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STAY AWAY from yellowpages.com

4K views 25 replies 19 participants last post by  KG007 
#1 ·
Guys, just wanted to post real quick. I'm been in a two year long "extortion" case with yellowpages.com.

This is an ongoing lawsuit where they are flat our trying to extort me for money.

I plan on creating a website once I successfully defend myself in the BS case. Long story short, they are claiming I signed an 18 month contract I never singed. Funny thing is, they can't even produce such a document that says I agree to anything. At first they said my contract ran in conjunction with my print ad......except I NEVER had a print ad. The attorney's involved have no idea what really is going on. Their complaint talks completely about my print ad.....I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE a print ad....lol

At this point, it doesn't matter. They just file the suit and harass me with phone calls trying to get me to "settle". They know they have time before a judge will review the case. They hoped I won't even file an answer (which would have given them default judgment) They want a free $2,000+. I'm not giving it to them.

They just file a suit for an amount of money that is obviously not enough for me to hire a lawyer (although I have two attorney's helping me for free), but enough to where I have to fight it. They tell me I'll get killed in court trying to represent myself, yet they can't produce anything supporting their claim.

The lawyers have flat out lied twice on the phone and I have recordings to prove it.....yet they really can't get in trouble for that. First, they said if I didn't settle this over the phone, they would schedule a "Hearing for Damages".....which can't even be done until they win the case. They flat out lied trying to scare me. Then, they conceded I didn't sign a 18 month contract, but to cancel my month to month, I had to do it in writing....lol. Since I didn't have anything in writing, I better settle or "explain it to the judge".....i.e. I have to prove why i don't owe the money vs reality which is the plantiff has to prove why i do owe the money. Again, complete lies trying to extort me.

It is really unfortunate small businesses can be attacked in this manner.

Right now, my choices are to go in front of a judge and make my argument or just cut them a check to leave me alone. Well, they ran into a guy who will go in front of a judge an argue this BS. I'm going to make several pleadings, motion, request for documents, etc. These guys are going to work their ass off, then I'm going to sue them. I won't win a damn thing because these a-holes are so protected, but I will make life miserable. Most people will just cut them a check to leave them alone. That's extortion and I won't stand for it.

They messed with the wrong MF'ing painter.
 
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#3 ·
You don't need to file a motion to make them give you what they have. It's called "Discovery" and there's a time frame already set. Once it gets into court at a pre-trial conference, the judge will set a discovery period. 30 days, 60 days etc. Both sides have to then give EVERYTHING they're going to use in court to the other side. Copies of all documents, contracts, witness lists... everything. If you don't get it during discovery, they can't use it in court. If they bring in something to court that you didn't get a copy of, you say "Objection! I didn't get copied on this during discovery." and the judge will not allow it to be entered into evidence.

I had a problem with the talking phone book once. They came to me a week or so before the deadline to sell me ad space. I had ads already from another publication, so I gave them a copy and told the em to send me the proofs to sign off on. They sent me proofs that were messed up. They had their "artist" change the ad. I sent corrections and called the guy and specifically told him "Don't run the ads if you can't make the changes. Get your people to fix it, get me a set of proofs, and I'll sign off on them. If you get it done before you go to print, you have a sale, but don't run the ads until I sign the proofs!" Well they ran the ads. They never made the changes and I never signed the proofs. I didn't pay and they huffed and puffed and must have had asthma 'cause I never had to go to court.

Good Luck!
 
#5 ·
Where I'm only 36, I have to agree. YP does = old school.
Being an intelligent 36 year old however, I'd have to say... what about the millions of people that don't have internet access? How are THEY finding their contractors? There are roughly 307 Million people in the US. There are about 228 Million internet users. That's roughly 79 MILLION possible customers that you miss by not using 20th century advertising. :whistling
 
#7 ·
Yellowpages

Your Handy Guy-

Good luck with this. Be sure to document everything. Time log yourself, your conversations, the emails, etc. Have it orderly and detailed- do not leave it out there for 'he said/she said' emtions. I'm not a lawyer, but I do have close friends/family who are. Detailed docs on your end are a key to helping you win this.

YP for some businesses, in some areas is actually still good... but you really need to know your target market. Personally, I hate the "He who has the biggest ad wins game" they use. Now you hear " we'll bundle you up with an offline and online ad and get you to the top of the search engines."

I've had to help many clients 'undo' their contract with the YP and similar books- and I've seen how they do their online tactics. It's wide and broad there too- just like their print format.

If you are in a business that does still need the old school print books, it is best to have YOU write the ads and submit them- or have the ad worked by a company that knows how to make the phone ring with people who are not just 'tire kickers' or price shoppers.

There are still some good companies and reps to work with who do care and are willing to work for you to do what is best for you. :)
 
#8 ·
I'm having a similar issue with yellowpages.com. I got conned into agreeing to use AT&T, which owns yellowpages.com, to do my online marketing. I agreed to do the whole bundle (new website, online listing, video, banner, and impressions and clicks). The only reason I signed was because they said they would do things in stages and I wouldn't be charged for anything until I agreed upon the proofs they sent me. It is two months in and I've had 2 solid phone calls because of the online listing which is terrible. I've been working on redoing my website and using my old one in the mean time.

They called me one day and said my website was done and had gone live. That is impossible because I never approved any wepages and have not yet sent any photos. I told them to take the new website down because one its not the way I want it and two the pictures aren't even of my own work. Its pictures of someones elses or from the web.

They agreed to take it down till I meet with my rep to go over things. Turns out they never put my old webpage up so now it reads like its under construction which looks terrible and to top it off I've stopped recieving phone calls.

They have even charged me for a website that I don't even have yet. this is rediculous. I want out of all of this and need some advice on how to do it. who do I send letters to?

I've emailed my reps and their boss stating I want to cancel because i'm unsatisfied with the service provided. If it has started out like this I can only imagine it will get worse and its turning into a waste of my valuable money. And not enough return on my investment.
 
#9 ·
yeah I realize websites are vital now a days and I do have one. yellowpages.com was going to do a new one and help me to drive more traffic to it.

The website I have now just isn't working the way I imagined it would. I registered with all the free listing I can and have added the metatags to help it be recognized by google searches. Its benoitbuildersllc dot com (they wouldn't let me post a hyperlink for some reason)

I need to get out of my contract with yellowpages thats the issue. If they keep billing me and I'm not getting any response from the work they are doing there has to be a way out of it. Never mind they don't do what they say they are going to do and just push everything through just to get the monthly bill up.

David Benoit
Benoit Builders LLC
 
#12 ·
These people (Yellow Pages, Service Magic, BBB, etc) call me all the time and I hang up right in their face. I don't need em and don't want em. If I wanted to do business with them, I would call them. I don't like these a-holes cold calling me all the time. Once you say yes to anything you open yourself up for this kind of garbage. My recommendation...Don't even open the door. Their goal is to get through me to my wallet. This may come off making me sound like a prick, but hey...my money is still in my wallet.

I hope you win in court and it ends up costing them thousands to pursue this BS case. Good luck!
 
#14 ·
Back in 2005 I ran two ads in two different counties' phone books with these people and all I paid was the down payment. I still get letters from collection agencies. I wrote back stating if I ever get one call from either of those two ads I put out years ago I will make a payment.
 
#18 ·
They tried the same thing with me as well, I got a call one morning from one of thier sales reps, and he offerd me a free trial for 2 months, and if I like it I would have to sign a 2 year contract, I said I would try it, after the 2 months period I got no calls, nothing, and I couldnt even find my self online, so when they called asking I said no thank you, and thank you for the trial. Next thing I know I get a bill for 2300. I called them and told them to stick it up their ass.

So far no collections calls have come, but Im sure that is next, What pieces of ****.
 
#20 ·
Seems like the Yellow pages here are just like the Yellow pages in the UK. 8 years ago they tried to do me out of money also. Never sent me the proofs but still put it in the book! But i had also even cancelled the listing because of not being sent proof's. They tried the same scare tatics but told them where they could stick it. Never heard from them again. The crazy thing was i didnt get one job from that dam advert either :blink:
 
#21 · (Edited)
Hi wrong MF'ing painter, sorry to here you have been caught up in what's been happening all over this country. The powerful Corps are getting even more Layered up,and are doing what they want and paid our Representatives to let them preform, instead of representing us. Until this reveres wrong MF'ing painter make sure this hill your getting ready to die on is worth it. I wish you gooid luck and safe sailing with this matter. Someday we all may have a hill worth dieing on. I'm with you MF'ing painter I'M TIERED OF IT AND I"M NOT TAKING THIS ANY LONGER!!
Mike
 
#22 ·
YellowPages.com Suck I used them to be on top of their website, they were suppose to charge my account at the end of my first month but they charged me right before my ad went up on their website, that screwed up my bank account and I got charged with overdraft fees, I then stopped paying them told them what the problem was and they would not want to remove my account from their website... They said I was in a contract with them for 12 months which is true but they already broke the contract by charging me at the wrong time, so now they keep adding to my bill for like 3 months, I'm not happy with them.
 
#23 ·
I just got off the phone with a lawyer by the name of Paul Perkins who has filed a class action lawsuit against yellowpages for exactly this. Everyone should talk to him.


He is looking forward to hearing from everyone who is going through the same thing and his number isI just got off the phone with a lawyer by the name of Paul Perkins who has filed a class action lawsuit against yellowpages for exactly this. Everyone should talk to him.

He is looking forward to hearing from everyone who is going through the same thing and his number is
 
#24 ·
I just got off the phone with a lawyer by the name of Paul Perkins who has filed a class action lawsuit against yellowpages for exactly this. Everyone should talk to him.


He is looking forward to hearing from everyone who is going through the same thing and his number isI just got off the phone with a lawyer by the name of Paul Perkins who has filed a class action lawsuit against yellowpages for exactly this. Everyone should talk to him.

He is looking forward to hearing from everyone who is going through the same thing and his number is
not sure why the number didn't copy but its 1-800-656-9529 and Paul is with Lynch Law Firm and the class action is filed with New Jersey and California
 
#25 · (Edited)
They did similar to me -

I was contacted by 1 of their "reps" (another word for "thugs") who tried to sell me the "whole package" (website, listing in book, listing on their site, etc.) for like $3300 for the yr - I told them that if I had that kind of $$ to throw away - I'd not need any advertisement!

So anyway - I was pressured to death by this guy and his BS/sales pitch and into "trying" just the ad in the book and the ad on their site for like $153 per month - I didn't sign anything - it was all done over the phone by what they call "voice verification" (this was on a Friday). I then called Monday morning (and every day for weeks on end) trying to contact the "salesman" that pushed the BS off on me because as that initial weekend progressed - so did my thoughts of how I was pushed into buying into the whole mess in the 1st place - but - what do you know - the guy wasn't at his desk or wasn't there that day or someone would always say they'd leave him a message to call me back/etc.

They were "stalling" trying to hold me off long enough to publish the ad in the new phone book coming out - but - I finally had it with them and told the 1st SOB that answered the phone on about the 3rd week of calling that I don't want an ad in the book and no ad on their site either, and that I just want it all canceled.

Well - this IS the BS they handed me - they said "okay" Mr. Wayne - this is what we can do - we'll cancel your ad for the book because it hasn't been printed yet (lucky you)

BUT

there's nothing we can do about the ad in/on our website/listings because they already listed/published it like a week ago and therefore - you'll have to pay $1100 for the yr for that!!!

I told them that I wasn't paying for Jack SH*T because I called every freeking day for nearly 3 weeks trying to get this matter resolved/canceled BEFORE anything went live/into print but YOU CLOWNS have done nothing but blow smoke up my A** since day one and therefore YOU can shove it.

Months went by with no calls/leads from their sorry ad (never got not *1* single call ever from it) and/but around about then THEY started calling me with threats of lawsuits because I was behind 6 months on payments and owed them $700 for what the F*** ever = I told them I don't give a crap what you say/do and you can take your Mob mentality and tactics and shove em where the sun don't shine because I'm not paying you a dime for something I tried to cancel before it went into listing/print but got nothing but stall tactics from you losers all along the way and until you knew it was up/running so BITE ME!

Never heard a thing from them since (2 yrs and running now)! lol

P.S.
I remember telling them also (and this was in the beginning when telling them I wanted it all canceled) -

you can't tell me that you can't just remove my listing from the on line "ads" page - just like you posted it up there in 2 days time - you can take it off in 20 seconds too (open your website listing editor and remove it from the listing page), and I'll then pay you for the "week" it's been live! He didn't like hearing that and tried to blow more smoke up my A** about how they can't do that blah blah blah - that's when I knew I'd NEVER pay them a dime no matter what they said/do!
 
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