I don’t normally post consumer alerts, but yesterday something happened that was so egregious I can’t help myself.
In yesterday’s mail, I received a piece of correspondence from List-Corp.com, 1004 Brookhaven Road, PO Box 447, Franklin, KY 42135-0447; 270 586 8600 (phone), 270 586 8608 (fax).
The correspondence was addressed to me at my business address. At the top right hand corner of the corner of the page – which looks very much like an invoice – it says: Remit to: PO Box 447, Franklin, KY 42135-0447. It listed my www.BudBilanich.com website and said “Status: ACTIVE”.
I didn’t recall buying service from these people, so I called them. The woman who answered the phone said, “that is not an invoice, it is a solicitation.” And indeed it was – a solicitation designed to appear to be an invoice.
After the phone call, and upon very close reading of the fine print, I did find these words: “This is not a bill, this is a solicitation, you are under no obligation to pay the amount stated unless you accept the offer.”
I realize that this statement probably meets legal disclosure requirements. But meeting legal requirements is a far cry from meeting high ethical standards. The statement I received from List-Corp.com looked suspiciously like an invoice. In my opinion, List-Corp.com is using very devious means to get web site owners to sign up for a service that they neither need nor want – and this pisses me off! (excuse my language)
I think of myself as a pretty smart guy. I have a Doctorate from Harvard (not that a Harvard degree always equates with being smart), and I almost was taken in by these people. My first assumption was that this was something to do with my web hosting, and I almost pulled out my check book. Shame on List-Corp.com. Shame, shame, shame.
Two common sense points here: 1) If you receive correspondence from List-Corp.com, throw it away without opening it; 2) read all of your correspondence – especially those that appear to be invoices carefully. Someone may be trying to trick you into buying something you don’t need nor want.
Sorry for the rant.
That’s it for today. Thanks for reading. Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense. Check out my other blog: www.CareerSuperStar.com for common sense advice on becoming a success in your life and career.
I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
Bud
PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open. Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.
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