Complaint Review: Hometown Productions

In August of 2009, I received a phone call from this company for advertising.  I agreed to advertise our construction company on local maps for $309.00, which had to be paid at that time.  I submitted an electronic check.  The salesperson said that they were with the Park County tourism board.  Assuming that everything was on the up-and-up, I forgot about it.  2 months later, I received a call from another local company who had had some trouble with this company.  The other local company was advising everyone listed on the maps that Hometown Productions was a sham.  I was concerned, but, being out of town, couldn't do anything about it.  November 4, 2009, I received another call from Hometown Productions, who said they were checking in to see if we had received our maps.  I had indeed received them, and proceeded to tell "Sarah" that I had concerns about the legitimacy of their company.  She assured me that she had been the Director of this company for 13 years, and she would do everything possible to ease my concerns.  I was still skeptical, but stayed on the phone.  She said that I needed to pay the invoice. (I had forgotten that I'd paid in August.)  I told her that I was referring to the current invoice and was not interested in advertising any more.  When I told her that the invoice said $309.00, she said that I should have only been charged $209.00 and transferred me to the billing department.  Sadly, I did not write down her name, but she said that I had to pay over the phone.  I told her that I was not signing up for another advertisement, but that I was only concerned with the current bill.  When I said that I wouldn't do check over-the-phone, she got a little haughty, but said she'd mail out an invoice.  Within 5 minutes, Sarah called back and said that in order to receive the "discount" I would have to pay immediately.  I refused, and she agreed to send me a copy of the contract.  I never received it. 

While taking care of bills over the weekend, I realized that I had already paid $309.00 in August.  I called Sarah back, and was informed that she was under the impression that I wanted another advertisement for year 2010.  When I said that I had already paid in August and that a year had not passed, she said "I'm only in sales and do not know anything about that.  I only call people back on the repeat advertiser list."  I told her to take me off of that list and cancel any orders she had for me.  At that time, I was informed to wait for the invoice and write "Cancel" on it.  I said that wasn't good enough, and she replied, once again, that "I'm in sales and have nothing to do with that."  I called the Customer Service (1-800-778-6308) who claimed that I did not have any new orders or invoices.  I guess I'll wait to see what happens next.  BEWARE!  THEY ARE VERY FRIENDLY AND AGREEABLE UNTIL YOU PAY!!!