Your Association has worked to secure legislation protecting consumers in your community by penalizing those that would misrepresent themselves as a local business. As you know, out-of-state firms will secure a white pages/directory assistance listing to divert business from your front door. Because the call forwarded number has a local exchange, the unwitting customer thinks that he or she is doing business with a local firm. The telephone exchange is local even though the physical location is out-of-state.

Charges may result in the customer paying more than he or she should. If upset, the customer might complain to you because they truly thought it was you rather than an imposter.

1. PFIA asks that you complement our legislative advocacy by seeing if it is happening in your area.
2. Look in your white pages listings. Are there listings that do not use an address or that sound very much like a legitimate local business?
3. Often these fictitious listings use names of local towns or communities followed by the word “florist” or “floral.”
4. Call the number and ask for their physical address. This will indicate whether or not they are a local business.
5. With this information, you have a specific example and story of deceptive advertising in your local community when contacting your House member.

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