While the warnings sent out by the Better Business Bureau usually revolve around business that have somehow victimized their customers, this time they have focused on a Malvern based firm that has targeted other businesses in a subscription scam, according to Patch.

The report comes after over 2,000 business submitted complaints to the Better Business Bureau that the Pennsylvania’s company, Progressive Business Publications, had billed them for subscriptions to publications and newsletters that were never ordered, or even in some cases, never received either.

The BBB gave the company an “F” grade, its lowest possible rating and it is now urging caution for all businesses when dealing with the company and its representatives.

The complaints submitted so far show that some businesses were billed as much as $700, while others were charged much lower amounts that were under $100. Some of the affected businesses also claim that the company charged them after offering them the publications for free, without getting any authorization to do so.

There are also businesses complaining that they have received invoices from Progressive without ever having had any contact with the company, while some only learned of their ‘purchases’ after the International Credit Recovery firm contacted them to collect past-due debts for Progressive. ICR also has an “F” grade with the BBB.

BBB president and CEO, Michelle Corey, said that the majority of the complaints submitted to her company follow a disturbing pattern.

“Many of these businesses are clearly frustrated and angry,” she commented. “They complain that the company tries to get them to pay for products they never ordered and did not want, or that they believe were provided without charge.”

Corey went on to say that some of those companies have spent month fighting Progressive over its shady billing practices. In the past 12 months BBB has received complaints against both Progressive and International Credit Recovery from every state,