Business owner scammed by online advertising company

If you own a business and receive a bill for online advertising you didn't approve, don't pay the bill. A Milwaukee area business owner, Ken Hurzeler, received a $445 bill from 411 Business Direct, a Miami company that offers paid listings in an online business directory. The problem was that he never agreed to advertise with them.

Hurzeler says the company contacted him about three months ago about advertising, but he did not agree to advertise. He says he asked them to send him more information. When he didn't pay the bill, 411 Business Direct started making repeated phone calls to the company, demanding payment.

Consumer Protection officials think they know what's going on. Companies like this send a bill, hoping that the business owner will believe that he agreed to advertising, even when he didn't. They're hoping the business owner will just pay the bill, rather than deal with the hassle of getting it canceled.