Have you ever received a call from a business claiming that your business owes them money, but you don’t remember having agreed to it?  You’re not alone!  The Better Business Bureau has received many calls from businesses alleging that they have received supplies that they had not ordered or an invoice for an annual subscription to promote their business online, which they did not agree to renew.  

Sometimes, these charges are legitimate but not always. 

One thing businesses should look out for and certainly train their Office Assistants on is dishonest telemarketers, who may tell an assistant that the owner authorized a purchase. 

Without a second thought, they will agree to have supplies shipped and then sign for them.  Before long, a company might wind up with a surplus of 50 ink cartridges, a stockpile of paper, and other supplies, if not careful.

The best practice to have when dealing with phone solicitors is to not agree to anything verbally but to insist on having a written contract sent to you that you can carefully look over at your leisure, before making a commitment or approving a charge.  If a company is unwilling to work with you at your leisure, that should be a warning sign.

As far as the annual subscription for marketing, businesses need to read the fine print on the contract agreement/invoice.  It may state specifically that an annual fee will be reapplied, if the company is not told otherwise.  Once you’ve signed your name to it, whether you knowingly agreed to something or not, you are bound to it.

Businesses also need to be careful to confirm with whom they are dealing. The BBB has been informed that some companies are using logos and company names that are extremely similar to well known companies, such as the Yellow Pages, in order to dupe them into signing an agreement. Businesses may think they are renewing a contract or advertisement agreement with a company, only to find out, the company is not who they think they are.

Both businesses and consumers should contact the Better Business Bureau, at info@easternmichiganbbb.org or 248-223-9400 if they believe they have been a victim of unfair business practices.