Complaint Review: The Blue Book Network - Jefferson Valley New York

We are a construction company who signed up with the blue book after a sales person completely lied to us about how the service works.  We SPECIFICALLY asked if the "leads" were from the job owners, as we did not want to waste our time with getting emails from companies who did not own the jobs.  She ASSURED us that we would only receive leads from job owners. First of all, we received a lot of "leads" but had to filter through them because about 90% of them were for jobs that were no where near our service area.  That aside, we bid on multiple projects. It was only after following up each time that I discovered none of the companies owned the jobs!  They were simply taking our bids and adding them to their own and then submitting them to the actual job owner! 

It was a complete waste of our time, as we were not looking for a networking service.  We had no desire to hobnob and smooth talk people to win them over just to get jobs. And we told the sales person that!  My husband has been submerged in this industry since he was 16, so we didn't need to network; we were simply seeking cut and dry leads to bid.  Once we got the job, our hard work would have earned us future work for that company.  We DID NOT want or need a networking program and we made sure the sales rep was very aware of that!  She spent 2 hours in our office sharing personal stories and gaining our trust, only to manipulate us into getting her sale at any cost!

She also lied to us by saying that we could cancel at any time we were not satisfied.  She went from saying this was a 2 year commitment (we refused) to a 1 year commitment (we were still extremely hesitant) to, "You can use your credit card for the monthly billing so that, if you aren't satisfied, once you cancel with us, you can also dispute it through your credit card company."

She also left us with a copy of our "contract"; a one page paper that listed what we were paying for and the associated monthly charges. 

During our dispute process, a customer service rep said that our contract said we could not cancel.  I asked for a copy of it because the contract we had did not say that.  The customer service rep emailed me a TWO page "contract".  The first page was what the sales rep gave us for our records.

The second page was the "PAYMENT AUTHORIZATION" slip that the sales rep gave me to sign to give permission to bill our credit card.  Apparently, THAT page was the second page of the “contract!”  

THAT PAGE listed, in small print under the large payment authorization section, the actual “contract” terms where it says the contract is "non-cancelable".  Had I realized the actual CONTRACT was 2 pages, I would have read the entire thing and would have seen that it was non-cancelable and would not have signed up, as that contradicted what the sales rep told us!

But the ONLY THING presented to us as the COMPLETE CONTRACT was the FIRST page.  She even said, "Here is a copy of your contract for your records", as she gave me the FIRST PAGE only!  

The ENTIRE sales process was a scam and I absolutely feel violated.  YES, I signed something granting permission for them to bill my credit card. BUT, it was NOT presented to me as a "contract" with terms.  It was given to me as a credit card authorization slip to sign! 

Our sales rep said we could cancel at anytime we were not satisfied and told me to use my credit card for the monthly billing so I could dispute the charge if it took too long to process the cancellation. HER WORDS.

So, when I disputed the transaction in May 2015 and it was resolved in our favor; I took that, along with the info from our sales rep, to believe that everything was resolved.

I NOW understand that disputes with my credit card company have no bearing on the "contract" I signed.... But I was not aware of that BEFORE NOW.

So, since MAY 2015, based on the information from our sales rep and my credit card company, I assumed the service was cancelled and resolved.  I have not received ANYTHING from The Blue Book; not an invoice, a statement, an email, a phone call, a letter...NOTHING saying we owed them money…..until 4 MONTHS LATER in August 2015, when a collection agency called to say we owe them $1,672.70, which includes penalties and interest from non payment!!

Keep in mind that we have already paid the Blue Book $786.68 for being lied to.  I did not ask for a refund because we did not initiate the cancellation process until the end of April.  At that point, after figuring out this was not what we were told it would be, we simply wanted to part ways; be removed from their program and stop being billed. 

BUT, ultimately, because I signed a so-called "contract" I am now stuck trying to fight... what I know is going to be... a losing battle because everyone keeps saying, "You signed the contract" I just keep repeating, "I signed a PAYMENT AUTHORIZATION FORM" not a “contract”.....but no one cares to listen to how I was hoodwinked by a lying sales woman; they just see my name on a "contract".

And now, after I sent an email to cancel the service in April 2015, and then disputed it in May 2015 with my credit card company (Like my sales rep said to do) ... I have been sent to a collection agency for payment. 

I can tell you, a collection agency is not something we have ever dealt with before!  Had I known the blue book said we still owed them money all this time, I would have been challenging it months ago and it never would have gotten this far! The entire process, from start to finish, has just left a horrible taste in my mouth!  So far we have already lost $786.68 and are now being told we owe an ADDITIONAL $1,672.70. Where is the justice here?  At what point does this company stand behind the fact that its sales person (who is no longer with the company BTW) was dishonest and misrepresented its services and terms.  

Instead, the manager with whom I communicated said that he reached out to the sales rep who said WE negotiated the terms from 2 years down to 1 year because we had financial troubles!!  We have NEVER had financial troubles!!!  I was appalled at how the lies continued!  He went on to say that she had to obtain “special permission” from him to ALLOW US to have the 1 year contract before she could agree because that was not a customary practice.  So NOW, the area manager is lying because the entire 2 hour timeframe the sales person was in our office she NEVER made a phone call, sent/received a text or email or had ANY communication with anyone outside of our office!  

This entire process has opened my eyes to deceitful people and I am extremely saddened by the injustice of it. 

I would have no issue with the service, had it been portrayed accurately! We just would not have signed up for it; because it WAS NOT what we were looking for. We made that VERY CLEAR to the sales woman, but she told us whatever we wanted to here in order to get me to sign that payment authorization page.... which looking back.... must have been why SHE was so unwavering about me using my credit card for the automatic billing.  

Had I chosen to make monthly payments on my own, I wouldn't have had a reason to sign that second payment authorization page.... So she would have HAD to present it to me as the signature page of the contract!  Then I would have read it and saw "non cancelable" and called her on it!

The ENTIRE meeting with her was calculated and it makes me sick!

SO....all of that to say....if the Blue Book's services are portrayed properly by a sales person and you enter into a contract knowing exactly what to expect and that the terms are non cancelable.....then great!  BUT PLEASE UNDERSTAND that we had a very dishonest sales person who deliberately lied to us about the service and its terms and scammed us into signing up for something that we could not cancel...just to make her sale!

Now…we have been sent to a collection agency and are trying to negotiate a settlement!  This is wrong and The Blue Book should not condone sales people who use trickery and lies to obtain signed contracts from hard working small business owners!  Or maybe profits and the bottom line are more important to them than integrity?  Either way, we are stuck in this quagmire trying to reach some sort of resolution so we can move on!

Ultimately, I would LOVE for a representative from the Blue Book to contact me and say the money we have already paid $786.68 is enough and we can just part ways; but I’m sure that will never happen!