Medical Yellow Directories Inc. and American Yellow Corporation Inc.
Also known as: American Yellow Distribution, General Credit Protection Inc., Credit Bureau Recovery.
The FTC alleged that Medical Yellow Directories, American Yellow Corporation, and related defendants billed organizations for directory listings they had not ordered.
Resolved. Refunded, settled, ceased operating, or the claim did not hold up. Kept for the record.
Identity
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- Registrations
- FTC v. Medical Yellow Directories Inc., American Yellow Corporation Inc., et al. (FTC case 142-3252, 2015)
- Locations
- Montreal, Quebec
- Jurisdictions
- United States (federal)
Unordered directory listings produced invoices and collection demands
Medical Yellow Directories Inc. and American Yellow Corporation Inc. were names used by defendants in a Federal Trade Commission case concerning online business-directory listings. The FTC alleged that the Quebec-based operation sent unsolicited invoices to medical practices, churches, and retirement homes.
The invoices used the familiar walking-fingers image and sought $480.95 or a similar amount for a one-year listing. They named someone at the targeted organization and displayed a proposed directory listing, which allegedly suggested that the organization had already agreed to buy it. Recipients who did not pay received collection warnings demanding larger amounts, including $2,385.95. The defendants then sent dunning notices while posing as a third-party debt collector.
The March 2015 release says the Medical Yellow Directories operation generated more than 1,800 consumer complaints. A federal court entered a temporary restraining order on March 10 and a preliminary injunction on March 24.
In December 2015, the FTC reported that the defendants had not answered the allegations. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, entered a default judgment and order. The order banned the operators from the directory business, prohibited material misrepresentations and collection for directory listings, and imposed a $1.2 million judgment payable within seven days for consumer reimbursement.
What is not established
The court entered judgment by default after the defendants did not respond. The releases do not describe a contested trial.
Sources
Every claim above rests on one of these. Open them and check.
- Enforcement action March 26, 2015
- Enforcement action December 2, 2015
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First recorded March 26, 2015 · Last updated December 2, 2015