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(This is from the Collection Development list. I hope none of you have gotten calls from these scam artists. -L.) -----Original Message----- Sent: Tuesday, January 07, 2003 1:55 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: CDL: (Response 4) Problem company Original posting followed by response: > From: Mary-Bess Halford <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > I am having a problem with a very pushy company called IT DataDirect which > claims that I have signed on for a number of its products when I am quite > sure that I have not. The procedure is that the item has been on back > order and is now winging its way to me attached to a very hefty price > tag. Has anybody else had trouble with them? How do I get them to > stop? Or am I just developing a persecution complex? Thanks for any > insight you can give. > > Mary-Bess Halford > Library Director > T. W. Phillips Memorial Library > Bethany College > Bethany, WV 26032 > U.S.A. > Phone (304) 829-7334 > Fax (304) 829-7333 === Response 4 === From: Gwen Vredevoogd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> IT DataDirect is one of the companies identified in this posting to ACQNET about business directory scams: Subject: ACQNET: Yet More! Information on Business Directory Scams Date: Sun, 05 May 2002 17:15:20 -0400 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 16:46:52 -0400 From: Joan D. Bueter (Barry Univ.) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: World Data Publishers and other Scam Artist companies This has also happened to us. We did not pay them and I filed a complaint with the Florida State Attorneys Office Division of Consumer Affairs. It didn't seem to have much result but at least their name is in the State computer somewhere as the scam artists that they are. Incidentally these directories are not inexpensive, but cost about $300.00 each. And I defy anyone, even trained librarians, to find anything in one. They, from the ones that I have seen, are just a random collection of business names and addresses. I also filed a complaint about them to the Better Business Bureau and while I am sending this to you I will also send a copy to SEFLIN (South East Florida Library Information Network) The problem with the BBB is that they are not connected throughout the country. They are all individual units so you may not find out in your area about the complaint that I filed in my area of the country. Whenever I get calls from these or other suspicious companies that tell me that I (or someone else, as sometimes they have the name of a librarian or other library staff member) have already purchased the directory and they need permission to send the "rest of the order" I ask them for their name and the address and phone number of their company. When they give that to me, I ask them for the purchase order number. They of course NEVER have one. I then tell them that I order every book for this library myself and every order has a purchase order number and that I never ordered their directory and they must NEVER call this library again. Sometimes I don't get calls from that particular company again, (sometimes I do) but I still am always getting calls from others like them. This is what leads me to believe that they are connected in some way. They share lists; otherwise how would they know my name and phone number? The following is a list of the companies that run the same scam. These are companies who have actually called me to tell me that to complete my order they need my permission to send the last directory or some story similar to that. I believe that some of thesecompanies are related and have sprung from the same "mothership" - You'll see when you look at their names. E Com Business Directory ---- Philadelphia, PA IBD (International Business Directory) This was the original scam that got us. IT Data Direct Info Chase Info Com (I was told that they bought out World Data Publishers)---- Florence, KY Info Com Direct (publishing the "Wilson and Goldberg - Goldbook") Informatica - NYC Datalink Directories MDSC Publishing (American Corporate Directory) Mayrand (American Business Guide) ---- Champlain, NY and of course the infamous *** World Data Publishers ======= In addition, here is the list from Kim Ellis: Ameri-Globe Publishing, Miami, Fl American Access American Data Business Communications DataLink Directory Datatech Communications DataTel Hanson Publications IT&T, Switzerland InfoCom, Florence, Ky, 41042 Infotek MDSC Publishing, Canada. MNC Publications, Champlain, NY, 12919 National Business Info Newline Publishing, Port Huron, MI 48060 Pin Point Publishing, Canada Quality Submit, Charlestown, MA, 02129 United Media UTP Digital Directories World Data Publishing --- It may help to let them know you're on to them. Gwen Vredevoogd Marymount University 2807 N. Glebe Road Arlington, VA 22207 703-526-6835 [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Include in body: unsubscribe ctls-l For information on CTLS-L please visit: http://www.ctls.net/document/ctls-l.htm
