't know any better.

i had some guy come in the shop pretending to be from the fire dept. trying to get me to buy a fire ext.....like it was required...i asked him what was wrong with the one i already had....ugh...another scam.

and the people who send that thing out, act like its a poster from osha for the employees for 19.99.

geeze between these kinda people...the happy marriage life people...the scamming customers.....this is no job for sissys huh?

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ziggytarheel Posted 22 Oct 2009 , 10:16pm
post #9 of 16

When called by anyone who seems to be a telemarketer, NEVER use the word YES or any other affirmative answer.

For example, if asked, "Is this Mrs. Smith?"
Do NOT answer YES. If you want, say, "This is she."

It's an old scam for folks to record the conversation and then edit it to say what they want. Back when the big phone wars were going on, a lot of "slamming" would happen with some of the tiny companies wanting your business. Happened at our work. Telemarketer called, spoke to the employee who answered the phone. Asked her some random question to which she replied "yes". The next month the bill came for the new phone company and when called, they played back that tape. A big mess, but it was fixed.

I've read that even credit card companies sometimes do this.

Say as little as possible and nothing that means "yes".

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cylstrial Posted 22 Oct 2009 , 10:18pm
post #10 of 16

A few years ago, there was a scam that if you just said yes - they recorded it and then twisted the yes into "you agreed to buy something". So the caller would say, Is this Wendy's? And you'd say yes. And then your company was in trouble. The company I worked for wouldn't let us say the word yes to anyone on the phone.

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auntmamie Posted 22 Oct 2009 , 10:28pm
post #11 of 16

I got the printer cartridge one - I was working front desk at a hotel, and at 11pm one night, got a call asking what our printer was - they were doing a survey. Turns out that they sent us a cartridge and a bill for 4x it's value. Management was upset that I answered, but said it could have happened to anyone.

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grandmaruth Posted 22 Oct 2009 , 10:56pm
post #12 of 16

i work for a hospital and had experience with the printer cartridge scam...they like to call and tell you that prices are increasing and you can order for a limited time at the old price....i knew of these scams and saved our office over 300.00....they hung up on me icon_biggrin.gif

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beachcakes Posted 23 Oct 2009 , 1:06am
post #13 of 16

I work in an office and we get the print cartridge calls weekly! They say they're calling from customer service about our copier. Never reply with the affirmative!

There was another scam a few years back for a business phone book. They mail it to you and if you don't refuse delivery or God forbid you throw it out, you get billed something outrageous like $1000.

A new one recently is an official-looking letter from the Division of Corporations trying to get you to pay them to make Minutes for your corporation.

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CookieMakinMomma Posted 23 Oct 2009 , 1:23am
post #14 of 16

AAH! Thank you for the heads up about VistaPrint KHalstead! I ordered from them just last week and I have no clue what I clicked on to get past those confounded ads. I'll be watching my statements like a hawk now. TY!

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Horselady Posted 23 Oct 2009 , 1:41am
post #15 of 16

Heck AOL charges an extra 7 bucks (yes SEVEN!) For using a debit card to pay them!!!! I mean come on every month they're sure to get ur number because your card is on file but NOPE extra 7 bucks!

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MichelleM77 Posted 23 Oct 2009 , 7:04pm
post #16 of 16

KHalstead, can you share what your bank statement said (the company's name?)? I've ordered from VP a few times and haven't noticed anything, but now I want to check!

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