I have been wary of door-to-door salespersons for years, especially sellers of magazine subscriptions. It has become clear that the young people at our doors are not trying to earn money for college, or for trips, or for anything else except to make a pathetic few dollars while the marketing company owners become wealthy.
But in September I broke my own rule never to trust a door-to-door salesman and paid for a magazine subscription. The young man was clean-cut, respectful, and so earnest; it was late evening and he said he couldn't quit for the night until he got just one more subscription. He actually begged me to buy a subscription to help him.
I decided a game magazine would be a good Christmas present for one of my grandsons. The price was $25, which I thought was way too high, but it supposedly came with a game CD each month. I signed, then noticed that the total wasn't $25, but $35.97. The young man said it was a fee they had to add to all subscriptions. I was about to cancel, but couldn't bring myself to disappoint such a nice young man. Now I know why these companies use children instead of adults; we wouldn't be as likely to give in to an adult as we would a child.
My receipt doesn't give a timeline for receiving the first magazine, but the salesperson said it would take 8 to 12 weeks and a gift card would be sent to my grandson. The card never came, and no issues have been received. My receipt has an address, but no phone number or email address. I also noticed that, while checks are to be made to Palmetto Marketing, Inc., the sales company listed is Roaddogs. The salesperson's name given is Dion Monutt (although the handwriting is hard to make out).
I wrote a letter of complaint to the address given, but have received no response from Palmetto to date.
When I searched online for a website for Palmetto (they have none, apparently), I found hundreds of complaints about them, among other marketing companies. They appear to operate in numerous states. Why, if there are so many complaints of outright fraud, haven't any attorneys general put this company, and others like it, out of business?
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