Complaint Review: Dallas Morning News Media

At a CEU course for Interior Designers, on April 11. 2013 ,Dallas Morning news Media 508 gave two free new cell phone websites valued at $1000 ea, as prizes. Having won one, and being semi retired and not very "techie" I followed up. I wish I hadn't. More than 72 hours were spent dealing with a very unorganized company.

First of all FREE doesn't mean free to them. There was a $250 a month charge. NEW doesn't mean new to them ...they copied my existing website, only less, and added false information like "Call for a free  consultation" which we never do , or custom cabinets which we don't do either. The google address link was from 5 years ago. The map for people to come was to a PO Box.

But the worst was the 'super' salesman Mike Champion ,who said 508 had close connections with Google and my company would, at no extra charge be on the 1st page of Google... in 3 months  we were never  lower than page 15-18 which NO ONE ever goes to. Had he not made that promise I would have shown him the door. 80% of our jobs are referrals from happy clients. 20% are from our exisiting website. 

During the ensuing months much more frustration with what I wanted correctly conveyed on the site. The DMN robot telephone system doesn't connect you unless you have the extention #. During this time I contacted or contacted + got no reponse from the following employees: Brian Ritenour, Mike Champion, Jordan Imhoff ( who was somewhat helpful but hadn't much authority ...it took a month to take down the site, and I was billed after it came down) Tara, Jason, Kim, Whitney was out of office then on vacation 1 month total, Dindi and Richard Alfano. 

Having Zero return for money paid $750 + unauthorized extras, I then contested my chages on my credit card .They informed me that DMNmedia had 40-60 Days to respond which they didn't do, so the credit became permanent on Nov.11, 2013. I sighed with releif!     Wrong...Dec .31 I got another bill only larger. I then explained to Chiquita that we never received what was promised. The whole process was a disappointment and waste of my time + energy. I thought the money issues were settled last year when no reply was made to the Credit card people.

Saga gets worse...Collection Company calling daily threatening seizure of assets...never spoke to them as I was recovering from a health issue. They also  mailed to an old non- functioning address, which weren't forwarded to me for 20 days each time. On the advise of my attorney, I then sent a "Cease + Desist" letter.  

There are 5,000 Interior Designers in Texas and I feel its my obligation to warn them and any other small business owners to not get scammed in a time absorbing, non productive situation with this company. I have also spoken to people who didn't "win a free website" but contracted with DMNmedia. They said they got zero results and would not renew with them.

I have never in 28 years of business written a formal complaint or not paid a legitimate invoice.

I also think it was in poor taste to say something is Free when it is not.