Hometown Productions Universal Adcom Ad Scam Arlington, Texas

I was first contacted about a year ago by a company to buy "sponsor" the t-shirts for a local school's sports team. It cost me $400 and I was happy to do. A few weeks later I recieved 10 t-shirts in the mail with my invoice reciept and thought nothing more of it. Until I recieved a phone call March 5th of this year from Hometown Productions I realised later they were the same companyas before) asking if I would like to buy ad space for some maps. I said it sounded interesting and had obviously "agreed" as I found out later because I gave my birth date. What I had agreeded too (in my head) was getting further info from the and to see what my ad would look like. Well Cortney (who is still with the company) was meant to e-mail me a copy. Never recieved it. She called a few days later droping the price if I pay now!! I told her I haven't had your email yet, well she was going to get right on that to send out another one. The same thing happened a few days later. Still no email, still wasn't going to sign up yet. Well after the 3rd call with discounted pricing a couple of weeks later she agreed to send a copy via fax. Well that took her another week and that was another week I had forgotten about the company again. 4 weeks after intial contact I get the fax. Finally I have a piece of paper in my hand with an okay looking ad but by this time I was fed up with them. Then I noticed in small writting at the bottom of the fax saying "sending this fax back is not proof of canelation". Which got my interest up so instanly I jumped on the web typed in there name and the first thing I saw was "Hometown Production Ad Scam"  that was all I needed to see. I called Cortney back to tell her I was not interested in advertising with them after all.

Well Miss Cortney told me I can't cancell even though the maps had not gone to printing yet as my 10 day grace period was up from when I "agreed" to advertise with them. Needless to say this was the first I had heard about the 10 day grace period and of course we got into a huge screaming match with each other and I hung up. I did call right back and insist that a manager call me back imediatley to sort this fiasco out. No phone call. I called the next day to again speak with a manager but alas she was out of the office but she would be getting back to me. Nothing.

And of course I forgot about them... Until I received 10 maps in the mail and horrified to see an Ad on the representing me. Because I did not proof this Ad because I did not agree to this Ad they left off my licence number for my contracting business. It is illegal to advertise my business in my Stae without my licence number.

So here we are now in September. I am now dealing with a 3rd person ( I do have to say the secand person I called imediately I got the Maps (Chris  Ardy) was very nice and was going to sort it out for me and I spoke with him on 3 different accations. I presume he is no longer with this company as this 3rd person who has been calling (and yes we have had screaming matches down the phone and tears from me) for money. Which she can stuff right up her a*s (Annette #246451 can be reached at extention 329)

Guess what, Today I actually got to speak to a corperate manager (Lisa Humble) after calling  4 business days in a row. I found out from her computer that "I had proofed" the ad as there were spelling mistakes on the original mock ad. I had to laugh and we discused at length about how this was all bullshit (Cortney, Annette and Lisa are really good at talking over you and and being really consiending) and about the different fax return non cancelation wording on our own fax copies. She asked if I would send her over a copy of the fax I had so the could compare the 2.

I said I would, after I took down her fax number. At which point I hung up Called the BBB in Arlinton to I may at least place my first complaint of the day. Even though they can only take complaints she did tell me that I can write a letter to this company explainging everything I have already told them a million times and notorise the latter and send a notorzed copy to the BBB. I have since called the Consumer affairs in my State (my county one is closed untill the 24th) who put me in touch with consumer affairs in Dallas TX. but by luck it was a wrong department who inturn handed my over to the District atterneys office who actaully were really helpful and put me intouch with the FTC! who are really good at what they do. So I got a claim going and my own case number from them and they directed me to their web site where I can check out what they have going alreadyas well as put my complaint in writting along with my very own case number. Which I shall do first thing in the morning and also get cracking in writting that letter and not only CC the BBB but also CC the FTC.

I am so hoping that a bunch of us can all get together and really get a class action law suit going. Check into the FTC website. I shall find out tomorrow what is happening with that my self.