Progressive Office Products - IDC Servco Copy Toner Rip-Off Scam Covina California

Unfortunately I see I'm not the first person who got wrapped up in this scam by accident. A woman named "Vickie" called from this company (Progressive Office Supplies, in association with IDC Servco) asking to double check on the model number of our copier to set up the order for toner.

I've been working here less than a year and am still unfamiliar with all the different vendors and companies we do business with, so being busy when she called I was just like, "Yeah, ok this is the number..." and went on my way. She had claimed that it was going up in price (499!) and they wanted to send me a few boxes at my old price (439!) before the increase. I thought that was pretty steep for toner, and I kind of felt something fishy was going on, but I just chalked it up to inexperience and went about my business.

We got the shipment, we paid for it, and thought I was done with. Until a week later, they called again and said we were lined up for another shipment within a month for 4 boxes of toner at over $1,000! I said no we don't need more, don't want more, and have been getting the run around on the phone since from a few different people.

"Vickie" claimed she would extend the time before the next shipment and cut the price some, but it was still at $880 for 2 boxes! Do they really think I believe we can go through 5 cartridges of toner in 30-45 days?! We barely use the copier. They said nothing can be sent to me unless I sign off on the order confirmation they faxed, and then I fax it back. Well I'm never signing it or faxing it!

They tried to tell me I couldn't just cancel service because some 10-day rule had passed and basically at some point we had committed to buying all the toner in some giant box, back in April of 2004 I think she said...total garbage. Next time she calls back I'm going to tell her that I do not want to purchase anything else from them (that will make the 4th time I've tried to tell someone), that I want her to fully explain this 10-day thing to me, and that I want them to send me a signed/dated copy of this "agreement" to verify that the person who committed to buy all of this was in fact an employee at my office at that time.

Hopefully that will do the trick, to a certain extent at least. They can try to give me the run around, but I'm going to do the exact same thing.

Ashley
New Orleans, Louisiana
U.S.A.