Shallandra Singh, who owns internet directory New Zealand Business Online (NZBOL), said his business had “mistakenly” sent out many invoices for $110.25.

He denied the mailout had been national, and said that only “seven to nine” people had paid from “less than a thousand” invoices sent.

I find it astounding that if less than a thousand invoices were sent out that I personally know so many of the recipients and that we actually got one. What are the chances? Surely far more than that were sent out!

An apology currently graces the front of the NZBOL website and they have pulled the entire site! Check Google’s view of the NZBOL and see how many of those pages are actually live.

Irrational behaviour if they have actually got paying advertisers on board or are trying to run a legitimate business. Then again when the going got tough Shallandra Singh pulled the plug on NZBO and Searcha too.
admin´s last blog ..NZBOL.co.nz: a text book pro forma scam

We’ll be sending through a request to close our “account” too as debacle means we have acknowledged we have an account with NZBOL and that by some means we have become advertisers on their site. Therefore in a years time they will be able to legitimately invoice us and chase us for payment.

So, if you’ve just ripped up your invoices and cancellation notices then you need to dive into your waste paper baskets and start taping the pieces together and send in your account closure requests.

I received a letter from NBOL today with a “credit note” printed on the back —
informing me that “due to a system error in our accounts department, an invoice was sent you (sic) your company which should not have (sic).”

“Please do not pay the amount in the invoice.” (No risk of that, I can assure you.) “We have cancelled this invoice already in our system so please disregard the invoice you have received from us and accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience this may have caused you.”

‘If you still have any further queries regarding this matter please feel free to contact us on 09 929 3299 or email … and we would be happy to assist you further.”

For the record. – P

Did anyone else get one of these?
PeterA´s last blog ..Wow, BRILLIANT writing!

Earlier this year they tried by telephone: “We’re calling to give you the chance to renew your listing.” (I told them to take a hike.)

Now they’ve tried again, by post in the latest wave of net-casting: See the invoice they sent me (and hundreds of other business, apparently) here: http://www.empowereducation.com/graphics/NBOL%22invoice%22.jpg

Let me very clear: I have NEVER done business with these people (I can thank Sarah K/5nz.com and others for alerting me to this kind of scam).

The “Renewal” invoice they sent my business is, in my view, a dodgy, sleazy trick designed to fool a business’s ‘Accounts Payable’ into paying an invoice.

But the fact is this invoice is a bill my business is not liable for because I NEVER contracted them for any “service”. I did not agree to ‘subscribe’ or ‘list’ my business with “NZ Business Online Limited, NZ’s leading Business Directory”. Show me otherwise.
To claim this is a “renewal” is, in my view, false and misleading conduct in the course of business.

That these ‘operators’ are still in business is a testimony to the power of brazenness.
NBOL looks to be running a dodgy pro forma invoice scam.

I hope they get shut down soon and for good.

Their contact details are info@nzbol.co.nz and 09 929 3299