ComplaintsforHoffenmer, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  09/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Monday June 19th, 2024 I was added to Hoffenmer remninders/notifications without my knowledge or consent at a text code with a number *****. I replied STOP and unsubscribed. On Wednesday June 19th, 2024 I was added to Hoffenmer remninders/notifications without my knowledge or consent at a text code with a number *****. I replied STOP and unsubscribed.On Friday September 20th, 2024 I was added to Hoffenmer reminders/notifications without my knowledge or consent at a text code with a number ******. I replied STOP and unsubscribed.On Friday September 20th, 2024 due to Hoffenmer reminders/notifications causing a telephone to ring with intent to harass and without my consent to locate, retrieve or use my telephone number to contact me in any way I called the number provided in the "alerts" *************) for support at or around 12:22 Pm. I informed an agent of Hoffenmer reminders/notifications that as they are aware I do not consent to them gathering, storing, disseminating or using any of my information in any way, shape, form or fashion nor are they to contact me or subscribe me to any form of alerts at any time as I do not, did not and will not consent. I have also relayed this fact through multiple constructive and actual notices prior to this call. Note: The agent I spoke to seems to be under the impression that because a DOT number is publicly available that Hoffenmer would be immune to a federal lawsuit which is a false and misleading representation and faulty legal advice. Hoffenmer has no contract with me or my principals in any way and has no consent from me or my principals in any way to gather or use my personally identifying information (including my contact information) against my will. Hoffenmer also obviously has no jurisdiction or authority over me or my principals. In the event I am re-added to Hoffenmer reminders/notifications again, I will swiftly demonstrate the fact that Hoffenmer is indeed susceptible claims of this nature.

  

  Business response

  09/24/2024

  Dear Mr. **** *******:
  
  I am ***** *****, a Customer Relations Specialist with Federal Applications Processor Hoffenmer.
  
  First and foremost, before addressing your inquiry, I want you to know that Hoffenmer hears and understands your concerns.  Second, your feedback is welcomed and valued.  We hope that you come away from this experience positively and perhaps see Hoffenmer in a new light. 
  
  Please know that the intention of all communiques sent by Hoffenmer is never to harass; instead, only to be informative, serving as a vehicle to complete our mission of helping motor carriers and DOT number holders of all types and sizes navigate the various complexities of ******************************************* (FMCSA regulations). Hoffenmer *********** pull data from ************* and generate applicable target-specific compliance notifications to do this.  Having been in business for 7+ years, Hoffenmer has earned the trust and respect of thousands of DOT number holders nationwide coast-to-coast and is both licensed and DUNS-Number certified to cement its presence in the industry, positioned as a leader in the area of FMCSA compliance.
  
  As eager as we are to help the DOT-holding public and consider it a great privilege to be able to do so, Hoffenmer equally respects and honors personal, individual wishes and operates within all federal and state laws.  As such, Mr. ******** if you do not wish to do business with Federal Applications Processor Hoffenmer or receive further compliance notifications, reply "Stop" to all short-code phone numbers, just as you have.  The sole reason that you received one singular notification from ****** on Friday, September 20th, after unsubscribing from ***** and ***** days and weeks prior, respectively, is that short-code phone numbers have to be individually unsubscribed.  Although Hoffenmer utilizes technologies to efficiently communicate with clients and the public, the systems are automated and have limitations.  One of the limitations is that un-subscriptions do not transfer from one short-code phone number to another; each has to be unenrolled separately.  Relatedly, a second limitation of mass communication is that in order to reach our current, always-growing client base while simultaneously expanding into new markets, new short-codes have to be activated to handle the virtual load.  Hence, the crux of your particular circumstance is a matter of timing; you unsubscribed from the first two aforementioned short-codes, but in this same time window, Hoffenmer activated the new ****** short-code, pulling your data automatically from FMCSA database, sending a singular message.
  
  Upon Hoffenmer being notified of your complaint by the Better Business Bureau, an investigation was conducted to ensure that all necessary and proper mechanisms are in place and operational, the finding thereof conclusively confirming that you are unsubscribed from all three current short-codes and will not receive further communications from Hoffenmer INC.  Furthermore, all efforts will be made to ensure that your information is filtered out from future short-code phone numbers put online.  In the improbable event that a message is sent/received in the span of all time hereafter, however, please default to the stop function.
  
  Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you have any remaining questions or concerns.
  
  Kind Regards,
  
  ***** *****
  Customer Relations Lead
  
  
  *********************** DOT Processing
  ***************************
  ********************************************
  **************************
  
  PHONE:  *********************
  FAX: ************
  ***********************************************************

• Initial Complaint

  06/19/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have told this company numerous times that I am not the owner of ******* Transportation LLC. I have asked them to stop contacting via phone via text messages, phonr calls, and email text from their buisness. The last repersentinve told me the would need to fill out a so type of questionair to take me off their list. No I dont. The need to stop contacting me or I will get a attorney for harrasment.

  

  Business response

  06/25/2024

  Dear ****************:

  My name is *********************, I am a Customer Relations Specialist and Compliance Consultant with Federal Applications Processor Hoffenmer.  Regarding the issue at hand, Hoffenmer very much wants to help you resolve the matter of receiving notifications for a *** number and company that you have no affiliation with, however, the issue is not related to Hoffenmer itself, rather, the problem is that your phone number is incorrectly associated with the *** profile of ******* Transportation LLC in the ***** ********************************************* database; Hoffenmer only ties into and pulls information from ***** systems to send compliance notices.  Insofar as resolution, an ultimate resolution would be to remove your phone number from the ***** database, so as to ensure that you receiving compliance notices from all compliance entities, not only Hoffenmer - and Hoffenmer is willing to perform this removal at no cost.  However, to do this, evidence showing that the phone number in question belongs to you, is needed - evidence that Hoffenmer will then turn over to the ***** to have your phone number removed from the federal database.  This is what Hoffenmer's representative was trying to explain and allude to during your last contact.  Alternatively, if you reply "Stop" to Hoffenmer's  text messages to the three respective short code phone numbers that messages are sent from - and just S T O P - the text messages will stop automatically.  With respect to email messages, please use the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom.  Additionally, Hoffenmer will also manually unsubscribe you from our system manually; but taking only either of these latter options will only remove you from Hoffenmer's systems if your phone number is not ultimately removed from ***** systems.

  Please contact Hoffenmer if you have any additional questions or would like further assistance.

  Thank you,

  *********************
  
  
  Hoffenmer, *** Processing
  Federal Applications Bureau
  ********************************** #***
  **********************************************
   
  PHONE:  *********************
  FAX: ************
  *********************************

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  05/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  This is a third party company who kept calling me regarding renewing my ***(****************************) number, which should have been a free service. I am an independent truck driver. They told me if I was to get stopped on the road with my truck I would be fined a $1000.00. I called the ***** ************************************** and was told there was no cost to renew my *** number. I called Hoffenmer a few hours after I spoke with them and was on hold for 50 minutes. I wanted to ask them to stop the payment. I finally was able to speak with someone and they transferred me to the refund department and was on hold for another 10 minutes and then they hung up on me. I was able to renew the number online at no cost. I would like my refund of $180.50 from this company.

  

  Business response

  06/01/2023

  Dear BBB:

  Please see the attached letter (Word document) that was sent to the client.

  Sincerely,

  *********************
  
  
  Hoffenmer, *** Processing
  Federal Applications Bureau
  ****************************************************************************************************
   
  PHONE:  ************
  FAX: ************
  
  
  
  

   

  Customer response

  06/02/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  Please refund me the total amount of $180.50.

  I appreciate your help.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This company, which attempts to capitalize on those who do not realize it is NOT a government agency, has harassed me since 2021. They operate several websites that give the impression they are part of the ****** without ever stating it explicitly. Examples of texts include "FINAL NOTICE: Past Due ******** Update Filing..." They operate websites ucrcertificates.us, updatemydot.us and clearinghouse.us. It requires research to learn that this company is in no way affiliated with the ****** Take a look at the attached document that shows the various websites and ask yourself how easily someone who didn't know better could think they were registering with the ****** rather than a private company that charges fees for services that can easily be completed for free on the government portal. Hoffenmer continuously sends text messages to my work number (a landline that cannot respond to the sending number (*****). I have called and asked them to stop on multiple occasions. I provided negative reviews on social media and received a rather aggressive response with the company attempting to claim that they don't make any claims to be a government agency, but completing ignoring that they go as far as to mimic the ***** icon. At best, this company is misleading and harassing. I think that the presentation borders on predatory and fraudulent. I want to make other potential consumers aware of this business and its shady marketing practices. I also want them to stop sending text messages to my business.

  

  Business response

  03/01/2023

  ****************:
  
  You must have ****************************** Hoffenmer confused with another company, as simply every single aspect of your complaint is either incorrectly associated with Hoffenmer by mistake at best, or is an intentional misrepresentation and character assassination campaign.  Please be advised that while Hoffenmer is not in the habit of taking matters to its legal team, outright slander is taken seriously and will not go unaddressed.
  
  First, **********************************, nor its subsidiary parent company, Hoffenmer **** mimic ***** logos, emblems or other graphics.  Doing so would be illegal and would likewise equally not go unnoticed to the eye of the federal government.  And yet, ****************************** Hoffenmer continues to operate legally and successfully--to the great benefit of thousands upon thousands of motor carriers at large. This is evidenced by the numerous positive reviews on ****** and the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating on the latter; none of which would be possible if Federal Applications processor was misleading, harassing or fraudulent (to use your words) and would have been put out of business long ago.  On the contrary, the company has become a household name in the compliance industry and a force to be reckoned with amongst its competitors.
  
  Second, though it is true both ********************************** and Hoffenmer *** operate several websites, such as ucrcertificates.us, ucrcertificates.us and clearinghouse.us , it is not in the interest of some evil master plan for world **********.  Rather, it is for the purpose of each website being dedicated to specific services for the ease of the public and clients and in the name of end-user accessibility.  Furthermore, no research is required, as all websites explicitly state: ALL APPLICATIONS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROCESSED BY THE ********************************** HOFFENMER *** NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE ***** NOR THE ******. THIS IS NOT A GOVERNMENT WEBSITE; there is no attempt by Hoffenmer to imply or misrepresent that it is part of the government, nor to capitalize on duplicity.
  
  Third, neither ****************************** nor Hoffenmer have any social media presence; there is no such footprint whatsoever, so the response you received to your negative reviews could not have been from either Federal Applications processor or Hoffenmer.
  Finally, what you deem harassment is the result of your own negligence and continued noncompliance with the federal government.   You have two DOT numbers one for ************************* (DOT *******), in ********, *******, which has not been updated since 7/18/2008 and the other for FIRESIDE HOLDINGS *** with a DBA of ************************* (DOT *******) in *********, ******* which while updated 1/16/2023, has the milage out of date because the milage (****** miles) was left over from 2021 and not reported for 2022 thereby this DOT number is not compliant with ******** regulation Title 49 CFR ******* (link to Federal Code of Regulations here: eCFR :: 49 CFR ******* -- ***** Registration).  By the way, you cannot have a corporation named as a DBA it is illegal.  Please see the screenshots below of both of your DOT numbers, taken directly from the ***** database.  As such, the phraseology in the notices you have been receiving, i.e., "FINAL NOTICE: Past Due ******** Update Filing, are valid, accurate and appropriate.  Moreover, text message (SMS) notices cannot be sent to landlines, as you claim, and the company does not engage in this practice.
  
  So before you go making bold statements that Hoffenmer charges for services that can easily be completed for free on the government portal, perhaps you should ask yourself and make sure that you know what youre doing because your DOT profiles and existence of multiple DOT numbers for potentially the same entity (also illegal) are a clear & present indication that you do not.  In your position, I would contact Hoffenmer *** ASAP to get in compliance and avoid ***** violations.
  Regards,
  
  Customer Relations Department
  **********************, DOT Processing
  Federal Applications Bureau
  33 ******************************* #***
  ****************, ** 60010
  
  PHONE:  *********************
  FAX: ************

  Customer response

  03/02/2023

   
  Complaint: 19511409
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  The company does not address the primary concern - they continue to harass my business by sending text messages to a business telephone number (while not technically a landland, it is a VOIP number). Today I received the following text from *****: "******** Biennial Update DUE IN 28 DAYS for ******* FIRESIDE HOLDINGS INC Online Filing Portal: updatemydot.** File by phone: ************ M-F: 9AM-5PM CST File your update now to permit adquate time for processing. Regulation CFR 49 *******". This text makes no mention that the company is NOT affiliated with ****** nor do the texts I received on Feb 22 (It's time to file the ******** Biennial Update for ********# ******* FIRESIDE HOLDINGS INC Online Filing Portal: updatemydot.** File with a processing agent by calling: ************ M-F: 9AM-5PM CST Automated Notice: Federal Applications Processor FMCSR ******* Federal Mandate for Motor Carriers. Failure to comply may result in penalties up to $10,000 per CFR 49 *******) or on Feb 28 (Certificate of Filing by visiting: ucrcertificates.us If you have not paid the 2023 *** please visit: payucr.** 2023 *** is NOW due per ******** Regulation 2023 *** Certification for ******** **************** - ********# ******* If you have already paid the 2023 *** registration you may now request a printed FMCSR 367 To file by phone or inquire about this requirement call: ************ M-F: 9AM-5PM CST Notice 367. Federal Applications Processor). 

  
  

  The response says that "all websites state" the bit about Hoffenmer not being affiliated with the ****** I couldn't find mention of this on the home pages of updatemydot.us, nor on ucrcertificates.us. Please see the attached pdf printouts of the sites. At minimum this company should make that qualifying statement clear and visible on all affiliated website homepages. 

  
  

  I do not know the name of the individual responding to my complaint. The correspondence is signed Customer ********************* but no name is given. Hoffenmer *** is registered as an ******** corporation (file number ********) with ************************* ******************************************************************************************** listed as president and their address. That address is the business address, not a residence. Who owns and is speaking for this entity?

  
  

  I don't appreciate the attempt at intimidation by threatening frivolous legal action. Slander by definition requires making false statements. To the best of my knowledge everything I have said was factual. The threat in and of itself is cause for a BBB complaint. 

  
  

  While I do appreciate the information about my 2021 mileage being listed on my filing (I missed that box when I completed the form), please note that DOT ******* does not belong to my business and is not affiliated with my business. My company has only one DOT number, as is evident when you pull information by FEIN.
  

  
  I want no further correspondence from this business. I will not be coerced into removing a valid complaint by veiled frivolous legal threats. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  

  Business response

  03/07/2023

  [Yesterday 5:12 PM] *********************
  ****************:
  Hoffenmer is pleased to see that its response **** your attention and Hoffenmer is happy to help you resolve the matter by being compliant with all necessary mandates. Please note the response is in no way a veiled threat or an act oof intimidation; Hoffenmer is simply clearly stating its position, while clarifying your responsibility therein because the claims and/or accusations you make are indeed not factual.  Maybe a misunderstanding but not factual.  *********** works tirelessly to serve the public and is for the betterment of the public good and *********** not allow its name and reputation to be tarnished and without defense. The purpose of the reply was to 1), acknowledge your concerns, 2), give you the time and attention you deserve, and 3), open a dialogue.  The response was indeed signed Hoffenmer, Customer ********************* but also included an extension and had you called, you would have been connected to ********************* the head of Hoffenmers Customer Relations Department.
  You say that you reject the response because the company does not address the primary concern they continue to harass me by sending text messages to a business telephone number []  Except that the response painstakingly does address all of your concerns, going to great lengths to address each one point by point.  Post the response in its entirety, as opposed to excerpts, and let the court of public opinion judge Hoffenmer.
  And again, ****************, you continue to receive notices from Hoffenmer *** and ********************************** because of continued failure to comply with mandates that are required by federal law per the ************* Carrier Safety Administration. If you operated within regulation, you would not continue to receive compliance notices.  Treat the notices and these correspondences as an attempt to help as this is truly what they are.  Regarding the matter of the missing milage as previously noted that is a very common error for exactly the reason you did; many people miss that box.  It is nonetheless not any less necessary to update and ensure that it is populated correctly, but many people miss that box and it is an innocent mistake.  Moreover, you may have not even realized or known that you had second DOT number, that being the 1793182.  Assuredly, your FEIN would only reference one DOT number as it should only be tied to one DOT number albeit invertedly and by mistake it sounds like but it does not mean you do not have another DOT number.  This too also is a common occurrence and error.
  Please simply reach out to Hoffenmer by phone directly and speak with *********************, at EXT 113 for any further clarification of this matter.  *********** truly is here to help.  If its notices are not clear enough insofar as not being directly affiliated with the ***** on all applicable websites, it will be addressed and corrected because again ****************************** Hoffenmer exists for the sake of the public good.
  Sincerely,
  Hoffenmer Customer Relations Department
  **********************, DOT Processing
  Federal Applications Bureau
  ********************************************************************************************** 60010
  
  PHONE:  *********************
  FAX: 888-444-7139Tell ** why here...

  Customer response

  03/10/2023

   
  Complaint: 19511409
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  I continue to receive *** messages from this organization. I have called and asked that my number be removed from their contact list and I have filed this complaint to the same end. I want the text messages to stop, and I will not stop filing complaints until they do. The *** message I received TODAY (March 10, 2023), AFTER I received Hoffenmer's latest response is below:

  (From 62985)
  "Reasonable Suspicion Training Certificate for supervisors overseeing drivers in accordance with ******** Regulation CFR 49 *******. RST Certification must be
  
  ******* Reasonable Suspicion Training requirement for AMERICAN ****************
  *******# *******
  
  Motor carriers employing 'drivers' must obtain an 'RST'
  
  Applications Processor
  
  kept on file and is required to make a reasonable suspicion observation
  
  As compliance for Quarter 1 2023 begins, take advantage of a discounted training
  
  program for only $90. This discounted program is only available in the month of March 2023
  
  
  Visit:
  
  ***RST.US
  
  or call ************ M-F 9AM-5PM CST
  
  Federal" 
  

   

  ************** - not that this is any of your business - the *** number above is NOT tied to my business. It is tied to another organization that no longer operates. I have never been responsible for that *** number, a former business owner held that *** number through a business that they owned, formerly using the same phone number. Your company isn't helping or providing any new information. This *** number is the former business owner's responsibility and that individual has no relationship with my business. Stop sending *** messages. 

  I will never do business with your company. I do not want further correspondence. I want a commitment that there will be no further communication in any way. I will continue to file complaints until the harassment stops.

  Can you understand this simple request? Are you capable of removing the phone number of business that has made clear that they will not do business with Hoffenmer?

  A copy of today's text message is attached. You can even see the attempted response which will not go through.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩