I placed an ad in yellow pages with a rep that came to my home. I explained I was doing so only because I was moving. I would need to advertise for my home daycare over the next year at my new location because I was losing children due to the move. I explained I did not know what I would want to do beyond that year. We left it at the year subscription and I was told I would be given a chance to renew if I wanted.
I rec. a great deal of time later a phone call from a completely different rep. claiming he was 'handling my account and was just trying to get acquainted wmy business'. He DID NOT SAY HE WAS RENEWING OR CALLING TO RENEW MY SUBSCRIPTION BUT TO GET ACQUAINTED WMY BUSINESS! During this entire phone call I was busy with my daycare children, other phone calls and DID in fact tell this person right off the bat and other times throughout the call that I did NOT NEED any further advertising. However, HE delibertly mislead me and did NOT use the phrase 'RENEW' or 'CONTINUE' my advertising. This man on purpose engaged me in idle chit chat and tried to mislead and divert me so they could hit me wthis fraudulent claim that I SUPPOSEDLY AUTHORIZED this next year of advertising. The very first thing out of my mouth to this man was the fact that I was actually full and no longer in need of advertising BUT he continued and mislead me!! I was simply trying to be polite and thought I was agreeing to look over their package rates and specials for the upcoming year like I had done previously!
When I called about the mysterious bill I later rec. they claimed that I had signed a contract for 'automatic renewal'. I explained that I had NOT signed such a contract since I knew I had told the initial rep that I was not sure I would be renewing after the first year. She put me on hold and said she would 'find my contract'. She came back and said that she 'found the recorded phone call in which I gave authorization to continue my advertising and bill me for the next year'. She then played for me this conversation in which I told this man OVER and OVER I did not need any more advertising and he just kept on and on it is very apparent that he is INTENTIONALLY MISLEADING ME!!! I spoke to her supervisor and they are telling me that based on this conversation (in which at NO TIME did the words renew or continue your advertising EVER come up) I agreed to another year of advertising and billing. I do not even have this phone number any longer! This could ruin my business!! This ad is running with my business name and address but a disconnected phone number- it makes me look unreliable and un dependable. We live in a SMALL TOWN! They are being very deceptive and I am sure have pulled this on others! If you could hear this conversation it is VERY CLEAR that I DO NOT want to renew but am just trying to be nice and get OFF THE FREAKING PHONE!!!! RH Donnelly is a BIG COMPANY and should NOT be allowed to SCAM people out of money like this! I am sure they make enough legit money without stealing it from others while ruining their businesses and ONLY SOURCE OF INCOME TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES!!