6077484686

I've been dealing with these idiots too - received a call from "Becky Morgan" of ICR today asking for payment of $299.00 for the CFO & Controller Alert (a waste of ink & paper).  I told her that I had never agreed to this subscription, and had very clearly told the original saleswoman from Progressive Business Publications that our company didn't need this newsletter (plus we never order or subscribe to anything over the phone).  The saleswoman insisted on sending a "free sample" to review so we could see if it's something we could use, and unfortunately I agreed to that (never again).  The newsletter was basically worthless, so I was really ticked off when our first invoice arrived.  I sent it back as a cancellation notice telling them that we did not want a subscription, which I told Becky Morgan from the ICR "collection agency."  She said that I evidently didn't mail it back within 30 days - that I needed to have done that to cancel the order.  I told her there was never an order in the first place!  I'm glad to read the examples that others have posted here - I'm going to file a BBB complaint and a complaint with the Post Office.  And, the next time "Becky Morgan" calls, I'm going to tell her that our attorney will be getting back with her.  (If she brings up the tape recording issue, I'm going to tell her that I need a transcript of the original phone call, as someone suggested on here.)  How disgusting that scammers like these work so hard to defraud the public!

I received a call today from a person who called herself "Angel White", of a company she called "International Credit Recovery". Angel White called me from 607-748-2539 according to my caller ID, and she wants me to pay a bill for $299.00 for what she described as a "bi-weekly newsletter" of which I never received and do not recall ever asking for. She had my birthdate and home address, and claims that I subscribed for a publication on a 30 day trial period that I did not cancel in writing during the time period required and therefore I now owe them $299.00. She did not give me any information on the publication except that it is a "OSHA Safety type of newsletter", that I did not cancel in time and more incredulously, she actually told me "They got you". She said that in order to get this out of collections I would have to pay her $299.00. I told her to give me the name of a contact with the company she is collecting for and I would have our attorneys contact them, but she would not offer any more info, other than she is the only person I can talk to and she is assigned to collect this debt. She gave her contact number as 607-748-4686. I told her that she would have to speak to our attorneys, and she said that she will not deal with attorneys, only me. I argued with her for some time, until I saw that there would be no end, so I hung up. I googled the 607-748-4686 phone number and found numerous complaints exactly like mine, and I fear that this may be a scam occuring within New York that you should be aware of.

I just had the same thing happen "Kathy Reemer" called with the message that I owed $250 for a publication that I kept writing "cancel" on but they kept sending it.  Now that I've read all of these messages I'm going to fight it.

i just got a call also from the same person it's a scam

We just received a call from Katie saying we owe 299 for a year.. I will call tomorrow morning and tell them where to stick it!

My company has just gone through some of the same stuff.  A "Bobbie" from ICR called our office manager and stated she had ordered a safety type newsletter (or something to that effect) and we had not paid our bill after several invoices had been mailed and emailed.  Our office manager informed her that we do NOT order items from telemarketing companies EVER and we did not order that publication. She asked for original documentation on the order.  I called back today and Bobbie informed me the case had been returned to the company and since it was only $299.00, they would no longer pursue since they were a muti million dollar company.  Just another scam to deal with in our daily mix.

We received a call today from a Lindsay, at Internation Credit Recovery, stating that one of our employees had ordered Information Technology Adviser, from Progressive Business Publications, and had not cancelled within the 30 day free subscription deadline.  They wanted us to pay $299.00.  Our employee did not order this publication.  I called Progressive and told them this. I asked for a transcript of the phone conversation.  She could not supply.  She indicated that she had given them her birthday as a security code.  I asked what was the date.  It was not her birthday. They told me that they would contact ICR and remove our Company from Collection.  I then called Lindsay back, and tried to explain that Progressive would be contacting them to remove our name.  She hung up on me.  I then called Progressive back, and they indicated that ICR would be contacted by the end of the day, and that she was sorry for the rudeness. The person also indicated that nothing would happen with our credit.

After that, I found all the messages about fraud.  It seems that we were also targeted.  I hope that something is done about these two companies.

Our business also received a collection notice from Olde City Financial for a Sales Insider Newsletter published by Institte of Business Publications.  I called and spoke with Jessica who when I told her that our secretary who was named as approving the publication said she would fax us the invoice.  Well that didn't have any proof that our secretary had approved it so I e-mailed her to tell her that I had spoke with the secretary and that she never received this or approved it.  Then she e-mailed me the recording of the phone call.  Well once I listened to it, it was an Ein from IOBP and first saying that he wanted to verify the company information and then went into the spill that he was sending her copies for review with no obligation  and she only had to pay the invoice if she wanted to continue a subscription.  She then told him that she was not interested and he continued to tell her that after 30 days they would quit coming and they didn't care what she did with those copies and there was no cancellation and no action needed, they would just quit coming if she didn't pay the invoice so she went ahead and agreed to that.  She never paid an invoice because she didn't want it to continue although she never even received any free newsletters either and then started getting collection notices.  After I listened to this I responded back, Have you listened to this and restated what I wrote above to her and concluded with.  This proves that this was a fraudulent billing.  We haven't heard anything else from them.     She forwarded me the call recording within minutes so apparently it wasn't hard to retrieve, I think my collector just had not listened to it and didn't know that it would prove me right.

I was contacted by a person from Progressive Business Publications about a year ago, and was offered a subscription for their safety related publications.  I told them no, I could not authorize a subscription; I am just an employee and have no authority to purchase anything for the company I work for.

Over the past year I was mailed the same bill for $357.00, of course I ignored them after the first one arrived, which I called them back and asked them to stop this subscription, because I did not order, authorize, or consent to have it in the first place.

About a month ago, this company called me and said I would be turned into collections for the subscription I ordered.  Again, I told them I did not authorize the subscription and that you have no right to claim I did, and then I hung up the phone.  They immediately called back, talked with the owner of Bechtolt Engineering, Inc., and told him that I did order the subscription, and he was liable for it.  They told him that he needs to pay $357.00 immediately or he will be turned into collections.  Of course, he had a check written and sent out that same day, and he told them to cancel any further subscriptions.  

I have never seen nor had my boss so upset at me, I thought I had just worked my last day for him.  He cooled down shortly thereafter, but the damage was done, my reputation, and integrity with the company I work for was injured, not to mention my emotional pain for something I had no control over.

About two weeks ago, Progressive Business Publications sent another bill to Bechtolt Engineering Inc; however, this time it had another employee, a Professional Engineers name printed on it.  On March 14th 2011, I received another bill from Progressive Business Publications with my name on it…for another $357.00.

Progressive Business Publications is trying to double charge Bechtolt Engineering for the same subscription that they were told we do not want, and had been canceled last month…twice last year, and declined to have in the initial conversation.  That is four, (4) times Progressive Business Publications was told to cancel all subscriptions.

I took the initiative, and did some investigation of Progressive Business Publications; it does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that Progressive Business Publications is in the business to swindle a business, and has done so for many years now.  The following are a few links to show you why I say Progressive Business Publications is in the fraud business.

www.ripoffreport.com/business.../progressive-business/progressive-business- publicati-dd465.htm

http://failuremag.com/index.php/failure_analy ... redit_recovery/

www.complaintsboard.com/.../progressive-business-publications-c170297. html

www.yellowpages.com/.../progressive-business-publications-195768

www.complaintsboard.com/.../progressive-business-publications-c115446.


The only way to stop this non-sense is for the U.S. government to interfere, so be it…protect American citizens from the damage Progressive Business Publications is doing.

PBP leases it's information through one of three companies.  They tell you it's based upon research that your company purchased in the past.  The easiest way, which, unfortunately DOES NOT require the use of the Yellow Pages, very creative by the way, is the local Chamber of Commerce in your area.  Most businesses register themselves there.  Most businesses are proud of the higher level executives, they like the name CFO, Controller, VP, and willingly add their first and last names to their titles.
Mistake one, how do you think we can call into your company and ask for the person by first and last name?  Because they have made the info entirely available for the whole world to see.  Not much research goes into buying it's leads.  Most Chambers publish it freely, the leasing companies purchase it, and sell them to PBP for .25 cents a lead.  It has company name, address, title of person we're contacting, and first and last name.
All get entered into the never-ending data base, and we call you for years.  There is not a do not call list for businesses, that only works for residences.  Everything we do is completely scripted, written by an attorney, we don't send out "free" newsletters, they are "free of charge".  Little things make a big difference to make them legal.
All calls are taped, from the time Mr. Executive get's on the phone, until they hang up, regardless it's a sale or refusal.  Tapes are only saved for 2 weeks at a time.  It used to only be one, that changed several months ago.  
Hope it helped you out, and just for future sake, never, ever accept anything over the phone.  A valid honest company has other ways of contacting a professional business and offering it's services.  Some of the newsletters are profitable for some companies, the others not so much.  Always say no, never give out information about you, your company, or other employees.  Ask instead, if they have a website you can research for yourself.  Never give your e-mail address out, PBP has a data-base of those also, and are likely to haunt you for years to come.

Coca Cola is actually one of our biggest clients, thank you.  Not only in the Corporate world, but all of their divisions.

Personal residences only qualify under the National Do Not Call registry, unfortunately business do not fall under that category.

Her real name is Cynthia POWELL! Not Thomas! I used to work for International Credit Recovery! Its a huge scam and big JOKE! And they wont call again because they do not have any taped calls at all! and let me guess, the invoice was supposley for $864.00 (maybe more). She only dealt with the "bigger" accounts

From http://www.zimbio.com/member/QAWXPbC64/articl ... cations+Malvern

"It’s worth noting that ICR is NOT a member of the American Collector’s Association, and that a collection agency with the same name (one based in Fresno, California) has a huge disclaimer on its home page reading: “WE ARE NOT IN ANY WAY ASSOCIATED WITH INTERNATIONAL CREDIT RECOVERY OF NEW YORK.” Take from that what you will. (International Credit Recovery of Vestal, New York, does not appear to have any Web presence.) Also, per the New York State Division of Corporations, International Credit Recovery (ICR) of Vestal, New York is an “Inactive” company, having been “dissolved” in 2004 for failure to pay franchise taxes."

Soooooo...the "International Credit Recovery" that calls about Progressive Business Publications "invoices & accounts past due" is not real. It is a complete fraud. It is just PBP pretending to be a collections agency.

I recommend you read the entire article.

It is just AMAZING that these frauds are allowed to continue bilking people.

I have been receiving "bills" from Progressive Business Publications for the last 6 months.
I did not agree to any publications. Today I got a call from a collection agency.

I called this number: 1-800-220-5000 (from PBP website) and talked to the customer service rep. and told them my situation, and informed them that I intended to file a report to the BBB or the FCC, they immediately told me that my balance was $0.00 and that for the next time I should not agree to any free publications.

Hope this helps.

A.

For the last couple days we have been recieving calls for icr at the number of 6077484686 from a bobbie philpot, states that they have recordings and personal information that i ordered stuff from pbp and let me remind you that personal info can be taken form anywhere. asked for the pbp info said that they didnt want to deal with the office. tomorrow we are going to be reported. finaly found all fruad info online about them. been trying to contact them back all morning no answer just answering machine. smh!!!

Hi,

I received a call from Amanda today.  Saying that she couldn't understand why I wouldn't pay it - it is only $100.00.  She said that I was unprofessional and told  her to fax me the invoice with supporting documentation.  I haven't received it yet.

They called the company and said we need to pay $240.00 the same day and we paid. We were told the invoice will be faxed to us the same day or emailed to me if the fax machine wouldn't pick-up. I waited untill 5:00 PM and left work. When I got back to work on Friday I called and ask for the invoice again and waited the hole day and I was suspecious because for sure the fax was working this time.
Today I went online to see the charge in our credit card transaction, I found the companies phone # and called and ask an invoice to be faxed, never happen again, I was also told that the subscription was for one year since October 2010. I don't know why we have to pay in advance. So, so as soon as I hung up the phone I file a dispute.

Have had several messages left by this number they always say there is an outstanding invoice for my company with my name attached. They never tell me any other information. Now the last message they left they threatened to call my supervisor (they had her name too), and see what she has to say about it if I did not call them right away. I told my supervisor, she is waiting for their call.

Same story...different date and time.  Yep, they even have names and birthdates to "verify and confirm" order information.  We also filed a report with the BBB of Upper NY; hopefully if enough people did this they might take the matter up with the NY Attoney General.  This shake down shack needs to be shut down!