Original posting followed by responses:
> From: Mary-Bess Halford <mhalford_at_bethanywv.edu>
>
> 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 <gwen.vredevoogd_at_marymount.edu>
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: acqnet-l_at_listproc.appstate.edu
Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 16:46:52 -0400
From: Joan D. Bueter (Barry Univ.) <jbueter_at_mail.barry.edu>
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
gwen.vredevoogd_at_marymount.edu
=== Response 5 ===
From: georgina_at_lasalle.edu
This is absolutely a scam. I regularly receive calls from this
organization. The pattern is that they call departments other than
Acquisitions or Collection Development and ask for the name of the person
who can authorize orders. The recipient of the call innocently gives the
name. They will then call and say that they have the completion of your
order and would like to verify your name and address for shipping. If you
say that you did not place the order they will insist that since they have
your name you must have placed the order. Sometimes the line is that the
directory is free but the listing that I have authorized in the directory
is what we are being charged for.
I have advised everyone in the library that if they receive such calls they
should forward them to me. I advise the caller that I could not have
either placed the order or authorized a listing because I have no authority
to approve such a listing in any directory and I have no record of such an
order in our database and I do not place orders over the phone. If they
persist I request written verification, such as a PO #, from them. Such
proof has never materialized. However, they (or someone like them) will
call again in a few months and sometimes weeks. They do not always use the
same company name but the MO is always the same.
______________________________________________________________
Georgina M. Murphy
Collection Development Librarian
Connelly Library/LaSalle University
1900 W. Olney Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19141-1199
Received on Fri Jan 10 2003 - 02:37:44 EST