Complaint Review: North Shore Agency INC

I received a "Notice of our intent to resolve this matter," regarding NSA's "Last Collection effort for a subscription to "Bicycling Magazine," which NO ONE in our home ever ordered, nor did we ever receive such a subscription. Threats were made to, "Continue these appropriate measures under the law to further implement the collection of your (our) seriously delinquent account." As well, this bogus letter referred to our family being "listed as delinquent on an internal file, unless we sent full payment for this subscription to North Shore Agency, INC.

I was furious that our name was used for this ficticious bill; with the obvious ploy to threaten unsuspecting people into paying for a product they NEVER ordered, nor received.

To add salt into this scam, the bold telephone contact number is NOT a toll free number. Not realizing this was a means to extort money, and believing there had been a honest mistake; I dialed this number anticipating I would be able to speak with a North Shore Agency, INC (NSA) representative. Instead, I spent 3 minutes on a long distance call which went through several options. The first of course, was NSA's easy process for me to send them money in order to "Pay my debt," clear our name off the internal file, and stop further "measures by NSA "Under the law," to pay our ficticious debt by credit card or check number! If one did not invest the time and money for the long distance call; I would have not heard the final option which stated, "Press #_, if you never ordered this subscription. After pressing this option, I waited to be transferred to a real person in order to ensure NSA's "mistake" had truly been corrected and that we would not receive any more threatening letters or "NOTICES!" A real person NEVER entered my one-way conversation and effort to "clear my name and credit rating.

I went on line to look up another telephone contact number for NSA. Again, this was a long distance call which I will be charged for. It was clear this company profited by scaring people who were unfortunate enough, to have NSA's computer select their name and address for this bogus billing! After 2 calls I finally spoke with a supposed customer service rep, who informed me that his name was Chris Poindexter. I wonder how many Chris Poindexter(s) work as customer service reps for NSA? Unbelievably, after verifying my home address the next words out of Mr. Poindexter's mouth were, "This call may be taped and monitored in attempt to help secure payment for your debt!" Another threat! Unlike any other customer representative I have spoken with in the past, Mr. Poindexter not once asked, "May I help you," nor did Mr. Poindexter offer any form of an apology for his company's intentional AND sucessful ploy, to create a night's worth of havoc, concern, and questions regarding our family's credit rating; and fear of what else we would be charged for; which we had NEVER ordered or received a product or service for. Concern mounted, as we went through several scenerios; assuming someone might be illegally using our credit cards, or unlawfully ordering items as a prank.

My conversation with Mr. Poindexter ended without him uttering a word after he proclaimed my call could be taped and monitored for NSA's purpose of securing payment.

Thus, I remain unclear, if my name has been removed from NSA's and Bicycling Magazines "internal list; or, will I continue to receive these threatening scam letters. I informed Mr. P, I wanted reimbursement for my wasted time, anxiety and 3 long distance calls. Mr. P. had nothing further to say beyond his initial threat to tape and monitor my call to NSA's Customer Service Rep.

I cannot believe such a scam is legal. I hope this company's ploys of using threats to squeeze illegal dollars out of innocent and bill paying people can be stopped! Obviously, after reading the numerous negative comments on the internet regarding this so-called company, I am not alone.

Rae
Madison, Wisconsin
U.S.A.