North American Barter Association Responds To Troubled Exchange

Released by: Nathan Forbes, Executive Director

Merchants Deserve Protection

Email: NABA@EMail.com

Keywords: Merchants, barter, exchange, North, American, complaints, Association, trade, investigation, fraud,

Update Date: 9/5/2006 2:54:44 PM

Hits: 558

Descrption:
Today NABA Executive Director Nathan Forbes responded to a recent slanderous attack by a barter exchange hat was recently expelled from the association after failing to respond to a handful of serious complaints. “I find it very odd that this exchange would say such things about us when in fact we were the only barter association willing to take them in as a member back in 2000.” Remarked Forbes “Further they had no complaints about NABA when they once had a good reputation and they used our membership certificate in all of their sales packages”. Should anyone take the time to look up the telephone numbers of the exchange that is now bashing us at www. Infospace.com, www.allpages.com, or www.411.com and compare these numbers to those that appear on it’s letterhead and web site, and read our last barter fraud alert, no explanation as to the motives of this exchange is needed. Most of the numbers are no longer in service or call-forwarded to the same office

NABA has tried repeatedly to assist this exchange in resolving its many merchant disputes but officials from the exchange failed to appear at the scheduled hearings nor submitted any written correspondence to rebut allegations that their financial statements were grossly inflated, over $100,000 of deposits were never returned, and almost $40,000 of bad checks were written in just the last six month, copies of which are on file with NABA.

As for comments that NABA lines are always automated, be advised that this is done deliberately as a solution to over 500 calls a day – mostly wrong numbers since 23 different organizations use the acronym “NABA” as a quick Google search will demonstrate. “Our members have direct numbers to call and our published 800 number is for all other purposes as is our general email address. NABA’s first allegiance is to our members and the public’s protection from unethical barter practices. Our staff of 12 is small but dedicated. We do not “sell” anything and therefore have not required a web site since our inception in 1985.” Explained Forbes. One is planned for 2007 as a barter-forum and bulletin board however. In a monthly basis NABA staff has to sort through some 300 complaints, 90% of which are without merit or turn out to be misunderstandings that are amicably resolved. In 2005 NABA only had to arbitrate 37 complaints from over 12,000 received. “But the calls and paperwork involved is abundant” remarked Forbes.

NABA’s attorney has issued a “cease & desist” letter to the exchange making the inappropriate comments and will pursue further remedies if required. Further, for the record NABA, never has, and never will make any “anonymous” posts.

In unrelated news, NABA announces today that our Canadian office in Toronto will be moving to Vancouver on November 1st as part of our planned merger with a major Asian barter association since we anticipate a significant surge in international barter trade in coming years. The move is designed to coordinate working hours and time zones. NABA will post further information after the merger is finalized.

Contact infomation:
Tel: 1-800-917-2588