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- Government Actions:Government Action: BBB reports on known government actions involving business’ marketplace conduct:OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, STATE OF FLORIDA, DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS v. UNITED DIRECTORIES, INC. a Florida Profit Corporation, d/b/a YELLOW PAGES UNITED, and MARK S. SMITH, an individual
Attorney General Moody filed a lawsuit against United Directories, Inc. d/b/a Yellow Pages United and its owner Mark Smith. The Attorney General’s complaint alleges that the defendants sent businesses throughout the country deceptive mailers intended to look like listing confirmation notices from the Real Yellow Pages. Instead, the notices were from United Directories, an obscure online business directory with no relation to the Real Yellow Pages that charges almost $800 a year for little or no value in return. According to the complaint, once the defendants tricked the businesses into signing up for the directory, United Directories automatically charged them twice a year.
According to the Consumer Protection Division’s investigation, the defendants’ initial solicitation made use of familiar imagery and terminology resembling the Real Yellow Pages, inducing consumers into thinking United Directories is affiliated with or legitimately similar to the Real Yellow Pages directory. The company intentionally buried the cost of the directory in the fine print and on the back of the mailer where complainants reported they did not see it. Once the business confirmed its listing information on the solicitation or submitted corrected information, United Directories treated the returns as binding agreements for new listings in the directory and for automatic renewal of the listings.
The filed complaint seeks an injunction to end the defendants’ deceptive and unfair business practices, restitution for harmed businesses, and disgorgement of any ill-gotten gains obtained by the defendants. United Directories and Mark Smith also face the possible assessment of civil penalties for violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Business Details
- BBB File Opened:
- 11/16/2004
- Business Started:
- 5/17/2000
- Business Started Locally:
- 5/17/2000
- Business Incorporated:
- 5/17/2000
- Type of Entity:
- Corporation
- Alternate Names:
- Yellow Pages United, Inc.
- United Directories, Inc.
- Business Management:
- Mr. Mark Smith, President
Additional Contact Information
- Principal Contacts
- Mr. Mark Smith, President
- Customer Contacts
- Mr. Mark Smith, President
- Fax numbers
- Primary Fax: (866) 443-7679
Additional Information
- Business Categories
- Directory Advertising
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