Complaint Review: 411.ca - Toronto Alberta

On June 5th, 2013, JUST LAW INC. retained the services of 411 local for the purpose of online advertising for a client we represent. JUST LAW INC. is an advertising firm and advertises on behalf of numerous legal clients throughout Alberta & Saskatchewan. JUST LAW INC. tracks all inbound phone calls and all inbound emails to us and our clients as a monthly deliverable.

Our contact at 411 was Tamara Drover. Tarama Drover confirmed we would be able to try the service for 30 days with payment, at which time we would have the option to cancel. There would be no additional fees.

Upon full review of the service we decided to cancel the service. None of the deliverables outlined by Tamama were sent to us. None of the goals said to be achievable were met.

On July 4th, precisely 1 day before our next billing cycle, we contacted 411 to cancel our account. It was relayed to us that we would not be able to cancel for 30 days in contradiction to what was originally conveyed to us verbally.

411 conveyed that it was “in their terms of service” that 30 days notice was required. Nowhere in the documentation, or verbal conversation, was this stipulation ever relayed. 411 have claimed we can find the terms of service on their website.  Not only were the terms location never disclosed, but we have never agreed to them. It is a preposterous assertion that publically posted terms denote an agreement by us to provide them 30 days cancellation notice.

411 has relayed that they had sent a terms of use email dictating these cancellation terms to us. They have purported that it was read. This is impossible for them to establish within our system. Further, reading an email does not constitute agreement to terms even if they were presented (which we established they were not). As we track all incoming emails we have confirmation of the validity of this assertion. It has been confirmed untrue. Upon further questioning, 411 has indicated the terms of use email was sent to the wrong email address. When suggesting that this certainly voids any agreement, if ever there was a legitimate agreement, 411 back-peddled to say they had used the correct email address. It is shocking that they claim to be able to see that it’s read but have no record of where it was sent. Having reviewed all inbound email logs, and all email receipts for this account, there is a glaring omission of terms of use that were never sent to us, purportedly received on June 6th.  

Regardless of the claims of 411, we have not signed, nor agreed to, any agreement to release funds on a monthly basis, nor agreed to in conversation, or writing, a requisite 30 day cancellation notice.

We have taken further steps to fight this action:

1. Contacted legal counsel about the dispute

2. Forwarded a registered email with delivery receipt outlining the cancellation

3. Contacted customer support to receive a cancellation number

4. Recorded all correspondence with 411 for future review

5. Contacted the BBB (noted they have 68 similar complaints)
6. Contacted the RCMP Criminal Crimes Division

It is the opinion of JUST LAW that this company is operating fraudulently. They have purposely lie to us, hidden terms of service, failed to comply with our cancellation request, and have effectively stolen our credit card number.  

It is well established by 3rd parties that this behaviour constitute a standard operating practice by 411, by which people and organizations are lied to in this exact format. We are not the only company whose credit card number has been stolen. It is unconscionable that this company has the ability to continue operating in this fraudulent manner.