800-548-3993

SANDY--- [reminder for my wife]  Answer this call.  

It is [In The News Inc.] the company that builds the display copies of my magazine articles.  Their switchboard never call-IDs, remember.

Harmless.... you were lucky.
These goof-balls call everybody that is in any newspaper.  My wife's store was in the local paper. They called her shop 14 times during the day.  really- 14 times.  She was home sick, so the shop asst called her about this urgent matter.  After she called back to find out what the problem is, she got a telemarking sales pitch.  My wife told them to send info, to get them off the phone, In the News, inc person [can't remember the name]mailed her a huge box with this wall plaque thing inside.  It looked like a jr high art project.  We laughed.... then the bills started coming.

We can't have "collections" issues related to her store. It could ruin her credit, we depend on.  Now the In the News customer service people only want 1/2 the money or for us to pay more to send it back.... or deface it.  Why is it her responsibility to clean up the mess they create...
This company is in Tampa Florida with all the vacation and condo sales scams. Don't answer the phone if 800-548-3993 calls.. you've been warned.

Turtle is right.  They are SO slick on the phone. You don't hear the small print because they bury it in all the praise of how wonderful the article is.   Reading his story was like telling mine.

The difference is I'm going to the Florida State office of Consumer Complaints.  There must be a pattern here.  It may not be illegal technically what they do and I guess they cover the back-side, but someone needs to look at this.  
I found this old newspaper article from 2004. I was looking for the owners name.  I don't want to talk to a call center. I want to talk to Thomas A Billinge. He won't return my calls. I wonder why.

This newspaper article explains it all.  If a “puff –piece” on INtheNews can’t avoid mentioning the scummy way they work, then what are we NOT hearing about

http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/44 ... ams+are+made+of

Watch out for the other wall plaque companies too.  There are about 5 or 6 that call you, if you are in a national magazine like I was.
Put in all those 800 numbers and read the storys that pop up.

The interesting thing is, I was curious and walked into a picture frame shop, when I was following my wife around to stores.  I ask them the price.  Without knowing my reason for asking, the price was $60.  The bill from In the news, Inc was almost $300.  That couldn't possibly be correct, so I went home and returned two days later with the 1st one.  The store clerk said they had better choices to preserve an article that cost LESS, but if I really wanted a wooden wall plaque, she could do it for the $60.  She never knew how much the invoice amount was. I decided I really didn't want to hang it up after all, but this experience should took some of the fun out of it.

Don't answer the phone on any of these guys.  They will keep calling.  Read the report I just wrote on the other numbers. One of those other wall plaque sellers called me 9 times in one day.

Watch out for these guys. They are taking advantage of people who pop up in the newspapers.  If these people target you, they will cause a lot of aggrivation in your life.  I waited to tell this story.  I will post it several places.

A charity that I assist had an article in the minneapolis paper.  The sales people from a company called In the news Inc from Tampa Florida called EVERY person mentioned in the article and ALL the sponsor companies listed in our advertising. They told each of us that we should buy a permenant copy of the article as a secret, surprise gift for the committee chairman.  I told them I would think about it, and look at the web site.
http:www.inthenewsonline.com
10 days later this big, huge box showed up on our loading dock.  That's not "policy", so it sat in the warehouse supervisors ofc, until he thought to call me.

Here is the trick that makes me mad.  Without ordering a product [for $250 by the way] they sent it to what they knew was a wrong address, but the bills started coming in the mail to the correct address.  

By the time I saw this wall plaque thing, it was past the 10 days "return period" that some very polite lady in customer services tells me.  She doesn't want to hear about not ordering or sending to a wrong address....  her response was, well you said you saw the plaque, so it wasn't a wrong address.    very, very tricky scam.

Remember I said they called everyone.  Here's how I know.  At the next meeting, 4 of these wall plaques showed up as gifts. Not mine. for a total of 5 wall plaques @ slightly different prices too.  ha ha ha  

It turns out the chairman did like one, so he personally paid for it and we just finished the harrassing process of getting these people off of the members back about bill collectors.

Be warned, In the news Inc will turn you over to some rude telephone bill collectors.  I don't know, but I'll bet they get a % of that money too.
Just say NO... If anything comes in the mail or a wall plaque arrives in the shipping, call them immediately and start the complaint process.
The Better Business Bureau in Tampa Florida is worthless.  One member here, tried to have our Minneapolis BBB call on our behalf.  They all operate independently.. no luck.
Now that we are all disconnected from these people, I waited to warn others....

Hi Tony - I am very sorry that you had an unpleasant experience with my company.  For the last 2+ decades we have always strived to provided our customers with the highest quality product and best customer services.  Please feel free to contact me and we can sort out any problems you may have had or are still having.  There were, however, a few mis-truths in your posting.  

Whenever we contact a new client/first time customer, we offer to send the finished piece on an inspection basis - giving the customer the opportunity to examine the workmanship and quality before authorizing payment.  Most people think this is a great system - it allows them to see what they are getting before deciding.  After you gave your account executive the address you would like it sent to - they sent ( via fax or email ) a Letter of Guarantee which states in writing what the plaque looks like, where it will be shipped, the cost if you like it and what to do if you decide not to keep it.  We send this LOG so there is no confusion and a customer sees in black/white that a plaques is coming.  We do not send plaques out to people who do not request them - these are custom made pieces and we only get paid if we do a good job and the customer is thrilled.  

I understand how stories can be exagerated when we get agrivated about a situation - but when posting a story like this, it is very important to only state facts.  You finished your posting by saying that the Tampa BBB is worthless - is that because they found nothing wrong with how we do business and give us a satisfactory rating?  

"The Florida Attorney General's Office, responding to a consumer's complaint and referrals from the Better Business Bureau, investigated In The News but this year determined there was no evidence of customers being misled or billed for items they did not know about. Likewise, the Better Business Bureau gives In The News a satisfactory rating"
                                                 St. Petersburg Times -                                                  St. Petersburg, Fla.
                                                 Author: Smith, Adam C
                                                 Date: Jul 4, 1999
                                                 Start Page: 1.H
                                                 Text Word Count: 1026

I have been with In The News for almost 12 years and take great pride in my work and my company - we try to make sure that everyone is completely satisfied.  If you have not been - please contact me and we will make it right.


Ryan

oh sorry - I guess it's JrBird.  I said Hi Tony because I saw the exact same post ( almost word for word ) on another website but under the name Tony-oeo .... now that sounds fishy.

I looked this up because all kinds of people were calling my house, when I was out of town.  How many companies do this plaque stuff for magazine articles. at least 3 called me.  one guy left two messages a day, just like the guy's wife getting calls to me. I'm looking them all up, to see.

NOw I see what's going on.
Sales calls
thx

There are about half a dozen companies across the country that offer this service on a national level.  I'm sure more - but on a local level.  We have been in business 23 years and in the past few years have seen a few companies pop up and "muddy the water" so to speak.  I believe the main problem child in a company in CT called Thats Great News - they employ a call center or two in the Philipines that uses an auto dialer system.  For this un familiar - this system will call 10 numbers at a time and disconeect the other 9 when one of them answers.  This would explain 3,4,5 + calls a day.  Use this link for more "satified customers"

https://800notes.com /Phone.aspx/1-800-592-9196  

I have been doing this for a long time and don't plan on going anywhere - we offer a very faluable services and make approx 250 pieces a week for Pro Athletes, Musicians, doctors, attorneys, families, etc.  On that note - I go out of my way to always be professional and courteous.  Most of my business is BtoB ( business to business ) but sometimes I contact individuals and always take every step to respect them and their privacy.

As a quick announcement - if you are contacted by my company and you do not have a need for our services or do not wish to be contacted.  Simply let your representative know - we have a program in place that will mark your name and contact info on an internal do not call list.  We take this very seriously and you will not be contacted by our company again.

If you have any questions or if I can be of service - please let me know.

Ryan

In the News is a very reputable company based in Tampa,Fl. I personally have been with the company for 20 years as a Sales Rep. I consider myself and my colleagues to be honest forthright sales people who have bills to pay just like the rest of the U.S.A. However, in 1997 a former client decided we had a good idea and tried to replicate our buiness model. He created a company with a very similar name "That's Great News". TGN is based out of Connecticut but, is really a phone room out of the Phillipines. Although, you may recieve calls from In The News the plaques you are recieving that are unsolicited are probably from That Great News.
If you have received an unsolicited wall plaque from us please call 800-548-3993 and Customer Service will make it go away. We sales reps don't make a dime sending out plaques people don't wantthem and if a rep is doing so their job is at risk.

Gail Walton
Sr Account Executive
In The News

This number and several others in reporting today, all were on my answering machine at home.
I have no caller ID info, but these people left a message with a return number, posted here.

I report numbers all the time, but these folk are really brazen.
I see that they are telemarketers, who don't obey the "Do Not Call" laws of Missouri.  I'm on the national list too. My phone line has a recording on it from the phone company (which I pay for), and they still left messages more than once.

I'll report them when I get home from vacation.

"Meg" from in the news called regarding a recent article in the Middletown paper with an offer from her company.  We are a non-profit crisis center for domestic violence and do not accept solicitation calls for any reason.

I got a call from in the News this evening.  Meg, caller name, left a message.  Will keep you posted on the results.

They just called me, I googled the #, and found your blog. They left as message for me with their #. Thanks

I got a number of calls from these people and 3-4 others too.
I wouldn't let them rush me into a decision, so I could investigate.  We are a small business and wanted to display the local newspaper article in our store.

The phone started ringing right away.  One of these people who wanted me to --take his offer- was looking at it online, I guess.  He was in Tampa Florida.  One call was from China or something. I couldn't understand him.  So many calls made my curious about a potential scam.

After talking to local frame shops, I found the same laminated service at a local trophy shop for about $35.  The phone callers all wanted $150 to $199
What a rip off.   Buyer beware is really a rule I guess.

I'm glad I thought too google the 3 numbers that called my house today.  Yes, I'm not the DoNotCall list, and have a recording that says so.  These pest still left a messge.  clueless.  No, I don't want an orver-priced wall plaque.

I am SO mad at these people.  This is a TOTAL dis-honest rip-off and high mark-up plaque, that you can get local.  
I just found out that they play by different rules, if you want to cancel your order.  Last year, I was called, when my car was in a magazine.  I was rev’d up excited and didn’t really listen to what the guy on the phone said.  It said in some note they sent that I had to send the magazine plaque back to them, if I didn’t want to buy it.   I thought that was simple enough.  I didn’t know it was a HUGE BOX that would cost me $16 bucks to return.    
Over the weekend my friend got one of these plaques too, when his Mustang was featured on the cover. The problem is he was told to just cut off and deface a piece and mail it back in a 42 cent envelope.  

He showed me the wall plaque after it was cut and we went to the trophy store with it.  These things are just plain lamination over any old wooden board.  It isn’t even a nice plaque, because they hide the plywood by adding a silver sticky tape to the border.

If you are in a car club, or know someone, warn them. We told all the guys here.  The local trophy guy in any town can make the same thing for $45 bucks, not the 250 dollars they charge.  If they call you and talk you into seeing the sample they sent, mail it back to them with the stamp.
I’m spreading the word, until I get MY $16 bucks back.

Hey Mike ~
Sorry to hear that you had trouble with your order.  It says in your post that you received the Letter of Guatantee, which you referred to as "some note" stating that if for any reason you are not 100% pleased with our work ,your only responsibility is to return the piece to us.  Not many companies out there that will custom make a piece for you and send it over for your approval before you pay for it.  Yet somehow you have made it sound like a bad thing.  ??  

We have been in business for over 20 years and I have personally been with In The News for over 12.  Our work is second to not and, contrary to your post, cannot be duplicated at a "trophy shop for $45".  I work with most of the major performance shops, car clubs, and owners all over the country - and we do so because we produce a beautiful product at a fair price.  You can even see my work at many of the major shows each year : HIN, SEMA, CES, NSR Nats, etc.  I have even seen my work displayed at the Barret Jackson Auction - if anyone knows quality, those guys do.  

Please hang onto my name and feel free to contact me directly if you have any problems or questions.  We have been doing this for a long time and will be here for many years to come.  I appreciate your feedback and will use it to make our company even better and improve our customer service.

Ryan

For more information - check out our A- rating with the Better Business Bureau.

http://www.bbb.org/west-florida/business-revi ... ampa-fl-6002527

Again - I apologize to those few people who have had a negative experience with my company and if there is anything I can do to help you make it any better - please give me a call.  You have the # :)

Ryan

If the company mouthpiece on this site is so worried about customer service, you should go and call your own customer service people.  

When I promised to post a negative report online, your lady said only whinners and the same three people who can't be satisfied go to the trouble to do it. I'm warning people here now. I'm a whiner too, I guess.

I did go call the trophy guy in my yellow pages too.  His price was $59 and sales tax  VS your $199.95.   No wonder, you call people 3-4 times.  Contrary to comments above YOUR telemarketers DID call my house over and over, till I called back from the office.