607-748-4686

These people are awful.  I've received calls from both Valerie Oliver and Laurie Appleton (both at 607-748 -6256) re. a $240 subscription to Foundation & Corporation Funding Advantage. I did agree to a free sample in a phone conversation last summer. They started with the harrassing phone calls in March 2008. In April our agency sent Progressive Business Publications a letter explaining we never agreed to this subscription and will not pay for it. Also asked them to instruct their credit agency to stop calling us. Laurie Appleton called today. She said she hadn't seen the letter, but offered to close the account is we provide a $100 payment by check or credit card by Friday. I'm glad to find this website because it confirms our sense that they are predatory and unreasonable.

Got a call from International Credit Recvoery Inc. regarding an invoice from Progressive Business Publications for $118.56. I was put through to a Valerie Oliver, who pulled the same nonesense- she said that she had a Date of Birth as proof of ordering the subscription. The collections company and the "publication" company are obviously the same company. I told her that I would be calling my attorney, which I have. SCAM!

A woman called by the name of Cathy, she said she was International Credit Recovery (ICR). She claimed that our Company was delinquent on a payment from a company called Progressive Business Publications for the Quality Manager's alert. She informed me that my name was on the invoice and if we did not pay, our company would be put into collections.  I explained that Progressive Business Publications never contacted me about a publication.  She then tried to get my birthdate by asking me if my date of birth was May 5 (she did not give the year).  I further explained that we never received any newsletter and that I would not allow A/P to pay.  While talking to her, I googled and came across this website and mentioned to her that I thought this was a scam, she got irrate; said she would move forward with filing a claim and hung up.
THIS IS A SCAM DO NOT PAY!!!!

Same story as everyone else's - she called herself "Valerie". She mentioned one publication "Quality Manager's Alert" when I spoke to her, and when she called back to speak to the person whose name she had, the publication was called "Supervisor's Legal Update" Oops. According to WhitePages.com, the owner's name is Richard Diorio. Are they getting away with this because they are not calling numbers in New York (where they are based)? I spoke to my friend who is a cop to get some advise. When I informed "Valerie" of the legal action I will take she told me that she wasn't scared, and that she would still have to talk to the owner. I want to contact BBB, FTC, the Attorney General AND file a verbal harassment or unwanted communications complaint with the police. Any ideas how I best go about doing all this without spending a lot of time? Can I contact their police department? How are they still getting away with this?

Same situation as many of the above, an employee got a call asking her to take an over the phone survey, next thing you know we have an invoice from the company for $240.00. We didn't pay it, because we received nothing from them, then someone calls from ICR a few months later saying that the invoice is in collections. I requested documentation from the collections company as well as the original invoice be faxed to me. She said she would, never received anything. Just yesterday we received a phone call from the "manager" of ICR "Lynne" saying the same thing. I again requested the same documentation so that I could speak to our lawyer about it. She said "Well if you are going to talk to a lawyer I'm not sending you anything." I asked "As a collections company, why would you not send us any type of letter or written documentation?" She said "Because how are we suppose to know you'll read it?" After quite a bit of back and forth, it ended in me telling her that we will not being paying the invoice and will be filing a complaint with the BBB. Which we did.

Kathy called many times, said that I was owed $299 for Progressive Business Publications and if it is not paid she will be forced to turn it over for collections.  The collection would be againest me perssonly.

Same deal as many in this blog.  I got a call from a 'Tiffany' at ICR (their scummy debt/collections arm) saying that they are about to 'write off' $264 of debt owed to Progressive Bus. Publications for a 'news letter' that a former employee supposedly 'ordered'.  She calimed to have the indiviudal's DOB to prove it and gave me 5 days to pay it or...

After doing just a little bit of research- there are many reports of this place scamming unwitting consumers out of $$.  It must pay off for them.  Not only did the former employee confirm that they never ordered anything from them, we've never recieved said publication in the mail (which I told Tiffany).  They keep calling non the less.

I would suggust anyone in this situation filing a complaint with the PA attorney general and the NY attorney general as well- no comapny should be making a living off threats based on a scam.  

Other internet posts I've read suggest that they may be getting DOB's by doing an informal 'survey' unrelated to the publication that they then nail/bill you for.

Bad karma is spewing out of these people...

Someone, saying they were from International Credit Collections Agency, tried the same racket on me.  They called my business line and said that because they knew my birth date it was 'proof' I had ordered a 30 day free trial from Progressive Publications a year ago, and that I needed to pay the past due amount before they closed their books tomorrow.  She also tried to claim that the creditor had sent 5 notices with return notification, when I asked her to fax me proof with my signature from the return receipt request, she tried to claim that return notification does not require a signature, but is proof that I received the notice.

Regarding the above post about International Credit Collectors, I checked with Progressive Business Publications and they said they did have an old account from my company, that Indicated I asked for a report on funding that came with a free 30 day trial subscription.  When I indicated that I had never received any thing from them, they very reasonably agreed to cancel the account, and would notify any collection agency.  They agreed to provide me with an E-Mail stating I did not owe them anything.  I received the E-mail quickly and Progressive Business Publications was very reasonable to deal with.

I got my call last week from 'Cathy Rema' with the same details as everyone else - authorization of an Environmental Compliance Alert subscription from Progressive Business Publications in January, validated with a birthday.  She provided a copy of an invoice for $299, which if I had seen in January I would have cancelled.  When I talked with her yesterday I got the same threats as noted in the previous posts.  It will be interesting to see what the next phase will be.

I received a call from an Amanda.  Progressive Publications called offering a free subscription.  I tried it, cancelled it and the publications stopped.  Then a few months later, I receive a phone call from this collection agency demanding I pay $230.00 because the subscription had not been cancelled.  My advise:  DON'T ACCEPT ANY FREE TRIALS NO MATTER WHAT!

Kelly Fountain, phone number 607-748-4686, called our office the last three days asking for a particular person.  Today when she called I told her I was his secretary and asked what she wanted.  She said "he" had ordered a publication back in November and had not paid for it.  Also said he probably was going to look it over and then cancel if he didn't want, but he didn't cancel.  I asked her to fax me a copy of the invoice, but she said it had been turned over to "corporate collections."  I then advised her that I had looked her company up on the internet and that they are a scam and told her not to call us back again.  BEWARE!!!!!!

Seems that there is a lot of this going on. Got the same scam going here. Never was told about having to pay for anything; never received any type of publication. Now I am receiving calls from Valerie I faxed a letter to Progressive telling them to stop calling and threatening now or I will take legal action against them and ICR. Also reported them to the BBB. I find that they did anything against my credit they are in for a big legal fight.

I too got a call from Lori Appleton today.  She said to call her back.  I tried but did not get an answer.  I decided to google the company and phone company.  This site is what I found.  I did get a call a while back for a trial subscribtion but haven't recieved anything.  I'm glad that I googled the number and company.  Once they call back I will challenge them and see what they have to say.  Thanks for the site!

We have recieved several calls from International Credit. They state they are a collections agency. They are calling concerning a past invoice from Progressive Publications. These folks are bad news. They are really working to get the names of the owners of the company. I have reported the scam to the Attorney General in Vermont. They are asking for the address of the invoice that we were sent. Unfortunately, I pitched it. Can anybody provide me with the address that they are using?

Do you have the address that they are using? I am looking to report them to the state of Vermont.

Thanks for the help.

April

Have been getting harrassed by Tiffany Jones for several months about getting Safety Magazines. She is threatening mine and my company's credit for $299. THIS IS A SCAM...DONT PAY THESE [***]!

It is: 300 Main St Ste 11
Vestal, NY , 13850-1545  
Phone: 607-748-4686


Go get em!

"Valerie" from ICR has called numerous times claiming our Operations Manager ordered a publication and has not paid.  She, too, has his birthdate and is claiming that date is her authorization.  Although we have asked several times for a copy of the outstanding invoice, none has been produced.  She claims she's already faxed it five times! We even asked for her mailing address so our attorney could get back to her.  She declined.  I'm thankful for this website that alerted us to the scam.

I just received an address from ICR.  See below
300 Main Street
PO Box 992
Vestal, NY 13851
607-748-4686