Progressive Business Publications
Reviews and Complaints

It all begins when you start receiving invoices for $240 for a business newsletter to which you did not subscribe. You will get several invoices over a period of months. Then you will start getting telephone calls from a 'collection agency.' The telephone number of the person representing herself as a collection agency is [protected], an area code in south-central New York. When you ask for proof that you subscribed to the newsletter, you are told that you gave your birth date as confirmation. Of course, birth dates are easy to come by and many people have them on their Facebook accounts.

I do not know why the government has not shut down this operation. This is the second time they have fraudulently tried to pry money out of me. They tried it before about eight or ten years ago.

Because the invoices are sent to businesses and addressed to 'Accounts Payable, ' my guess is that oftentimes the invoices are paid by some clerk who thinks that someone in the organization actually did subscribe to the publication.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

I just received one of these here in Ohio. My owner got it and gave me a nasty memo with it stating that I shouldn't be ordering this crap and it will come out of my paycheck.
I didn't order it. What a scam. This may actually work out (for someone), but me for me.
I do recall getting a call about 4 or 5 months ago, from a male asking if I was a manager at my company. He asked to confirm the name of it (as he spoke it first to me), then asked if I was truly who I said I was by giving out my month and day of birth (which I wisely replied falsely). Then a click (he hung up on me). VERY suspect! I do recall worrying about it for a while as I checked on my bank accounts and 401K etc. Nothing ever happened. Perhaps I did start getting more email newsletters from various sources that I continually delete. Who knows where these come from, as I do subscribe to others? But now this shows up. $299.00 bill. Now what? I assure you that I did not order this.
They are play one employee source against another (or the sly telemarketer did)! Perhaps they know only the last half of the conversation gets recorded, so he skipped to there and started recording?
hmmmmmm.

KATCAL, you hit the nail right on the head. It is absolutely true that these people seek out lower-level management to sell to rather than the president, owner, CEO, CFO, or anyone else who has absolute power. Unless it's a business with only two or three people, in which case, the owner is who they talk to. They know the highest level of management won't have time to listen, or will have no interest in the areas being covered in the newsletters, so the company peddles their crap to the credit managers, customer service managers, quality managers, safety managers, marketing managers, HR managers, and so forth.

The script is written to tiptoe around the truth, but without outright lying. Basically, using words to make it sound like their stuff is free, and then being totally blasé when they get to the part about the invoice and the cost. I used to work there, and we were specifically instructed to not "make a big deal" out of the invoice or the $500+ subscription fee because then the people we were selling to would wise up and refuse the sale. We had to really play up the whole, "It's free! It's free! It's free to try! No charge if you just cancel it!" thing, but the fun part is that you don't get the invoice with which to cancel until after the free trial period is over.

And they have no shame in who they target...non-profit organizations, one-man businesses, funeral homes, hospitals, small colleges, people in the midst of a budget freeze. They will sell to anyone.

This company is a joke. They can not get an individual or organization to legitimately subscribe or purchase their product so they obtain "approval" through trickery. They also appear to purposely target a lower level staff person who may be more susceptible to their scam. I will never pay their illigitimate invoice.

Well let me begin by saying I am a former employee of Progressive Business Publications (just one of our many...many rip off names) I walked out today, I have never done that before in my life...but I am very proud of my decision. Along with me I took several tapes, scripts and other training materials they try to shove down our throats to teach us how to make our next big sale. This company is ripping me off as an employee last week I did not pick up my paycheck on payday.(FRIDAY) On Tuesday when i ask for it my boss told me its her responsibility to mail unclaimed checks back to corporate. There is no human being in the payroll dept. just a voicemail in which i have been leaving messages in for 6 days now. I have read several complaints online about other employees having the same issue...where its sent back voided and they make you go through hell to get your check AND then they deduct a service fee...WELL they are messin with the wrong girl...I made so many sales for this company and was promised the big bucks ...only to be paid NOTHING! Oh and yes there are people with the company who are actually being paid (maybe lol) to come into places like this and post WONDERFUL things about the company. This guy is obviously one of them because he quoted our script in his statement...way to go dumb ###! Let me add that if you dont pay your invoice it will NEVER affect your credit! The collection agency that calls is just another division of the company...all they do is call and call...they are a joke! If anyone who was ripped off by this company wants to contact me for further information feel free to jolettaluciano @ yahoo . com...I am ashamed that I even took part in this operation and will do whatever it takes to get my money out of this company. I have paid for childcare, transportation and work clothing only to see no return. As an employer they should have at least taken care of us! Instead they used us as another pawn in their scheme...I think someday I may make a good sales woman but Im not going to do it by ripping people off...

I ♥ the internet! I thought I was the only one being harassed by PBP's so-called "collections agency". It all started when a sales rep. from their company called me about this AMAZING newsletter and how I couldn't live without it...blah, blah, blah. I told him I was absolutely NOT interested in receiving any kind of "free trial" if it meant I would have to cancel the subscription or be billed automatically. I'm not very good about remembering that kind of stuff, and have fallen into that trap before. He went on to tell me that it wasn't anything like that. He said they would simply send me a newsletter, and if I liked it, I could sign up for a subscription - no strings attached. I thought that sounded like a an okay deal, so I said "sure, why not?". He then asked for my birthday to verify that he spoke with me. That should have been a giant red flag right there, but the guy was so sincere I didn't think anything of it at the time. BIG MISTAKE!
I received the first newsletter and skimmed through it. It wasn't anything great, definitely not amazing, so I tossed it. I thought that was the end of it. OH NO, that was just the beginning. Now five months later, I have someone calling 3+ times a day from a supposed collections agency. At first, I had no idea what the eff she was talking about. It had been five months and the newsletter wasn't exactly memorable. When I finally figured it out, I explained to her that the rep had told me that I didn't have to cancel anything. She basically told me that it didn't matter if the rep had lied through his teeth. Because I had given him my "personal information" (my birthday), apparently he could have said I agreed to give them my first born child and I would be legally bound because they know my birthday. What a load of bull****! I won't be held responsible for the fact that their sales reps. are lying ###!
I'm not paying them a dime! And I hope more PBP victims read this and do the same! I'm going to report them to the BBB and my state's Attorney General. And so should you if you've been preyed upon by this bloodsucking demon of a company. They can't be allowed to keep taking advantage of consumers like this. It's just straight up WRONG.

This company is getting more clever by the minute. I never spoke with anyone regarding a free trial, but I guess the receptionist gave someone my name as the person that orders office supplies. A week later I received a newsletter from PBP, but they were not able to verify any information with my birth date, since they did not talk to me directly. I called to speak with a rep, and for sure there was a request in the system for a new subscription. I googled the company while talking to a rep. to let her know that I am on to the scam, and of course she promised to get to the bottom of this, and cancel my subcription right away. I deliver the mail, so I will contact PBP right away if they invoice my company.

I have no idea why anyone would defend this company. (Dan U is probably an employee of PBP)

I was unaware of what was going on til my accounts payable notified me that there was a 3rd notice due and we needed to pay it. I have no clue how thay came about my information but I never received anything from them or even know how it looks like. I am so furious with all these companies that offer these so-called "free trials" but never follow through with there promise. And just like many others said, if they want their money...why don't they call in directly to the businesses instead of sending notices in the mail? what does PBP have to hide? If they do not cancel my account, I am going straight to the BBB. No if's, and's or but's! I've had enough of this company! GRRRRRR!

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

If you get a invoice from Progressive Business Publications all you have to do is e-mail... jthomas@pbp.com
Stop the bogus subscription. Keep the email and invoice as evidence.
Also send a copy of the invoice to the Malvern Police Dept and BBB.

Constantly getting mail from these people. Either invoices and sometimes stupid flyers. We do not know where they come from and no one subscribed to them, yet they do not understand the word "CANCEL" nor do they understand the phrase "WE DO NOT WANT YOUR BUSINESS" because they keep making new accounts in our name and sending us the same crap and new invoices. If you ever have anything to do with the be prepared for a lot of junk mail that you will have to pay for to send back, because if you don't they will charge you for them, is what it says according to the paperwork. They state to return to cancel. Haven't seen that happen yet as we are recieving the crap from them still.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

So if you are having problems with PBP. Obviously, an employee within your company talked to them, agreed to the "free of charge, subscription with the right of cancellation" other wise...they wouldn't be coming in the mail to you, nor would they have proof of the person's name, address, and also their Month and Day of their birth. Apparently...the companies need to pay a little more attention..during phone calls and understand what they are agreeing to! Nothing is free. The first two issues are...we say it "free of charge"...hello...how much clearer can the saying be?

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

If you get a invoice from Progressive Business Publications all you have to do is e-mail... jthomas@pbp.com
Stop the bogus subscription. Keep the email and invoice as evidence.
Also send a copy of the invoice to the Malvern Police Dept and BBB.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

If you get a invoice from Progressive Business Publications all you have to do is e-mail... jthomas@pbp.com
Stop the bogus subscription. Keep the email and invoice as evidence.
Also send a copy of the invoice to the Malvern Police Dept and BBB.

I just received an invoice from Progressive Business Publications stating it was the 2nd notice and that payment was overdue for some bogus publication I had never heard of. I have never spoken to anyone from this company, nor have I ever ordered anything from them. I never even received the 1st invoice! This company is a scam, and don't bother calling them because you'll just end up getting in an argument with some rude telemarketer more or less calling you a liar. I can't believe that places like this are allowed to operate under any magnitude...where's the better business bureau when you actually need them!

Completely agree with the person commenting here as there is NO telephone number on any of the invoices these people send out! I received a telephone call today telling me I ordered this coding publication however we don't even have coders here in our office nor do we need any publications that discuss such issues! The lady caller insisted that I placed the order and when I told her I have looked for a phone number on the invoice to call and discuss the bill, she simply told me that there have been e-mails sent to me as well. I told her I never received any e-mails but I will contact my company IT department to search the e-mail address she gave to me. I doubt there will be any messages ever received. This company is a scam and although I am surprised to see so many complaints, I am glad people can take the time to make a public complaint so others are aware as well. I will contact the legal entities noted above to further lodge a formal complaint against their fraudulent practices!

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

You can not call If There Is No Phone Number on the Fake invoice!

I received a call from Lynn Gregory informing me that I have a invoice due for $237.12 since Oct 2010. I asked her what it was for. She said I accepted a free trial back in September and didn't opt of receiving publications after the 30 day trial. I told her no one told me that I had to do that. I accepted the trial because telemarketers would not stop calling me and they assured me I wouldn't get billed and if I like the service then I would pay for it. I told her I was NOT going to pay for anything especially since I did not receive anything, not one publication! She said it wasn't "her fault" and I needed to check with whoever handles the mail. She then proceeded to ask me for my title and was very rude by telling me to "admit" that I signed up for it and to just pay it. Very unprofessional. Obviously its a scam and its sad that they have to get business by sending invoices in hopes that someone will pay for it.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

We received one of those invoices that stated we subscribed to the Progressive Business Publications - Selling Advantage. We did not make any such subscription. We have no intention of paying the invoice.

They will need to provide written evidence that any such subscription was placed. We want the signatures. We filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov. I hope more people will follow our lead and file complaints with the FTC.

If there are enough complaints against this company the FTC will take legal action. These people need to be stopped. With the economy in such a bad place right now, any additional burden to a struggling company's finances could mean more lay-offs or the complete shut down of businesses.

This type of unethical business just makes our economic/individual recovery and survival more difficult. How many more people do they have to put on unemployment?

Did you get the charge reversed from Visa? Have the same situation and just told our MasterCard company to dispute the charge. Waiting for a response from PBP and hoping to have our $237 back. Was not lucky enough to be offered a lower rate. Just a sad scam of a company.

progressive business is a fraud they call over a year ago and ask my name how many employs worked with us and to speak with our HR and when i told them we did not have HR department they ended the call...now there sending an invoice for$299.00
for a 12 month HR news letter... that we never received...and there threatening to send to collections ...We have reported them to BBB...and i was not the first or last.DO NOT PAY they are SCAMS

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

SENT UNWANTED NEWSLETTER THAT WERE NOT ORDERED AND CONTINUE TO BILL FOR THEM.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

I worked at the Meadville office it is scripted but it does say free trial if not find useful can cancel by writing cancel on the invoice or cancel on the website.BEWARE IF YOU QUIT BETTER CALL MAIN OFFICE FOR CHECK IF YOU WANT IT, So far I'm still trying to get mine. ANd Jenn is a lying sneeky big mouthed _itch, and you will freeze it is cold in thier office have to punch out to go to bathroom or get a drink,

Apparently...the companies need to pay a little more attention..during phone calls and understand what they are agreeing to! Nothing is free. The first two issues are...we say it "free of charge"...hello...how much clearer can the saying be?

I am an employee at the Meadville, PA branch - I take a great deal of pride in my position and company. This is now my 3rd time returning to this company, just shows how great of a place it is to work. PBP is an amazing company to work for, they are for HONEST and CARING. All employees at PBP take alot of pride in the service we give to our customers. I first want to explain (again) how the process works, since many of you seem to have a problem listening and comprehending information. PBP puts alot of time in effort into the training of their reps, not only for their benefit but the benefit of our customers - current and future. All of our calls are scripted (approved by many business law professionals), a rep goes off script it is possible that their employment is terminated. The most important section of the script is the Invoice and Offer section, which states " that after receving your 2nd issue you WILL receive an invoice, if you find the publication invaulable you write cancel on the invoice and send it back" Very simple instructions I would say. Our reps never say they will call back to check. Secondly, We ask if you feel it can fit into your budget... If at anytime during the conversation we sense hesitation we DO NOT place the order. Never once during the conversation do we say it is a free trial... YOU purchased a subscription with the option to cancel!

I would like to say I am sorry for any inconvience your lack of comprehension may have caused you. I assure you our reps only have the best interest of your company in mind, just as they do for the 200, 000+ customers we currently have had for the past 20years including all Fortune 1000 companies... I guess take it as a lesson learned... LISTEN AND PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL!

They are still at it. Just this week they called and threatened to release the unpaid invoice to some credit report

The woman was very friendly but seriously concerned about no payment and having to release to some credit reporting agency.

How can this be allowed as a business practice? Trick people into agreeing to try something for free. I have never understood. The responsibility should be on them to contact you to see if you want to continue with the subscription at a fee.- not the other way around.

Its a scam! it may be a barely legal scam but its a scam.

How can anyone actually wale up in the morning and work for a company like this?
Really!

I am receiving telephone calls for payment of $299.00 for publications I never ordered.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

Lol. He is my cousin lmao

If you get a invoice from Progressive Business Publications all you have to do is e-mail... jthomas@pbp.com
Stop the bogus subscription. Keep the email and invoice as evidence.
Also send a copy of the invoice to the Malvern Police Dept and BBB.

SCAM JUST HAPPENED TO ME! Exact same thing.

I work at progressive and you all should know were not out to get anyone we try and help companies with everyday problems and ill have u know I make easily fifteen an hour every two weeks maybe if u had half a brain you would understand that the companies complaining about false invoices are the companies who have employees to scared to admit they signed up for a subscription with the right of cancellation or just can't grasp that its so easy to stop the service with no charge I spell it out c a n c e l wow people

I work for this place too, and unlike Bish up there, I am not beaming with pride because I know the company is a big, fat scam. I agree fully - this place employs shady business practices and they hire people who are too dumb to know it's a scam or who have too many felonies on their criminal record to be hired elsewhere. I only work here because there is nowhere else to work where I live and I cannot afford to move away...and I'm not proud to say I do. But here are some of this company's greatest hits and how they get their claws into you:

1. Will NOT speak to the highest authority at a company. They will seek out managers with less of an impact than an owner, president, CEO, CFO, etc. They want the customer service managers, the QAQC managers, service managers, and so forth. Even if someone in such a position is not authorized to agree to a subscription, they will be asked, "Well, surely your boss values your opinion, right? Would you recommend (thing) for the budget if you found it valuable?"

2. When reading from their script, sales reps are encouraged to talk at light speed. Fast-talking sales tactics are used because they have worked for years, unfortunately. Employees are especially encouraged to not only rush through the invoice and cost part of the script, but to say it in an apathetic tone. If they put emphasis on important words like "invoice" and "cost" and dollar amounts, this will make the manager realize this is not as free as they thought and not agree to the sale.

3. All calls with managers are recorded. This means if you call and say you never authorized anything, they will whip out the tape where the sales rep is talking to whoever they sold to and how they are agreeing to the sale. The final page of the script has to be read in full, verbatim, and ends with "have a good day" or what not. This makes the sale official. Even if you refuse to give them your email, fax number or birth date (or fake ones), the sale will still go through.

4. They've sold to big companies that have the budget to lose a few hundred bucks a year, but they also come down on small businesses, schools, hospitals, non-profit organizations.

5. Operators and secretaries are told the bare minimum about the nature of the call. In fact, reps are encouraged to lie to them. Is Mr. Whoever expecting your call? Of course he is! Is this a sales call? No ma'am (or sir), it's a business call. We are also told we have to talk like we need to urgently speak to the targeted manager, as if there's an emergency and we need them now now now. Also, reps may or may not say they are from Progressive Business Publications - they may say they are from somewhere else like GWJ or some other abbreviation for the newsletter they are touting. Because a lot of people are familiar with Progressive's business practices and immediately say "no" when they hear the name, reps have to get around that by saying they are from the name of the newsletter.

6. Hanging up or telling your secretary/operator to tell us you are not interested will get your number listed as a "call back."

7. About twice a month, an individual office will rotate publications. This means their do-not-call lists get reset. So if the manager tells them they do not want Credit Crap Digest and to take the number off their call list, the company will call again soon enough and push Work Safety: Don't Get Sued! on you. There is absolutely no escape once they have your number in their grasp. Obviously the publication names I listed are not real, either. But the subject matter mentioned in the titles are ones covered by this company.

8. Reps cannot take one "no" as an answer. First no warrants a response of, "Can I ask if you feel you won't find this newsletter valuable?" If you say, "no" again, you will hear one of a few rebuttals to common refusal reasons ("Not interested", "No time to read", "Don't want to deal with an invoice", etc.) These are also scripted. You say "no" again and you get offered a free email with company details. Not sure if this has a cost or is spam mail or not.

And the employees get treated like crap too. They don't want you deviating from their precious script in the least because, hey, that script lines their wallets, so why should the reps say anything else? The company is always running ads in the paper saying things like, "Come work for us and make up to $20 an hour!" Yeah, sounds like a sweet deal but they leave out the part where it's basically impossible to make that much. If you don't meet a very high sales quota every single day until the end of time itself, you make minimum wage. No benefits, no overtime. And if you don't get a decent amount of sales each day, you deviate from the script, you are heard saying, "Please" or you dare utter you think the company is a scam, you will hear about it.

The best advice I can give is to just keep saying "no." Make sure everyone in your place of work knows the company's name so no one authorizes anything. This may not stop a newsletter from coming since they do have your address and could easily send it anyway, but it will definitely help a little. But honestly, try not to hate on the reps too much. They are only peons who do what they are told; hate the company itself. I've personally had some people get very angry on calls, but they were obviously mad at the company and were polite to me.

It says in the script you recieve the first 2 free issues free of charge and on the 3rd issue you will recieve an invoice. I does say free. You have a right to cancel after the first 2 issues it will be no cost to you to try the first 2 issues. How can you lie on to all these people. I only worked there a week. I hated it, because you have to keep calling people that are not interested. The calls go to phone numbers that don't even exist. Places are closed Good Friday. They still make phone calls. They keep the ad in the paper and keep on hiring, if its that good of a job why do they keep the ad in the paper and tease people there is an actual job there? Or you would keep your emplyees. It sounds good it till you try it out. I am still waiting for a paycheck. Companys like this have to go. In these times people can not afford to pay charity to such a company. If the stuff is that good why use telemarking, why not a normal subsciption like any other magazine. Thats all it is, it the people like they will buy it. Some stuff is very interesting, but some we all ready know about already. Apparently, you dont go by your dumb letters anyhow, or you woulod be THE Fortune magazine its self.

BishPBT you obviouly must be the one behind this scam. You are probably the scammer who is trying to make all this look so legit. You sound like a ### your self. Such a great company to work for...give me a break QQ

The same thing just happened to us. However when I called the number provided, they did take us off their list.
Same story- claimed they spoke to me, claimed we received 2 issues (which never showed up) and send a bill for $240.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

Thank you! We have had the same experience.

I too have now been contacted by a collections agent regarding junk mail I threw out as business mail spam. This is a scam. Of note is that businesses getting this invoice should check with all emloyees that receive mail. In my case I own a small company and see the inbound mail and invoices. PBP tried to send the Managers Alert newsletter to our director of operations (me) as an employee and the invoices to an Accounts Payable Dept at our company address. This is also me. Funny thing was that the invoices started at 3rd Notice and was already past due. Did the USPS somehow loose the first 2 invoces and then the 3rd got thru? Nah, I don't think so and since I see all inbound mail I know the first invoice was number 3. I think this type of practice should be turned over to a BBB for filing.

Funny - I had a lady call and offered this FREE TRIAL for CFO & Controller Alert newsletter. I advised her that we did not want to receive this publication, but she insisted that we take a look at it. She continued to talk her talk even after I had told her several times NO.
Now I'm receiving an invoice for $299.99. What's up with that. Another scam?

In November, I was contacted about a free trial. No obligation. I politely declined and said that I already had too many things to read, and that I wasn't interested. The rep said, I understand. Thank you for your time. Just to verify that we spoke and so I can take you off the mailing list can I have your month and day of birth. I said ok. Thought it was done.

Started getting the publication in the mail called "the selling advantage, " along with past due invoices. We imagined that they were invoicing us and thought it would go unnoticed and get paid. Well, that is not the case. We would not pay for something we did not want or need. Finally, come March 2012, we get a call from the International Credit Recovery collection agency, stating we had an unpaid balance that would be reported to the credit bureaus. Irate! We got in contact with PBP and after the run around. I finally get a manager Nikki Shimmel. She says that if we just pay $74.10 to cover invoicing, publication, and mail costs, it will clear us from collections and that we would not be bother. Fine! We did. I even got an email stating that we had been cleared. Now June 2012. Katie from ICR 720.320.6262 is calling saying that we owe for another subscription called the Internet Marketing Report. Saying we have been being invoiced since December. Well, I have never seen these invoices. She can't even produce a sound bite where I agreed to the subscription that costs $299. I THINK NOT. This is a complete scam and seriously something needs to be done about it. It is unacceptable that they have been able to operate this long. After we hung up on Katie, saying we will not pay. She called back 3 minutes later stating that we would have the option, like last time to settle. NOPE.. not again. They already got $74.10 more than they deserved. What's even worse is that time they stole from me!

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

I messaged one of the news companies in NY to take this out in the open. Watch out International Credit Recovery. They will be knocking on your door shortly. Attorney general will follow.

If you get a invoice from Progressive Business Publications all you have to do is e-mail... jthomas@pbp.com
Stop the bogus subscription. Keep the email and invoice as evidence.
Also send a copy of the invoice to the Malvern Police Dept and BBB.

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

AREN'T YOU JUST THE CUTEST LITTLE THING THIS SIDE OF SATAN'S YOUNGEST SON...HOW ABOUT THIS FOR CONVERSING, MY ETHICALLY DEPRIVED CYBER ### CONTACT...BITE MY HAIRY ###!

AS TO YOUR MEALY MOUTH AND FECKLESS DISCLAIMER ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT, YOUR LYING AND UTTERLY MISLEADING ADS AND YOUR RIDICULOUS TERMS AND CONDITIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHOVE THEM WHERE THE SUN DON'T SHINE, BEGINNING ANYTIME YOU ARE IN THE PROPER POSITION!

OR NOT...YOUR CALL!

YOUR AD WAS EXPLICIT AND SPECIFIC TO RISK FREE REVIEW OF A PRODUCT.

BUT DID YOUR PRODUCT DO ANYTHING AT ALL TO ASSIST ME IN MY FRUSTRATION? NO!

DID YOUR PRODUCT CAUSE ME GREAT ADDITIONAL FRUSTRATION? YES!

DID YOUR PRODUCT AND ADS MAKE ME FEEL STUPID AND GULLIBLE? YES!

ARE YOU ALL JUST ### SUCKING GUTTER SLUTS WHO SHOULD BE SWEPT INTO THE NEAREST SEWER PIT TO MOLD AND ROT UNTIL THE END OF TIME?

HELL YES!

YOU SIMPLY SCAMMED ME AND WENT YOUR MERRY THIEVING WAY.

BURN IN HELL YOU HUMAN REJECT!

OTHER THAN THIS, YOUR PRODUCT IS SIMPLY WONDERFUL!

BY THE WAY, HAVE I CALLED YOU A NUMNUTS YET? NO...LET ME CORRECT THAT...NUMNUTS!

IN WHICH PRISON DID YOU CONCOCT THIS ELABORATE MARKETING SCAM SCHEME?

YOU ARE ALL PATHETIC LOSERS WHO NEED A FEW YEARS ON A REMOTE AND DESERTED ISLAND WHERE YOU WOULD COME TO LEARN THE FINE ART OF MAN LOVE AND ALL ITS ASSOCIATED NATURAL WONDERS.

MAY YOUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND YOUR MISLEADING AND FALSE ADVERTISING GIVE YOU A LONG TERM CASE OF TERMINALLY PAINFUL CONSTIPATION!

I HOPE THAT I HAVE MADE MYSELF CLEAR ENOUGH FOR YOUR CRIMINAL BRAIN TO COMPREHEND!

YOU AND YOURS COLLECTIVELY SUCK!

Progressive Business Publications is not a scam company. The company has been in operation for a lot of years! When the Sales Reps contact the businesses "offering" 2 FREE OF CHARGE, issues of the current newsletters...they make it CLEAR, they are FREE OF CHARGE, the FIRST two are only free, they explain to the customer STRAIGHT out, during the second issue, you will be receiving a invoice, if the services are not up to par and the newsletter has not been beneficial you need to "write cancel" on the invoice and mail it back. Or if you decide to continue with the newsletter service it is...299 say for 23 issues. Which come out twice a month, all except one month...December. It's clear as day. I don't understand where everyone states that..they are not aware of invoices. The very last part of the conversation tells you what you need to do with the invoice if you decide to cancel or continue. The day.month birth. confirms the "subscription with a right of cancellation"... to confirm who the sales rep talked to and for quality control! Also, all calls are taped!

So if you are having problems with PBP. Obviously, an employee within your company talked to them, agreed to the "free of charge, subscription with the right of cancellation" other wise...they wouldn't be coming in the mail to you, nor would they have proof of the person's name, address, and also their Month and Day of their birth. Apparently...the companies need to pay a little more attention..during phone calls and understand what they are agreeing to! Nothing is free. The first two issues are...we say it "free of charge"...hello...how much clearer can the saying be?

I also agree with the original complaint - CFO & Controller Alert is a SCAM! They strong arm you into accepting a free trial which ends up costing $299. I never signed up for it, yet they were still able to say I agreed to it by not returning the first copy that was sent to me. If you deal with them be prepared to get harassing calls from a collection agency trying to force you to pay $299 or risk your good credit rating.!

Please send your complaints about fraudulent conduct regarding International Credit Recovery Inc. and Progressive Business Publications to the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, E consumer .gov, the Better Business Bureau, and/or your local General Attorney's office.

I echo the original complaint -CFO & Controller Alert is not reputable and trys to collect for subscriptions that you never signed up for or approved. If you deal with them be prepared to get harrassing calls from a collection agency trying to force you to pay $299 or else!

I strongly disagree with the dissatisfaction of the CFO & Controller Alert. I tried out their "Risk-Free" issues, and I loved them so much, I bought a year's subscription. The newsletter not only saved me time, it gave me ideas to boost my cash-flow and control my spending. I strongly recommend checking it out for free! -Dan Mellas, CFO