I have been in business for 25 years and this type of scam continues with copier supplies. Unfortunately, my office administrator was "tricked" by the sales person into believing it was a legitimate Konica Minolta representative. Shipped the toner to us and followed with an outrageous invoice in the amount of ... you guessed it $498.97.
Corporate Imaging Solutions is absolutely aware of this deceptive and fraudulent sale technique. Best way to shut them down is to accept the product ... don't return it, don't open it ... tape the invoice to it and tell them to come "pick it up". Do not pay the invoice.
Too bad you cannot rate 0. This is a scam. They talked to the wrong person (right for them) at our office and represented themselves as a supplier of the company we have our maintenance and FREE toner contract with. Sent toner and followed with a bill for $500!!!!
Back in September, I recieved a phone call from a "sales person" from Corporate Imaging Solutions to purchase toner for our large printer we have in our office. He proceeded to tell me that my boss (who he mentioned by name) orders toner from them, and he saw that it was about time for us to order more, and I knew we were running a bit low. He then proceeded to sell me 4 altogether. We then recieved the toner, along with a gift card to Amazon as a "Premium" I assume, as I used to do telephone sales myself. We just recieved our bill for the 4 toners the man told me he was sending me, and it's for almost $2,000. I sent emails, and called several times leaving a voicemail for someone to please call me. I recieved a call from someone at "Corporate Imaging Solutions", and he preceeded to tell me that they don't have sales people at their business, and that another company outsources for their products. After being so rudely talked to for about 2 minutes, the man hung up on me after I said I was going to contact the BBB, he said do what you want, but it won't hurt out reputation. I can see why it won't hurt them, because they are preying on businesses out there and charging them TRIPLE if not more than you can actually buy this toner for. There is also no BBB page for this business, and no one to talk to when you call. Just a RUDE man that calls and yells at you. They will not be recieving anything from our business for the way they treated us in more ways than one!
I have experienced the almost exact same scam as the complaint above. I placed an order with my regular copier company for toner and a week after, our new receptionist received a call verifying my order. She checked with me and then confirmed the order. We were not aware of this particular scam at the time and simply assumed this was our regular company.
One week after that "set-up" call we received the toner and two weeks later we received an invoice from Corporate Imaging Solutions for $498.97. I did contact Corporate Imaging Solutions who insisted the order was placed by my receptionist and that they received the order from a sales company who took the order from her. They would not give me any contact info for that third party. The individual at Corporate Imaging Solutions I spoke with was hostile and combative from the beginning and treated me to some of the most juvenile, profanity laced insults I have ever encountered. I will be filing a complaint with the FTC and BBB over this incident.
Every time we have a service call w/Ricoh (whether the tech comes out or I submit a ticket) we get a call shortly after from ‘customer service' saying “the toner we’ve requested is on sale @ a discounted price.”
IT IS A SCAM-somehow a 3rd party vendor is getting tipped off that we have a service request through our RICOH corp. account. Next thing you know, we recieve a box of black RICOH toner and 2 weeks later we get a bill for $498.97.
***Our toner is INCLUDED in our contract.***The one time they got away w/it, I sent the toner back-return to sender.
Unfortunately a couple of weeks ago our tech was making a routine visit & shortly after-our office received a phone call.
It sounded legitimate & they told both ladies (addressed our employees by 1st name)our toner was on its way.
Sure enough we received a toner cartridge that I didn’t order.
Today I called Corporate Imaging Solutions to find out HOW they're obtaining our ticketing info through the password protected Ricoh website-I spoke to a LARRY, 1st he mocked me, by repeating my questions-imitating my voice, then he hung up on me.
Absolutey unbelievable. IF you recieve a box of toner (or other products) DO NOT OPEN & USE THEM. Hold on to these goods for approx. 2 weeks. That's when you'll receive the invocie w/return instructions (that also state they'll charge a 20% restocking fee). Return your goods w/the invoice-DO NOT PAY!!!
Our new sales assistant got a call from someone on or about May 1st, representing themselves as being with the regular company that supplies and services our copier/printer. He said that he was aware we needed more toner, but that they were currently out and therefore needed to ship from another warehouse. He said we would be called later by another company and asked our employee to furnish information to them when they called. Not understanding what was happening, our employee provided the information they requested. On May 3rd, we received one cartridge of black toner, which is available on Amazon for about $35.00. On May 12th, we got an invoice from Corporate Imaging Solutions for the outrageous amount of $498.97!
Even though they claim that they are not the "telemarketers" or "sales company", that is just a diversion and an attempt to remove their liability. The whole thing is a scam, and they are fully culpable. I confirmed with the president of the distribution company from where it was shipped, a legitimate company, that Corporate Imaging Solutions is their customer who placed the order to be shipped by them.
I filed a complaint with the FTC and learned that this fraudulent practice is common. We are under no obligation to pay the invoice, return the "unordered merchandise", or even contact the business, according to the FTC publication called, "Avoiding Office Supply Scams".
I think their method of trickery is despicable, and others should be made aware of their deceitful practices. From what I understand, what they are doing is against the law.
I have also filed a complaint with the BBB. There are already a couple of negative complaints and reviews in the BBB website all stating similar experiences, but that doesn't seem to stop them. They have responded to each one like they are not the ones to blame.
Refer to the BBB complaints against them, search for the FTC publication called, "Avoiding Office Supply Scams", search the FTC news releases describing previous sting operations on similar operations, and go to snopes.com, which describes the typical scam they employ.
My hope is that they get enough pressure to stop their misleading, deceptive practices and subsequent bullying. I hope that other businesses will not fall prey to them.
Corporate Imaging Solutions Reviews
Office Scam
I have been in business for 25 years and this type of scam continues with copier supplies. Unfortunately, my office administrator was "tricked" by the sales person into believing it was a legitimate Konica Minolta representative. Shipped the toner to us and followed with an outrageous invoice in the amount of ... you guessed it $498.97.
Corporate Imaging Solutions is absolutely aware of this deceptive and fraudulent sale technique. Best way to shut them down is to accept the product ... don't return it, don't open it ... tape the invoice to it and tell them to come "pick it up". Do not pay the invoice.
SCAMMERS
Too bad you cannot rate 0. This is a scam. They talked to the wrong person (right for them) at our office and represented themselves as a supplier of the company we have our maintenance and FREE toner contract with. Sent toner and followed with a bill for $500!!!!
Back in September, I recieved a phone call from a "sales person" from Corporate Imaging Solutions to purchase toner for our large printer we have in our office. He proceeded to tell me that my boss (who he mentioned by name) orders toner from them, and he saw that it was about time for us to order more, and I knew we were running a bit low. He then proceeded to sell me 4 altogether. We then recieved the toner, along with a gift card to Amazon as a "Premium" I assume, as I used to do telephone sales myself. We just recieved our bill for the 4 toners the man told me he was sending me, and it's for almost $2,000. I sent emails, and called several times leaving a voicemail for someone to please call me. I recieved a call from someone at "Corporate Imaging Solutions", and he preceeded to tell me that they don't have sales people at their business, and that another company outsources for their products. After being so rudely talked to for about 2 minutes, the man hung up on me after I said I was going to contact the BBB, he said do what you want, but it won't hurt out reputation. I can see why it won't hurt them, because they are preying on businesses out there and charging them TRIPLE if not more than you can actually buy this toner for. There is also no BBB page for this business, and no one to talk to when you call. Just a RUDE man that calls and yells at you. They will not be recieving anything from our business for the way they treated us in more ways than one!
Toner scam
I have experienced the almost exact same scam as the complaint above. I placed an order with my regular copier company for toner and a week after, our new receptionist received a call verifying my order. She checked with me and then confirmed the order. We were not aware of this particular scam at the time and simply assumed this was our regular company.
One week after that "set-up" call we received the toner and two weeks later we received an invoice from Corporate Imaging Solutions for $498.97. I did contact Corporate Imaging Solutions who insisted the order was placed by my receptionist and that they received the order from a sales company who took the order from her. They would not give me any contact info for that third party. The individual at Corporate Imaging Solutions I spoke with was hostile and combative from the beginning and treated me to some of the most juvenile, profanity laced insults I have ever encountered. I will be filing a complaint with the FTC and BBB over this incident.
Every time we have a service call w/Ricoh (whether the tech comes out or I submit a ticket) we get a call shortly after from ‘customer service' saying “the toner we’ve requested is on sale @ a discounted price.”
IT IS A SCAM-somehow a 3rd party vendor is getting tipped off that we have a service request through our RICOH corp. account. Next thing you know, we recieve a box of black RICOH toner and 2 weeks later we get a bill for $498.97.
***Our toner is INCLUDED in our contract.***The one time they got away w/it, I sent the toner back-return to sender.
Unfortunately a couple of weeks ago our tech was making a routine visit & shortly after-our office received a phone call.
It sounded legitimate & they told both ladies (addressed our employees by 1st name)our toner was on its way.
Sure enough we received a toner cartridge that I didn’t order.
Today I called Corporate Imaging Solutions to find out HOW they're obtaining our ticketing info through the password protected Ricoh website-I spoke to a LARRY, 1st he mocked me, by repeating my questions-imitating my voice, then he hung up on me.
Absolutey unbelievable. IF you recieve a box of toner (or other products) DO NOT OPEN & USE THEM. Hold on to these goods for approx. 2 weeks. That's when you'll receive the invocie w/return instructions (that also state they'll charge a 20% restocking fee). Return your goods w/the invoice-DO NOT PAY!!!
Our new sales assistant got a call from someone on or about May 1st, representing themselves as being with the regular company that supplies and services our copier/printer. He said that he was aware we needed more toner, but that they were currently out and therefore needed to ship from another warehouse. He said we would be called later by another company and asked our employee to furnish information to them when they called. Not understanding what was happening, our employee provided the information they requested. On May 3rd, we received one cartridge of black toner, which is available on Amazon for about $35.00. On May 12th, we got an invoice from Corporate Imaging Solutions for the outrageous amount of $498.97!
Even though they claim that they are not the "telemarketers" or "sales company", that is just a diversion and an attempt to remove their liability. The whole thing is a scam, and they are fully culpable. I confirmed with the president of the distribution company from where it was shipped, a legitimate company, that Corporate Imaging Solutions is their customer who placed the order to be shipped by them.
I filed a complaint with the FTC and learned that this fraudulent practice is common. We are under no obligation to pay the invoice, return the "unordered merchandise", or even contact the business, according to the FTC publication called, "Avoiding Office Supply Scams".
I think their method of trickery is despicable, and others should be made aware of their deceitful practices. From what I understand, what they are doing is against the law.
I have also filed a complaint with the BBB. There are already a couple of negative complaints and reviews in the BBB website all stating similar experiences, but that doesn't seem to stop them. They have responded to each one like they are not the ones to blame.
Refer to the BBB complaints against them, search for the FTC publication called, "Avoiding Office Supply Scams", search the FTC news releases describing previous sting operations on similar operations, and go to snopes.com, which describes the typical scam they employ.
My hope is that they get enough pressure to stop their misleading, deceptive practices and subsequent bullying. I hope that other businesses will not fall prey to them.