Cedar Publishing Corporation Invoicing for advertising - that we never wanted! Edmonton, Alberta Canada

I am going through the same scenario with these guys, and have my own report on here.  Thought you would like to know as well, check out the crimestoppers website, on the left side of the home page is a write-up on their unfair practices.  Also, I have contacted service alberta, as crimestoppers suggested.  They use a "Negative Option Practice", meaning unless you sign a form telling them not to run the ad, they bill you.  In Alberta, that sales tactic is illegal.  As per the Fair Trading Act, Division 3, section 22 - "A consumer is not liable to pay for and goods or services received under a negative option practice.  Section 23 states "No supplier may supply goods or services to a consumer through a negative option practice"

Where should we begin?

In Apr 09 we received an invoice for advertising in some community magazine out of Edmonton. We laughed it off as a scam - we're south of Calgary, why would we want to advertise where we don't work? We'd never requested the advertising, never contacted Cedar Publishing, and weren't about to pay for something we never wanted in the first place. We called the company and let them know. That seemed to be the end of it...

Until Jul 09, when the calls and invoices started again. We replied a further 3 times and let them know we didn't want the ad, we didn't approve the ad, we'd never signed on the ad, and we never gave them permission to use our information in the first place - and that we absolutely would not pay this bill.

Here we are now, Dec 09, and they're STILL after us for this $200. Last week they hung up the phone after telling my husband - the president of our company - that he was an immature child and a poor businessman. Then they had the nerve to call again today - a week later! - and ask for money AGAIN! This is getting to be a joke! I called them and told them it would be a cold day in hell before they got any money of ours, let them know that they were listed here on Ripoff Report, and that their scam magazine called Crimestoppers is listed online as a scam as well (for more info, visit Crimestoppers' Alberta website!)

I'm actually laughing about this now, because it's such an obvious scam. Cedar Publishing can call us until the cows come home - they are never, EVER going to get their $200!

***************** Update on January 9, 2010

We got another call from these jokers yesterday. I've had enough and have reported them to the Competition Bureau (the federal law agency that investigates companies charged with committing fraud and failing to follow good business practices) as well as the BBB of Edmonton.

I'm looking forward to the press release stating that Moe Najmeddine and the rest of his team of cheaters have been fined and sentenced!