Complaint Review: World Data Publishers

My Experience with this company almost got me fired from my job, a "rep" from their company called my front desk in August of 2002 to "confirm" my companys address to send a " Business to Business" directory that had been ordered, I was a new employee at the time and figured that the person that I had replaced had ordered it so I gave them my address and said fine I acknowledge that It will be shipped and the company will be billed $299.99. Okay fine no big deal when I recived the book, I found it was of no use to my department and called to send it back, This is where it gets interesting, I was told by a woman named " Ivy" that I could not send it back and the my company will still be charged even if I sent it back. Okay so I submitted the invoivce to my accounts payable office and they paid it.

About 2 months later I start reciving about 3 to 6 calls a week from other buisness like theirs maybe even the same one to confirm my address for a directory that was ordered. I of course said NO! do not send me this. I did not order it and It will not be paid for if sent without my permission. The gentleman then procceded to yell at me that I have no choice and it is being sent to me.

This has been happening for about 1 year now at least 3-6 calls a week. Today I recived a call from " Jeff James" saying that my invoice from August had not been paid and I got fed up and told him about his company and what a scam it is he got upset then called me back witht he recording of them confirming my address in August, I do not disagree with that but I do disagree with the bill not being paid and their "sales reps" harassing sales technques.

I am requesting a copy of the paid invoice today to send Fed-Ex to these a$$holes. Below is the information from the BBB (they are no better) but It gave me an idea to how bad this company's practices are. So for all you Receptionists/ Office Mangagers ect, do not accept any calls from WORLD DATA PUBLISHERS INC or any other company to confirm addresses to send " BUISNESS TO BUISNESS" Directory, It is a SCAM!!!!!!!

BBB Report:
Based on our standards, this company has an unsatisfactory

business performance record with the Bureau. An unsatisfactory

business performance report is given when a pattern in the company's customer complaints causes us concern, when the company does not respond to complaints, or when it fails to substantiate its advertising claims.

In this case, our file contains a pattern of complaints alleging misleading selling practices.

Complaints in our file allege that World Data Publishers
contacts companies, by mail and phone, seeking payment of
$299.95 for a business directory. Complainants allege they did not order the directory and request that World Data Publishers stop billing them.

The company responds to most complaints. They claim that the directories were ordered, and that the orders were verified with a second phone call. They claim that the client has the opportunity to cancel the order during the confirmation call.

When evaluating complaint information, please consider the company's size and volume of business. The number of complaints filed against the company may not be as important as the type of complaints and how the company handled them.

Closed Complaints
Number of complaints processed by the BBB since the firm's BBB file was opened in February of 2000: 137
Number of complaints processed by the BBB in last 12 months: 72

Complaints Concerned
Advertising Issues: 1
Outcome of the complaint -
Company made good faith effort to Resolve: 1

Sales Issues: 83
Outcome of all complaints -
Resolved: 24; Unresolved: 15; Delayed Resolution: 4;
Company made good faith effort to Resolve: 36; Company did not respond: 4

Refund or Exchange Issues: 6
Outcome of all complaints -
Resolved: 3; Unresolved: 2; Company made good faith
effort to Resolve: 1

Customer Service Issues: 13
Outcome of all complaints -
Resolved: 3; Unresolved: 1; Company made good faith
effort to Resolve: 5; Company did not respond: 4

Credit or Billing Issues: 34
Outcome of all complaints -
Resolved: 8; Unresolved: 4; Company made good faith
effort to Resolve: 19; Company did not respond: 3

EDUCATIONAL/GENERAL COMMENTS


The following is Better Business Bureau general advice: If you receive an invoice for renewing your advertisement in a local business directory, beware of a scam in which solicitations disguised as invoices are mailed to firms by copycat publishers.

These misleading solicitations, asking for $100-$200, fall just short of actually breaking the law. Most include disclaimers required by federal postal law to distinguish a solicitation from an invoice. But many recipients who don't read the fine print are misled by the names of the soliciting companies, which resemble those of well-known business directory distributors. Many copycat publishers use the familiar let your fingers do the walking logo and the term yellow pages. Use of the logo is not illegal, since neither the logo nor the term yellow pages is a registered trademark.

Most of the soliciting firms publish a directory of sorts, but the value and circulation of these publications may be questionable. The targets of the solicitations usually are selected from ads placed in local yellow pages directories. Some solicitations may include clippings from bona fide yellow pages ads, or they may be stamped renewal or amount due.

It is against U.S. Postal Service regulations to mail a bill, invoice, or statement of account due that is actually a solicitation, unless it bears one of these disclaimers:

THIS IS A SOLICITATION FOR THE ORDER OF GOODS OR SERVICES, OR BOTH, AND NOT A BILL, INVOICE, OR STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT DUE. YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO MAKE ANY PAYMENTS ON ACCOUNT OF THIS OFFER UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER. Or: THIS IS NOT A BILL.

THIS IS A SOLICITATION. YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO PAY UNLESS YOU ACCEPT THIS OFFER. One of these disclaimers must be conspicuously printed on the face of the solicitation in at least 30-point type. If you object to a solicitation, you may contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at (201) 324-3720.

This information is general in nature and is not to be interpreted as a reliability report on any specific company.

Layla
New York, New York
U.S.A.