AMERITECH SOLUTION

Thursday, May 08, 2003
I have been getting so much mail from people who want to know the outcome of the Ameritech Scam, some of them who have beefs against the way an Ameritech representative treated them, that I am going to share with you how this all turned out.

QUESTION FROM READER

RE: Ameritech investigation
From: "Don"

Mon, 5 May 2003

Just read your website. I am a student going to Boulder College of Massage Therapy (www.bcmt.org ). I read the troubles you had with Ameritech yellow pages and I was wondering two things.

What was the outcome did they sic the creditors after you?

Did you receive any business from the ad placed in the yellow pages?

I am really excited about learning massage therapy. Right now I'm learning Shiatsu, it's interesting but I don't think I will make it part of my practice when I graduate in Dec 2004. My interest is deep tissue and hydrotherapy and I can't wait until next quarter starting in late June where I will finally get instruction in Swedish...

As you can see by my title in my signature I do have a day job and attend night classes. Even after I graduate I will just do massage therapy after work and on the weekends.

We did get the situation taken care of. The Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection did an investigation and decided to help me get the cost dropped. Ameritech also talked with me, and a man from Ameritech did an investigation on his own, and called me back in a couple days and let me know the good news. This letter came after Ameritech and I had talked. Not only did they drop the bogus charges, but sent me a check for $9, which helped replace the stamps and copy costs I incurred.

I was not the only one who has had problems with Ameritech. Adding my complaint helped the Dept. of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection know about the pattern of abuse and enabled others with bad Ameritech transactions get the help they also deserve. I would encourage every one with valid complaints to contact the Department of Agriculture's Trade and Consumer Protection division at

Yes, I did get a few calls from the Ameritech ad, not many. Most of the calls were asking questions about nude massages, asking sexually oriented questions, or came in after 10 pm, some wanting me to come to their motel room. I specialize in deep tissue massage, and I put that on all of my legitimate ads. The Ameritech ad did not include my medical info and brought the wrong kinds of calls. I ended up closing my business... and getting a regular job. Now I only massage a few people, family members or their friends. No gain has ever come from the Ameritech ad.

Good luck to you in your chosen endeavor.
Darby

Monday, May 12, 2003

Happened to me too

I just read your site on Ameritech. My husband and I are involved with them now. They are trying to bind us to an Advertising campaign in their book that we never wanted. We had advertised with them before, called our representative (Jack Bowers? Hmm...weird huh?) and canceled with him. He placed our ad anyway and they are now charging us over $5,000.00 for an ad we never wanted. They said our original contract stated that we had to cancel in writing. Needless to say, we never received a proof of our ad, which we always did before or signed a new contract. Our rep. usually met with us and he never did. They sent it to a collection and now we are fighting to rid it from our perfect past credit history.