866-846-7888

They called to "Confirm" our yellow pages listing assuring us that this was normal procedure. No changes, no charges. Until we get the bill and have been signed up for MYLOCALREACH-ONLINE YP listing monthly fee 39.95 plus taxes. I guess this is called getting crammed.

I just had the same thing.  They ask you to verify everything while a lady is talking in the background the guy is telling you it is a FREE listing.  He gets irrate if you ask to listen to the lady talking in the background... She is telling you that they are going to charge you $39.95 per month for a listing  -- Hang up!

I had the same charge on my phone bill. You need to take action! The creep who owns MyLocalReach.com is Edward Dunne, direct phone number is 1.954-579-5208. Call him and tell him you are filing a complaint against him with your state Attorney General and the Florida Attorney General, the Better Business Bureau and Register.com. Register.com is where MyLocalReach.com is registered, and they don't take kindly to people using their service to commit fraud. I have done all of the above. And make sure you call your phone company and tell them, too, so you don't have to pay and they have it on record. And then go to every single web site that mentions MyLocalReach and post this jerk's name and number, and his address, too: 0820 NW 33rd Street
Coral Springs, FL 33065, edunne@globalcontactservices.net

i can't seem to find any other websites detailing this scam, can you point me int he direction of a few?

I was completely uncomfortable with the representative talking over the woman's voice in the background so I couldn't hear the real questions I was being asked.  Then I found this blog and freaked out!!! So, I called Mr. Dunne and told him what I experienced with one of his representatives.  He assured me that the caller's behavior was not what was acceptable at his company.  I laughed at him, saying that there was plenty of information on the internet stating otherwise!!  And that if even a penny was charged to my company he would have a serious problem on his hands.  He assured me I wouldn't be charged anything but man what a SCAM!!!!!!  Hang up right away and don't be bullied by the caller talking over you!!

After we found the same unexpected charge from MyLocalReach, we called two phone numbers noted on ATT's bill for inquiries.  Using the first number for "Enhanced Services" (866-846-7888), we were apparently routed to MyLocalReach instead of AT&T.  The representative "assured" us the charge would be removed.  When we realized this person was not with AT&T, we called the second number (1-800-924-1743) which eventually took us through AT&T's voice-message system to a live representative.

We were told the charge would be investigated and addressed.   We also reported information from this web site to assist AT&T's review.  We have no intention of paying this charge since the billing was unauthorized (and our name was incorrect)!  We will repeat as needed if this monthly charge re-appears.

So much for Mr. Dunne and his "no charges will appear" lie.

I just got my long distance bill and there's a $39.95 charge (plus $2.00 tax) for My Local Reach.  These people need the attorney general breathing down their necks.  No wonder the country is in the economic swamp it is now. Companies like this are destroying us!

I had the same thing happen yesterday..in NY. I immediatley called my phone company and they told me to remove third party billing. Then I called my local reach and they said they would find the paperwork..never heard back so called 2 more times, each time telling them to get me out of the system, especially since they couldn't get a penny from me anyway. Called Edward Dunne, who denied everything. Call NY attorney general Andrew  Coumo and I'm filing a complaint.
Same thing..the guy said from yellow pages, free basic listing etc and talked over the woman. I realized it right before the last question and did not agree to the last verification question, but don't think that's going to matter, at all. What scam artists! They picked the wrong person here!
Oh yeah and I'm on the do not call list!

Don't know how this got added.  I never called these guys, and never heard from them.  Thanks for everyone for posting this stuff.
Details: My Local Reach.com added to my phone bill fraudulently effective 1-Aug-2008.
My Local Reach Inc # Billing Questions: 1-866-846-7888.  Didn't bother to call that one.  Also have a number 1-888-288-3724.  Sounds like the AT&T lady, but it's ESBI.

I think that the Congress should allow us to recoup a $5.00 fee from a fraudulently posted charges on the bill.

I just got off the phone with the same company.  First of all, the guy was Indian and spoke SO fast that I had to stop him continuously.  I had a feeling something wasn't right.

First of all, he was asking me to verify ALL our information, asked for my birthday (I lied), our phone number and fax number.  I was thinking that they should of already had that information.  I actually had to repeat it to him 4 TIMES!!!!

I specifically asked him if we were going to get a bill.  He would not say NO.  No matter how many times I asked, but he did say that we could cancel at anytime we wanted just by calling 888-447-5885.

The last straw was when he used his speed talking techniques.   I did hear local phone company, so I asked him to repeat the question....He said to me "Just say YES".  I said "No way because you won't repeat the question".  This went on for about 10-15 minutes.

He told me I was interrupting him and I wasn't listening.  I told him he was speaking too fast and that I had a right to ask.

Finally, I told him that I did not understand and I didn't trust him.  That really pissed him off big time.  He asked to speak to my Boss and I said "NO".

What a rip off company.

I also called Dunne at the number listed above and it went to answer call.

Same call and talk-over tactics received on Oct 11 at my number in Brooklyn, NY.  I received a verification letter today (Oct 18) for my $39.95/mo listing billing by mylocalreach.com.  As you all have suggested, I have called Verizon to halt 3rd party billing, though I don't know if I've done it quickly enough to miss the first one.

Yep, same thing: "Confirming your Verizon Super Pages listing . . ." with the talk-over, etc.

Fortunately, when I received the My local Reach verification letter, it was a cinch to call Verizon and place a service order for a "Misc. Charge Block" - got a service order confirmation # from the Verizon representative immediately, with assurances that no charges occurred before I called.

This is mylocalreach ... yes the guy was indian, his supervisor is indian and you could hear lots of indian voices in the background in the bullpen.

They have called me twice and twice I have submitted a complaint to donotcall.gov

The same thing happened to me in early September 2008. The guy told me it was for a free Yellow Pages listing. I asked if it was the real Yellow Pages and he said, "Yes." He spoke over the prerecorded message too. I have no idea why I stayed on the line with this criminal. I would not expect that I could be scammed like this and I feel like a bit of an idiot.

I received a letter about a week or so later saying I had agreed to sign up for a listing and would be charged. I was fuming mad. I called the number on the letter and told them to take me off their list and complained.

I received my October AT&T bill with the $39.95 on my bill from Enhanced Service Billing Inc but then credited. I was charged .40 for state tax. I was also charge $7.74 by ILD Teleservices (800) 433-4518 for "Billed on Behalf of CALLING 10" for Directory Assistance Fee of $4.99 plus 1.55 for Carrier Assessed - Administrative Fee, $.60 for Federal Universal Service Fund fee and $.60 TN State local tax. I had never heard of this company. I was so angry I couldn't see straight.

I called AT&T and they said that I had to call each company to get the charges removed. They couldn't do anything. I did sign up so that I could have no 3rd party switches unless I approve it. I'd suggest this for other people.

There have been class action suits against these people by the Federal Trade Commission. Call 877 FTC-HELP (832-9357). It is called Cramming.

I am complaining to the do not call, the Federal Trade Commission, General Attorney, and the BBB.

In October and November, I began getting weird automated calls about a credit card (that I do not have). I keep wondering if it is from the same crooks. I've never had these calls before. Has anyone else received calls like this?

LET'S HELP NAIL THESE CRAMMERS!

File complaints with:

Federal Trade Commission
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

Better Business Bureau of Southeast Florida
http://www.seflorida.bbb.org/ComplaintDetail.aspx

FCC
http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm

Attorney General of Florida, Bill McCullum
On-line complaint form or print out and mail
http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/Main/60FD9BD8FA71A5B185256CD1005EE5C5

--------------
OFFENDING CRAMMING COMPANY INFORMATION:

My Local Reach Inc
160 West Camino Real #179
Boca Raton, FL 33432
Owner Edward Dunn 954-579-5208
http://mylocalreach.com/
1 888 846-7888

Look to see if you see other companies listed on your phone charges because these guys are working with a whole network. Turn them all in if you find other companies listed on your phone bill.

My bill identifies these other companies:

ILD Teleservices Inc
ILD Telecommunications, Inc.
5000 Sawgrass Village Circle, Suite 30
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
800 433-4518
http://www.ildtelecom.com/

and

ENHANCED SERVICES BILLING INC.
Phone: 800-570-0269
7411 John Smith Drive. Ste. 200
San Antonio, Texas, 78229

Don’t let these companies and representatives lie to you. They’ve been in trouble before!

READ THE INFO IN THE LINK BELOW and notice the mention of My Local Reach’s associate Enhanced Services Billing Inc.  

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/08/billing3.shtm

Two months charges totaling 39.95 each

As of October 2008, these scam artists were still at it.  I just had Fairpoint reverse the fruadulent charges ($39.95 for My Local Reach) and called ESBI to stop the service.  I also had a block on 3rd party charges placed on my Fairpoint line.  I was duped by the 'free' listing and never heard the question about the $39.95 charge during the recorded part of the conversation.  In my case, they have a recording that sounds legit with my authorization - a bit of technical wizardry no doubt.

I am angry with myself for not recognizing this scheme as it was happening, but angrier with them for perpetrating it in the first place.

There needs to be a way to shut down these companies for good so that consumers can trust the system...

How do these people get away with this?  I recommend you call AT&T or whoever you billing is through and cancel the charges there first.  Then proceed to file the complaints according to P. Johnson's links above.  Then call the company; My Local Reach, ESBI etc. and tell them that you are not going to pay them and if you have made any payments, that you are seeking a reimbursement through the afore mentioned avenues.  In my case, my phone system monitors all calls, however without telling the individual that they are being recorded, it is not admissible as evidence.  They have done a pretty good job of using technology to format their verbal agreements.  The best recommendation that I can make is when talking to people like this, state that you will not handle any business by phone.  Only written contracts will be acceptable.

My Local Reach has a toll free (they pay for the call) number 866-846-7888 and Enhanced Services Billing toll free is 888-299-3724.  They may only pay a few pennies per call, but if we all call every day it will cost them a lot.  It will also tie up there system and personell.

They did the same [***] thing to me. They keep billing me every month and I keep demanding they remove it. Didn't know about the 3rd party billing and being able to cancel it but I will on Monday. Scam artists.