I, too, have been scammed by National Magazine Exchange. I first got one of their "sweepstakes" confirmations in the mail four years ago. I was young, ignorant, and in college at the time. So I called the number. I was so easily pursuaded to purchase the magazines. They break the price down to make you think you have gotten a deal. Then they get you with the stupid watch (which I have yet to recieve!). It is very hard to say no.
You think you are getting such a deal. Well, that "deal" resulted in magazines that I am still recieving FOUR years later. Some of the magazines I chose stopped after a few issues. I never got the watch. After I realized I had been screwed, I tried to stop the subscription. No luck of course and I was then reported to a collection agency. I didn't know it at the time, but unless they get your social, there is no way that they can negatively affect your credit.
Fastforward two years. My husband gets a "sweepstakes" letter in the mail. He didn't know, so he signs up. At this time I am still recieving magazines. So now we are getting more. Now there is a new catch. They tell you that you can "cancel" after you recieve thier information packet in the mail, but it's too late. The credit card is already charged. I tried calling them as soon as we got the packet. Too late. This time it was more of a nightmare. Fighting them was a lost cause. It resulted in a collections letter to the tune of about $700. I ignored the letters, but they kept coming.
At one point I called N.M.E. The teller told me that failure to pay the amount due was subject to legal action because the amount was so much. They told me that they would go as far as to extradite me to California to prosecute me to the fullest extent of the law. Now of course that would upset anyone.
The only way to stop the letters and phone calls was to call the magazines directly - as in the number on the inside of the magazine cover. I called each number and explained the situation. The magazines were not aware of the scam, but each magazine promptly ended the subscription. If we weren't getting the magazines, then N.M.E. Had no grounds to harrass us. The letters stopped.
To everyone out there who has been scammed by these people, keep fighting - close your bank account if you have to.
To those who work for this company: granted you sell "package" deals and you get people to agree to pay. But your tactics are illegal at worst and misleading at best. Legitimate companies are not reported to the FTC (check out their site regarding magazine scams!), they are not called "bottom feeders" by the BBB, and they are not reported to the attorney general's office.
0 comments