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Business scam strikes in Boaz
Published June 26, 2010
A Texas company with a checkered past is trying to bilk a Boaz business out of more than $300, according to an alert issued by the Better Business Bureau of North Alabama.
The BBB said a company called Hometown Productions, of Arlington, Texas, contacted a Boaz business about purchasing maps as part of a promotion with the Boaz Area Chamber of Commerce.
“The local business owner stated she was not interested, but told the salesperson they could send some information by mail,” the BBB said. “Several weeks later, a box arrived, along with a bill for $309.50. The owner did not open the box and refused to pay the bill. Since then, Hometown Productions has sent a letter indicating it will send the debt over to a collection agency if it is not paid.”
The scam and the company are familiar to BBB officials. The BBB in Fort Worth said Hometown Productions is a division of Universal Adcom, a company that has received had than 300 registered complaints during the past three years.
“The company has an F rating due to the number of complaints, the number of unresolved complaints, the number of serious complaints, the length of time the business has taken to resolve complaints and for government actions against the company, including a lawsuit that was filed in June 1999 by the Alabama Attorney General’s Consumer Affairs Section,” the BBB said. “The complaints on file with the Fort Worth BBB allege that the company billed businesses for orders not placed; misrepresented its affiliation with a school, chamber of commerce or other civic organizations; made harassing and deceptive sales calls; failed to deliver ordered products or delivered products of poor quality; and failed to remove businesses from their calling list.”
Bromleigh Hales, president of the Boaz Area Chamber of Commerce, said her agency has nothing to do with the Texas-based company’s promotions.
“The Boaz Area Chamber of Commerce would like to assure our members that this is not one of our products,” Hales said. “This company’s, and other ones like it, scheme is using the area’s chamber of commerce, schools and other civic organizations’ names to give them credibility.
“Any promotions that the Boaz Area of Chamber of Commerce is involved with will come directly from our staff, board of directors or ambassadors. I would like to remind our members and other area businesses to be aware and proactive about these scams.”
Albertville Chamber of Commerce President Jennifer Palmer sent an e-mail Thursday saying Hometown Productions is also targeting Albertville businesses.
Angie Craig, a BBB regional vice president based in Boaz, said businesses can check online at www.bbb.org or call her office at 256-840-5588 if they have questions.
“I would suggest that all calls to a business concerning money should be taken care of by one person ... say the owner, office manager or accountant,” Craig said. “Please be sure to whom you are speaking. If it is an out-of-state company saying they are affiliated with a local chamber of commerce, civic group or any of our schools … beware.
“Please check with those local organizations before you send money to these companies. I would say 99 percent of these situations will be a scam.”
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