Dun & Bradstreet Scam letter leading to hard sell for services Short Hills New Jersey

Dun & Bradstreet is a name everybody has heard of. Its long history and reputation give it an authority it apparently no longer deserves. I received several letters from D&B telling me that someone had requested my business' financial information because they wanted to know my credit history. I work as a sole proprietorship, and haven't asked for any funding for my company. There is no reason for anyone to contact D&B about my credit.

After the third letter, I called to ask what it was about and ask them to take my name off the list. They used manipulative tactics to suggest that I couldn't succeed in business if I didn't get a $1400-per-year membership with them. When I told him that was outside my budget, he asked how much I could afford.

If they had something of value to offer, they wouldn't need to contact random strangers and lie to them about someone trying to access information they don't have. If they had reasonable tiers of service, they would present them up front, not just find out what I can afford and take all of that. They may have been around since 1840, but their selling tactics sound like desperation.