Peter,

It must be harder to deal with in a private company, but here in a state
college library, I get lots of bogus invoices. Many are for periodicals
sent without authorization, so I actually receive 3 months to a year's
worth and then get billed. Mostly, I throw away the invoices, but when
faced with persistent harassment, I write them a letter, requiring that
they show proof of an order or I'll notify the state Purchasing Dept. that
I am being harrassed by a vendor. YOU can sue THEM for harassment, you know!

I've never had any more problems with any vendor or collection agency after
I threatened them back.  Of course, no one wants to fight THE STATE, but I
suspect they won't want to fight your company, either.

Good luck!

Judith Stokes, Serials Librarian
Rhode Island College, Providence, RI 02908
phone (401)456-8165   fax: (401)456-9646
 <jstokes@GROG.RIC.EDU>

------------
On Wed, 28 Jan 1998 08:06:31 -0600,
Peter Zeimet  <pzeimet@BARR.COM> wrote:

>Here's a question for you Serials folks.  We have been receiving invoices
>from a company called Progressive Business Publications.  We have never
>ordered anything from them in the past, nor have we actually received any
>products.
>
>After receiving the bill, we call the company to explain that there must be
>some mistake.  This gets us nowhere and now the matter has been turned over
>to a collection agency.  We think there is some foul play involved.  Some
>of our ex-employees have been contacted and said that Progressive Business
>Publications has done this before.  Do any of you have similar experiences?
> And what do we do?
>
>It seems a simple matter of telling them that unless they can produce paper
>demonstrating that we signed for a subscription (which we didn't), then we
>are under no legal obligation to pay.  But one of their moves has been to
>send these bills not only to the library, but to our accounting department.
> My guess is that they're hoping someone will just pay it in the confusion.
> When I talk to the collection agency they keep telling me that they will
>contact the vendor and get back to me.  But a month or so later, guess
>what?  A new invoice arrives.  They won't allow me to call the vendor
>directly.
>
>Without going to an expensive lawyer, any ideas?
>
>Peter J. Zeimet
>Systems Librarian
>Barr Engineering Co.
>8300 Norman Center Drive
>Minneapolis, MN  55437-1026
>612-832-2868
>612-832-2601 fax
> <pzeimet@BARR.COM>