607-748-4686

One of my staff got the call today from Amanda Sprague from International Credit Recovery (607)748-4686 saying the same thing like everyone had before, using the staff's DOB as order confirmations to order some coding subscrptions and the company owes 5 months of unpaid invoices.  I took over the phone, knowing this is a scam call and interrogate her of 'identity theft'.  She got so upset and theathen us to take this to court..and hung up.

Our agency started receiving phone calls from Tiffay Jones of International Credit Recovery.  Ms. Jones indicated that we owed them $408.96 for a subscription. She had our supervisor's name, wanted to talk to him, would not leave a voice mail.  She would hang up and immediately call back demanding the company owner or CFO. She said it was a courtesy call and today is the only day that we could settle the amount before filing in court. When I asked her to fax a copy of an invoice she screamed at me that she already send six copies and was not about to send another one.  She would yell and scream, I would hang up; she would repeatedly call back. I called our legal department who indicated that this was harassment and she could not call in this manner. The next call I asked her if she would like to speak to our legal department and she said "now why would I want to do that?"  The calls stopped for a couple of weeks and then started back up; same person, however, this time very friendly and nice.  She said that she had our supervisor's birthdate and that he had ordered the publication. His memory of the call was that he did not want the publication.  They thanked him and asked for his birthdate to prove that they spoke with someone.  Definitely a scam.

Go to www.lectlaw.com and type in Phony Invoice Schemes, their "Anatomy of a Phony Invoice Scam" is very informative. It also give info on other scams permeating the corporate world.  I used the affidavit when we were scammed by Institute of Business Publications, they use the same techniques as Progressive Business Publications.  When ICR called demanding payment I used the tip to demand a copy of their so called recording of us ordering their newsletter and told them the cost would be on them since the burden of proof was on them that we owed it.  They never called again.  Institute of Business Publications kept calling and as soon as their number came up I picked up the receiver and dropped it back in the cradle. The last time they called I told the woman that she was working for a scammer and if they ever called us again we would sue them.  It's been several years and they haven't called again.  Another note, the collections person did not ask for A/P when she first called, she tried to scare the guy she had scammed into paying it and then he transferred it to me.  I have informed our HR dept and my supervisor to let them know that I will be hanging up on these people and why in case I get any complaints about it.  I use our Employee's handbook regarding our non-disclosure policy as the reason I will not give out anybody's name, will not transfer them to voice mail, will not give them an e-mail or verify any info for a data base.  I offer to take a message and I screen all the upper management's phone calls.

I just recieved a call from a lady named Laurie Appleton, she said my boss confirmed with his date of birth for the order of certain publication; we are ALSO a small non profit organization!! What is wrong with people?? I asked her what other information did he give you, she couldn't respond!! Arghhh people!

Lynn Gregory claims that I subscribed to a Progressive Business Publication.  She is claiming that the "subscription" that I "agreed to" is in force but I never GOT them because the subscription is suspended because of non-payment of an invoice I never saw. I made it clear that as a part-time employee I didn't have the authority to commit agency funds. I told her that my husband is an attorney (and that's true, although he's now retired) and he told me that there was no legal way they could enforce a contract, demand payment, or impact anyone's credit, but Lynn Gregory wants to pursue it anyway.

From the yellow pages

Same for me...I was told to ask directly for Katie.

May 22 message left by a person identifying herself as Katie Dtoman from a corporate firm in NY State, Internaqtional Credit claiming that my organization and I were identified on an invoice form November 2008.

All may be interested to learn that the IOBP is (or was) under investigation by the U.S. Postal Investigation Service (USPIS).  I know this because in February of this year I received a letter from the USPIS as part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Victim Notification System.  The letter does not specify the nature or the status of the "criminal misuse" investigation.  It does mention "...a large number of victims in this matter..."  There have been no updates to the file in the VNS since I first was notified.

It's interesting that the prior discussions in this forum also mention Progressive Business Publications (PBP).  The mailing address for PBP in its web site is the city/town of Malvern, PA that is a short drive from IOBP's Pennsylvania addresses of Exton and West Chester.  And, the collection agency (United Credit Collections) that contacted me in regards to IOBP had/has a mailing address in Owego, NY that is a short drive from the listed address (web) of the Vestal, NY agency (International Credit Recovery) mentioned in previous messages related to PBP.  Coincidence?

Same thing.  I had Lori Appleton tell me that my boss ordered it and they had a taped conversation as proof.  My boss NEVER places orders.  That's why he has a secretary.  I asked for a copy of the tape and she hung up on me.

Spoke with Valerie today regarding my subscription to a safety journal which all started very nicely as she was sympethetic to the fact that these free subscriptions companies are out of hand and should be hung up on but then she quickly changed.  Same shpeel as everyone else regarding the birthday, yadda yadda but she refused to send me any copies of my invoices, transcript, etc until i gave a guarantee i would overnight a check for the balance they had on hand or provide a credit card.  I clearly am not going to pay for something unless i have some documentation, if anything to give my stapler some attention.  I'm very curious about this birthdate as a signature law she kept speaking of.  I can't seem to find anything related to our situation that would deem these people have a chance in hell at collecting on a debt they refuse to provide any proof of.

Exact same story.  Said I'd authorized this Progressive Business subscription based on my giving them my birthdate.  We are a small public library in rural Maine and I would never have authorized this--it's ridiculous for us. Anyway, now I'm getting calls from Amanda or someone and she's used the same tactics.  Very crude and tough. I would gladly join a class action lawsuit.  This kind of thing makes me so angry that I blew up with her.  She said I had to pay up "or else."

This company is still scamming!!!!!

Got a call from 607-748-4686 claiming I have not paid an overdue bill for some publication tha I NEVER ordered. It is al B.S.  Kathy Raimer claimed to be from International Credit Recovery Services, whatever.

Why did this just happend to me. I told them I wasn't paying a damn dime. They tried to say that they spoke with me on that nbumber. I told them they were a lie because I could prove tgat I was somewhere else. So bring it on.

I received a similar call from a Valerie Oliver 607-748-4686. Same spiel $299 for a magazine I didn't order.

I was scammed in April 09 by International Credit Recovery.The next day I discovered that it was a scam, and went to the bank to stop payment on my credit card.After bank investigation it was accomplished ,so I haven't lost money ,only nerves and time.In this process I found some data:addresses,telephones and a way to proceed.International Credit Recovery has address 300 Main Street,POBox 992,Vestal ,New York, 13851.Second important information is that from what I see they represent only Progressive Business Publications (There are no complaints connected with any other client).Progressive Business Publications is in Malvern,PA 19355,370 Technology Drive,1-800-964-6033.It looks like BBB doesn't have a bite;Progressive B Publications sued BBB for giving poor recommendations(There were too many complaints).BBB won,but nothing was done to Progressive B P.There are few options: you can call NY State Attorney General Office (607-721-8771 ,Andrew Cuomo),Pennsylvania Office  of Attorney General,16th floor,Strawberry Square,Harrisburg ,PA 17120;phone 1-717-787-3391,also Consummer Protection 1-800-441-2555.Another option is FBI in your area (interstate scam),but bring to them printout of complaints;they told me that they woudn't investigate only one complaint,but  I brought some prints of pages of Google ,like this one and they took a case. Please ,do it!!!

Received several calls from Katie Dotman at this number, said she is with International Credit Recovery, had an open invoice in my name and the business name.  She wants to talk to me about it and will set it aside before she files it.  We also receive bogus invoices from Progressive Business Publications.  Must be working together.  I call the number back and it just rang... no one picked up.
People who can't earn an honest living... dirt bags!

Same story, got a message from the Chris Bennett character.  I even got the "sure its just an oversight" line.  I called back and got the same story about using my birthday (month and day  only) as verification.  I asked for a fax of a signed agreement, invoice, anything.  Still waiting.

I dealt with Progressive Business Publictions about a year ago.  I started receiving invoices for a newsletter I had never seen that was supposedly ordered by an employee that worked for us for about three months several years ago.  They claimed they had his birthday as proof that he had ordered it.  I went back and forth with some very rude people insisting that I overnight a check for $299.  At the time I had a real bulldog of a woman in my accounting department in New York.  I asked her to call and let them know we would not be paying.  She called me back to say they had dropped the charge and said they would not call again with other offers in the future.  About 8 months ago I got a call from a woman representing "Faclity Manager's Alert" newsletter.  I am a facilities manager, but I am also the receptionist.  The woman was very nice, I had several lines ringing, and not wanting to just hang up on her I agreed to let her send me a free copy that I could look over to see all the valuable information, and if I was not satisfied, I could just call and ask them not to send me any further issues and there would be no charge.  At no time did this woman say she was with Progressive Business Publications (that would have been a red flag) or that the subscription was $253 a year.  I NEVER received a single copy of the newsletter. Now, 8 months later, I get a call from Amanda at ICR demanding immediate payment of $253.00 for the Facility Manager's Alert from PBP.  She pulled the line about me giving my birthdate as verification.  I was honest with her.  I said I remembered agreeing to take a look at one issue of the newsletter, but that I had never received it.  She said, and I quote "it may have just looked like junk mail and got thrown away."  I said I've dealt with PBP in the past and they are a scam.  She said, and I quote "the best thing to do in that case is just say no."  She also said that if I paid this off, she could request that PBP never call me with future solicitaions (interesting!).  I asked for a copy of the invoice, because I never remembered seeing an invoice or the newsletter.  It's a pretty generic invoice (and my name is spelled wrong), but one interesting thing is that is says on the invoice "You should have recieved two issues.  If you have not, please let us know."  So I am going to call and let them know.  And no way am I paying.