6077484686

Same story as every one else.  ICS however used the wrong company name when talking with me.  Lynn Gregory is the scammer that I talked with.

I had a run in with ICR only it involved another company Institute of Business Publications, that uses the same MO.  ICR is a subsidiary of Progressive Business Publications.  I'm the receptionist a/p clerk and have been doing this for 23 years.  Here is how the scam works.  PBP calls, clue #1 their number is blocked and says private, they ask for the OSHA Compliance Mgr, when you ask you they are they say, Environmental Compliance, which is actually the name of the newsletter they're pushing, but it sounds official doesn't it?  So if they get through to the manager, they use some sort of bogus "survey" and this is where they obtain the person's name, birth date and whatever else they use to "prove" the order was obtained.  Two people get a newsletter from PBP , have never had any newsletters go missing and we pay the bill.  However, the number of people at our company who have been duped by these people, got the newsletter, didn't like the price, didn't get the newsletter, forgot that they "ordered" it whatever, far outweighs the pleased consumer.  I've noticed that PBP doesn't provide their fax number on their invoices so I got it off of their website.  I wrote on the invoices CANCEL,did not order, date stamped it and faxed it to them.  If they do call I tell them what day I faxed the cancellation.  By law you have 30 days to get out of the "contract".  If it goes to "collections" tell them they have to provide you with a copy of the recording.  When I asked for a copy from ICR trying to collect on IOBP invoice I never heard from them again.  I told her the burden of proof was on her and she had to pay for the copy, I would not.  
Remember, screen every call and ask are you with Progressive Business Publications, because they lie to your face.  Just stop the calls in their tracts, NEVER, give out anybody's name, and never "confirm" anything over the phone for a data base.

Same story, a call from Lynn. She had the wrong birthday, however and refused my request to send me something in writing, said Progressive has sent me multiple bills. Now she has the nerve to call me back. I am going to enjoy taking a lot of her time giving her false information and putting her on hold. Let the games begin!

Received a call from Lynn at International Credit Recovery stating that I agreed to a 30 day free trial of their newsletter from Pediatric Coding and Reimbursement, of Progressive Business publications.  I do not remember agreeing to this, however I never received any of the newsletters.  I double checked with our billing dept, and they did not have any copies of the newsletter either.
I do not subscribe to $198.00 newsletters as a rule.
Lynn said that our account will be turned over to collection.  My take on that is that you cannot report a disputed amount.
This company is using intimidation to get your credit card information.

Heard from Katie at ICR.  Same story.  would not allow me to speak with progresive, never got the publication or an invoice.

They said the same things as the others.  They will report us for non-payment...etc..
Thanks for the heads-up!!

I have received two calls from International Credit Recovery.  At first, like some of you probably were, I was a little worried about the phone call..until I googled the number.  Wow at all of the people they have tried to scam.  Today when I was contacted for the second time, I asked the representative for a Federal Tax ID.  She asked me what I wanted it for and I told her that I wanted to be sure that they are a legitimate taxpaying business.  She could not provide me with the info and said she would have to check with her assistant.  She immediately wanted to end the conversation with me and asked to speak to my boss.  She pretty much started to beg, it was pathetic.  She finally hung up on me.  Something needs to be done about this.  The economy is really taking a toll on everyone and no one has the right to scam people out of their hard earned money!

A women who identified herself as Katie left a message reporting that she had claim on me and my agency dating back to November 2008.

We have also received calls from Valerie Oliver claiming a former employee made order via telephone on behalf of our CEO. Valerie is very rude and refuses to send a copy of invoice claiming all was done via telephone. If any of you have a reference on how to report them legally will love hear that, meanwhile we are searching on our end. They need to be stopped!!!! This is awful that a person can actually do this to small bss owners, what a shame.

Got a call from PBP in October 08 wanting my views on a survey regarding Accounts Payable. January 09, 3 months later receive an invoice for $299, wrote a cancellation note on the invoice and mailed it back including a letter stating why I would not pay. May 09, another 4 months later receive a call from Tiffany Jones demanding payment. I refused payment as I have no authorization to make any purchases. I faxed my letter but kept receiving fax busy. June 09, a month later another, I received another phone call from Cathy of International Credit Recovery demanding payment and how this will affect the company credit linking my name to this debt. I transfered the call to our controller and he told her that he will forward their information to BBB and told her that they are very deceptive. Hopefully that was the last of IRC. Further more we will not pay a dime, nor should you!

I was scammed in April 09 by International Credit Recovery  ;  the next day I discovered that it was a scam and went to the bank to stop payment on my credit card.It was done;I haven't lost any money,only nerves and time.In a process I found some data:like addresses :International Credit Recovery Inc. 300 Main Street,POBox 992 ,Vestal New York 13851;you know the telephone number.Second important information is that from what we see they represent only Progressive Business Publications (There are not complaints about any other of their clients).Progressive B P address is:Malvern,PA 19355,370 Technology Drive,1-800-964-6033.It looks like BBB doesn't have a bite;Progressive Business Publications sued BBB for giving poor recommendations (Progressive lost,but nothing was done to them).There are few options: you can call NY State Attorney General Office (607)721-8771 (Andrew Cuomo),Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General,16th floor,Strawberry Square,Harrisburg,PA 17120;phone 1-717-787-3391;Consumer Protection 1-800-441-2555.Another option:FBI in you area (interstate crime);but bring to them printout;they told me that they woudn't investigate only one complaint;but when I showed them printout of people's complains they took the case (printout from Internet,Google-some of them) Please ,try to do that ;these people are deceiving thousands of businesses ;someone has to stop them.

One more on the list- ICR claims to have gotten approval for a subscription to a foundation grant writing newsletter from Progressive Business Publications. They had my name on it, but they date they claimed to have called our small local museum and gotten "authorization", we weren't open! They want $240 for a subscription they claim we authorized but are willing to settle for 'only' $100. No way are they getting anything from us.

I spoke with AMANDA today and I apparently have fallen victim to the same scam. Don't EVER give anyone your birthdate over the phone. This is how the company "verifies" that you agreed to purchase the newsletter after the "free trial" ends. Don't forget to go the BBB website and complain about Progressive Business Publications as well. My bill was a hefty $299.00!!!

Got the same call frm Amanda  International Credit Recovery (ICR). . She left an voicemail

Amanda called my office asking for my boss. I tried getting information from her and she said she couldn’t tell me because of the legalities involved and that my boss needs to call back. She said all she could tell me was there was a claim pending against my company. Now that I’ve read the notes above I know what a scam they are.

Started receiving calls from Bekki Morgan of ICR last week regarding the same concerns expressed above. The newsletter in question is Family Medicine Coding & Reimbursement. When I told Bekki I donot remember every ordering let along receiving the newsletters, she stated "they were mailed to you so you must have received them". Bekki is very rude and very demanding, requesting that I give her a credit card number or pay by check over the phone in the amount of $197.00, or my hospital would be put into collection. Thanks for the heads up on this scam.

Received call from Valerie Alvin or Oliver...
Stated she was collecting a dept on behalf of some publication "Quality Business Alert". I stated that our company has a strict policy against ordering publication and there is no way I ordered the "newsletter" as she stated. She gave me a birth date that was not mine. I told her I would have to get our attorneys involved and she ended the call saying that she would report that I refused to pay. Funny thing, the receptionist and Valerie sound like the same person.

This company's owner is very well connected politically and this is why they continue to operate.

Dear Bob,
Please,let us know the name of the owner,and his party affiliation.I was scammed by them,but I recovered my money (credit card).I also reported this case to FBI on 5/20/2009,but evidently nothing was done.I would love to hear from you.I am waiting for your note.
Joe

Ditto. They were persistent too. Even sent us an invoice for $299 for a resource for keeping our APs up to date. Our caller was Lin Gregory.