1-888-999-2007 Allstate Imaging et al
Be aware that this company offers a "free" toner cartridge to try their service, then bills for it. Then repeatedly calls for payment. DONT FALL VICTIM

so glad this page exists. i just got a call from them. the woman on the phone didn't seem particularly shady, though in hindsight she sure asked for my printer model numbers REALLY quickly, before i could have time to think about it.

the thing that struck me was when i asked her to fax me a list of prices she wouldn't. guess they don't want to put anything in writing. she just kept saying she'd try calling me again. i don't know of any company who would be so averse to giving a written/fax/email price quote. next time she calls i'm having her remove my number from their list.

yep this is a scam for sure. Thanks for posting. I agree it is a fraud company (they even have their own collections dept! lol) and am telling them to put me on the "do not call list"

They are from a company called All State Inventory.  DO NOT BUY FROM THEM!  The price of their toner and ink is 2 to 3 times the price!  That is not an exageration.  Our OKI C5000 extended toner cartridge is between $60 and $90 at Office depot depending on if you get the reguler or extended life.  Their price is $250.  My company got into a contract with them through a previouse employee (who is now gone) and it has been a NIGHTMARE getting through this.  Every time we think we are done, they say we haven't fulfilled out contract yet.  I now have 10 years of toner for a printer that is 5 years old and will probably not last another 2 years.  If you talk to them, be at a computer and search for the toner or ink on google and compare prices.  There argument about quality is insane.  Unless you are printing photo quality (and selling your printing jobs for BIG BUCKS) it is not worth it.  Even if you are, do you really want to pay 3 times the price.  Personally, I can't tell a bit of difference between their toner and the refills we were getting before we got in this mess.

These people are sleazy and they push the envelope off the table with their tactics. I was solicited to buy ink that they claimed would last 2x longer than an ordinary cartridge then offered some lame 2 week trial period. When I told them it takes a couple months for me to use up a regular cartridge, they then said I could have a 30day trial (I thought a "couple" of months was longer than 30 days, maybe I'm wrong). Anyway, these people are always calling us and trying to lie their way into us doing business with them. When the ink arrived via UPS, I refused delivery. I'm hoping they call back, now that I know exactly who these sleaze bags are.

California Telemarketer Settles FTC Charges of Alleged Office Supply Scams
One of the largest office supply operations in Southern California charged with sending unordered merchandise to small businesses around the country and then billing them for it has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it was violating federal law. The settlement requires Ultra Ribbons, Inc., and Allstate Imaging, Inc., based in Chatsworth, California, and their principals to pay a $500,000 civil penalty and consumer redress.

The FTC's complaint names Ultra Ribbons, Inc., Allstate Imaging, Russell Leventhal, Stuart Leventhal, Frank Montelione and Alan Jurick. According to the FTC, the defendants' telemarketers contacted the businesses at random offering to send "free trial" shipments of ribbons, cartridges or other office supplies. They also guaranteed that their products would last twice as long as those of the original manufacturer and told the businesses that if they were not satisfied with the products, they could return them during the trial period at no cost. The FTC alleged that the defendants frequently refused to accept returns and used abusive collection practices to intimidate businesses into paying for the overpriced merchandise. In addition, the FTC alleged, the invoices often included exaggerated, undisclosed shipping and handling charges, and the initial shipment was often followed with additional unordered shipments and invoices.

To settle the FTC charges, the defendants would be required to pay a $500,000 civil penalty and provide redress to all businesses that complained about Ultra Ribbon or Allstate Imaging to a Better Business Bureau or a government agency since 1996. Ultra Ribbons and Allstate Imaging would be barred from shipping unordered goods, from billing for unordered goods, and from misrepresenting the purpose of their phone calls, the fact that samples are free, that a person has ordered supplies, or that businessess have an obligation to pay for merchandise they didn't order. In addition, the settlement would bar the defendants from attempting to collect money from businesses which had received unordered merchandise.

The Commission vote to authorize staff to file the complaint and proposed consent was 5-0.

The complaint and proposed consent decree was filed on April 17, 2000, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division, by the Department of Justice at the request of the FTC. The settlement is subject to court approval.

NOTE: This consent decree is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the defendant of a law violation. Consent decrees have the force of law when signed by the judge.

Copies of the news release are available from the FTC's web site at http://www.ftc.gov and copies of the complaint and proposed settlement will be available shortly from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357); TDD for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710.

Media Contact:
Brenda Mack,
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2182
Staff Contact:
Linda Stock or John Jacobs
Western Region - LA
10877 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 700
Los Angeles, California 90024
310-824-4316 or 310-824-4360


(FTC File No. 992 3216)
(Civil Action No. CV-00-04042 R)

All State Imaging