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Dozens of graphic design agency customers have complained to the BBB, many claiming the firm berates and threatens them after a logo design is purchased. The Better Business Bureau Serving Metropolitan New York is warning small businesses and consumers about Vista Logos, which advertises “custom logo design in just 24 hours.” Users of the help box on the website are swiftly offered deeply discounted rates for services.
Many such clients have alleged that months and even years after their purchase, Vista Logos threatens legal action and additional fees for their customers to continue using the logos they previously purchased for a specific fee, in good faith. Even after users have blocked Vista Logos numbers, the harassing phone calls and text messages have reportedly continued.
As of this date, Vista Logos has an F rating with BBB due to the company's failure to resolve 35 complaints filed against the business, as well other factors.
“When complaints indicate that a company is harassing consumers and demanding extra fees beyond an accepted purchase price for a service, that is something to take very seriously,” said Claire Rosenzweig, President & CEO of the BBB® Serving Metropolitan New York. “To avoid such problems, check first to see what others have reported to BBB about their experience with a company.”
Clients have further alleged they were told by Vista Logos that there was a one-time-fee for a “lifetime trademark” for the use of the design, with no mention of needing to renew intellectual property rights down the line. As of this date, the Basic logo design package option on the Vista Logos website refers to “100% ownership rights” – although this phrase does not appear in other logo package option descriptions.
A few customers mentioned that Vista Logos has threatened them with fines of anywhere between $75,000 and $150,000 and federal lawsuits over intellectual property infringement. Some complainants stopped using the logos after the first warning messages, but even so, they claim that Vista Logos would not stop harassing the business owners for more money.
BBB Serving Metro New York has made numerous attempts to reach out to representatives at Vista Logos, requesting replies to their unanswered complaints. To date, BBB has not received a response from Vista Logos. The company claims to be located in midtown Manhattan, but BBB could not verify that the firm actually has an office there. The company’s domain name is registered privately through a service in Iceland that masks the owner of a website.
Consumers can visit BBB.org to submit complaints and reviews, check out a business, learn more about scams, and find additional consumer tips. Additionally, consumers can report scams to BBB.org/ScamTracker.
