Complain about a product or service

Yellow Book

Cathy Hauk of Canton, IL November 17, 2009

I had a terrible experience, 2 years ago, when I purchased an ad from an individual that came and talked with us lap top and the whole bit. I purchased an ad with all the promises that go with it, free listing in 3 books, etc. I signed my contract and he went on his way. Several months later, I received a bill there were all kinds of changes on the bill. I told them I didn't authorize them, they said it didn't matter, because I had signed the bill, I told them that the bill had been scratched out and changes made, there were no initials, and I hadn't authorized these changes. To bad you owe us the money.

In January I received a voucher that Yellow book had been taken to court and that I had an 84.oo credit with them, as I was named as a plaintiff, as were people who had advertised with them for a certain period of time. I filed it in the mail and decided that I wouldn't be needing, it but kept it. A few weeks later a rep comes, I explain the horrible service, the false bill, that had been altered after I submitted, my request for advertising and that I didn't want to place an add.

She talks me in to a great deal, she'll make up the bad service to me, with an add in 2 other books, free online listing etc. I tell her about the voucher I have at home, and she says no problem, she will credit it to me, just email her a copy of the voucher. I email a copy of the voucher, I am them requested to put the voucher in the mail, this is in May, I sign and put the voucher in the mail, and they send it back to me and say that I signed, it to early for me to get credit for it and they send it back to me.

I call yellow book, they tell me to email a copy of it, I do this for 3 different people, get harrassing phone calls for the balance, ask them to please credit the voucher balance as I was promised and I would pay the balance, I have now emailed, 4 or 5 times, called almost monthly, had harrasing phone calls and bils and bills. They have never honored the voucher. Don't take them at their word. It may not happen.

Lisa of Michigan City, IN September 21, 2009

Receive several calls a day from Yellow Book pages online and we are on the national do not call list. I have asked them several times to remove us from the calling list, still they call, when called back about 1 min later it says phone number as been disconnected. This has been an ongoing problem between them and the company I work for. Since the office phone is transferred to my cell phone because of surgery I had due to cance, I get charged for incoming calls and they are a lot of them from Yellow Book

Christina of Smyrna, DE August 27, 2009

We had a contract with Yellowbook for 2008 for a print ad. We paid up front with the Salesman. Online advertising was provided as a promotion. In 2009, a sales rep came back around and we signed a form for cancellation for 2009. We did not want to continue service. This form clearly lists the print ad as well as the internet placement to be cancelled. Well in June we started getting a bill for the internet. I have contacted them several times and faxed the cancellation copy I have to them several times. Now they call yesterday and say that this form was not a valid cancellation, a certified letter must be mailed. The term "internet placement" has nothing to do with the online advertising, so the cancellation form did not actually cancel the online ad. I checked the terms and conditions and there is nothing defining the term "internet placement" to be what the main office told me. Now, since it was promotional last year, compliment to our print ad, where is the contract? We didn't sign any contract agreeing to any internet charge, so where is the explanation of fees? Also, I checked online and our business is not even listed. WTF

Joe of Maryville, TN August 5, 2009

Yellow book is nothing but lies and deception. Please no one else fall for their lies. They say you can cancel after 2 months, except after 2 months they act like you don't know what you're talking about. I had 3 phone calls with them. I asked for recordings of all 3. I received call #2 and #3. It has now been about 45 days and I have not heard a single word about call #1. Guess which call I am told I can cancel after 2 months. Ridiculous that they can treat people this way.

Thomas of Caribou, ME July 17, 2009

In January 2009 I was contacted by the Yellowbook sales rep, Tim C., regarding advertising in the 2009 directory. At the time I was awaiting the outcome of a pending real estate/business purchase in Maine which would result in my relocation and the closure or sale of [business]. Hence, I told Tim over the phone that I was unable to make a decision regarding advertising at that time. He suggested that he could come out anyway in order to discuss advertising options in the event the Maine purchase did not transpire. At our meeting Tim assured me that I could call customer service and cancel anytime before April 1st as the directory would not be printed until May. With that assurance, I signed the contract for the advertising on January 8, 2009.

As it happened, in March the purchase of the Maine property was finalized. I contacted Yellowbook customer service as Tim suggested, but was informed that it was now too late to cancel the advertising. I then contacted Tim, and after speaking with his supervisor, he told me to write a formal letter to Yellowbook stating that I would no longer own [business]. I sent the letter March 20th which Yellowbook received on March 23rd. On March 31, 2009 I sold [business] and relocated to Caribou, Maine on April 13, 2009.

I thought the matter was settled until I received an invoice in June for the advertising . Again I contacted Tim who promised to look into the matter. For the past month I have been calling him for updates weekly as he continued to discuss the matter with his superiors. Finally, today he said there was nothing more that he could do for me. He told me that his manager said I should call customer service and open a claim. When I called I was told that I could not open a claim because the advertising was already in print.

Because of the uncertainty of my plans at the time, I would never have signed for the advertising if I had thought I would only have a week to cancel. It was only because of Tim's assurance as Yellowbook's company representative that I would have until April to cancel the advertising that I signed for it. However, Yellowbook has not been willing to do stand behind what Tim--their sales representative-- told me. Having exhausted all means to resolve this matter with YellowBook, I am now appealing to both the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General for assistance in this matter.

Betty of Twentynine Palms, CA July 16, 2009

I purchased an advertisement as an anonymous donation to my local theater. Upon purchase, I was very explicit that I was purchasing this for a one year term as a donation and did not want to renew. Yello Book representative, Mark assured me this would not be a problem. With Mark and the theater’s publicity director, I worked to get the advertisement approved by the board. We would correct a problem and then we would be sent a new advertisement with a different problem. Due to the constant mistakes we were not listed on the web in a timely manner and told that the account could be “adjusted” so it would run an extra month to make up for the problems. Even after sending in the final approved work, a mistake was made on the website and listed my personal address instead of the theater’s address for over a month before a correction was made.

Since this was a donation, the number to the president of the Board of Directors was requested to “verify” information. This number was never approved for print. The number that was printed happened to be the president of the theater’s work number at a local radio station. Imagine the confusion when people called the management number for the theater and received a receptionist at another business. Additionally, the address listed was incorrectly formatted, we do not use hyphens in our address numbers in our area. Mark apologized for that as well, stating that it was too hard to change it because the computer program used to create the advertisement was formatted for the other area.

Upon receiving a renewal notice, I contacted Yellow Book and stated that I would not be paying for another year. I was asked by the phone representative if there was a reason and I stated the poor service and trouble at the beginning of the process, i.e. the amount of time it took get the advertisement together and the multiple corrections. I was told it would be canceled. About a month later, I received a bill for services at which time I again called and explained that I had paid in full for one year only and I had canceled the previous month. Again, I listed all the problems. Additionally, I sent the bill in with a written note that the account was to be canceled. In June, I received yet another bill and called and spoke with David. He assured me the account would be canceled and apologized for all the problems.

July 16, 2009, I received a delinquent notice for the time up to June when David canceled the account. Perhaps I misunderstood, but I thought David had adjusted the account for all of the problems encountered. I have sent in payment due to the continuing addition of late fees and I have requested an adjustment for the incorrect additional phone number added to the advertisement because the contract states I can receive compensation for that.

Jessica of Minneapolis, MN June 26, 2009

I clicked on a free trial for Yellowbook.com and when it came time to either decide to keep up with the ad or not, I chose to keep the ad going, but I clearly stated that if I didn't get any responses I would cancel my service with them, there was NO mention of a year's contract AT ALL.

I called to cancel my ad after 1 month more and the rep on the phone stated that I had signed a contract for a year! I let him know that I hadn't signed anything but he said that I made a verbal agreement over the phone, I was never once told that the contract was for a year. I told her that I was not able to afford 50.00 a month permanently but if I got a client or two I would keep the ad going, and if I didn't I was not willing to continue paying for the ad, at this point you would think that there would be mention of a year's contract that you can't get out of!

There was not I have called, e-mailed left messages, and apparently the person that I spoke with is not there, or the extention is not valid, and there is no listing on the company directory, no one knows who she is and yet I have a contract made with a GHOST!

wesley of monrovia, CA June 11, 2009

I signed up for Yellow book online advertising in April 2008 with there sales rep. Darrel Chapman. I was told that this could be canceled any time because it was on line. After a few months went by, I found that this online ad was not worth what it was costing me so I tried to cancel. Yellow book would not let me cancel until 12 months. Yellow book had told me that this is a 12 month agreement. I tried to call Darrel but I had to just leave messages.

I went ahead with the 12 months, and could not wait for that 12th month. March bill of 2009 came and I called customer service to make sure this cancelled. I talked to Sam, Phone#610-680-4001, he told me to write cancel on my invoice and sign it. This would cancel it.

I received another bill beyond the 12 months. Amanda called me on 6/11/09. I was forced to pay this or it would go to collection and effect my credit.

james of hudson , FL June 11, 2009

Approximately one and a half years ago the Yellow Book USA salesman, S. Kuchan came to my office. His reason for coming was to sign my business up for one more year of advertising in the Yellow Book. A contract was agreed upon and signed. At this time [we] had a past due balance. S. did not bring up this past due balance at this meeting. Approximately two months later, S. came back to my office. He told me that Yellow Book would not be able to continue running the previously agreed upon advertisement for my company, unless I immediately paid them 5000.00. After negotiating with Yellow Book they agreed to accept two payments of 1500.00 each, one payment on that day and the next due in thirty days. Both of these payments were made. This would entitle [us] to continue its contract with Yellow Book and our ad would be in for the coming year. The new Yellow Book came out in June. Imagine my dismay upon discovering that our agreed upon ad was not there! I contacted S. and was told that he was very sorry but Yellow Book was unwilling to live up to the terms of our agreement. He told me that there were numerous other customers that Yellow Book had done this to. He is also dismayed by the way his company treated his customers. Yellow Books failure to uphold our agreement has cost Tri-County Aluminum approximately 300,000.00 in lost revenue. This will probably force the company into bankruptcy. This account was our only form of advertising at that time. We, as small business owners were told that if we complied with Yellow Books payment plans that we would be able to continue advertising in next years book. I know that there are a lot of other small businesses out there that they have done this to. This deserves to be looked into at a higher level. Many businesses and families did not deserve to be treated in this very unethical and unprofessional manner. Our only hope of survival is that we gain lawful representation in this ongoing matter. Thank you for your time and we hope to be hearing from you soon. Sincerely, Jim O’Keefe Tri- County Aluminum 727-992-5051 jokeefe727@aol.com

Brian of Gloucester, MA April 13, 2009

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