I would like to report the company currently doing business as Publishers Business Services for fraudulant business practices as well as harrassment, and menacing tactics.
Back in April of PBS contacted me and asked me if I would like to take advantage of an offer where I could receive eight magazines for my business and since they were in direct connection with the magazines, they could offer the magazines to me at no cost for the magazine. They stated that all I would be responsible for is the postage and handling. They explained that I would receive magazines for 60 months (5 years) but that they would combine the weekly rate into 24 monthly payments of $29.90. I do not recall any statements about being locked into a contract for 24 months no matter what the situation or anything like that.
I began receiving the bills, and paying them, several times paying more than the $29.90—as much as $100.00 per month. So, to me, that would show that I was paying ahead.in October I recieve another phone call offering me additional magazines for just $7.00 more. I accept that as well. I have no problem in receiving magazines—fine, great! But unfortunately, my company has suffered some serious financial problems and is in the beginnings of closing.
Add to that the owners (who happen to be my parents) are both facing a terminal illness and cannot support the company the way that it is any longer. I called the customer service center on Monday, 1/24/05 and left a message indicating that I needed someone to call back regarding me closing my account. I didn't hear anything back until 1/26/05, when Mr. Max Cooper called. I thought he was from customer service—turns out he is collections.
He said I was delinquent on my account (how can that be when I have paid $329.90 since July???) By my calculations, I am paid ahead. Besides that, I sent payment in on 1/11/04 for my regular amount and even gave him the check number. I further began to explain how I had left a message for customer service anyway about canceling my account due to the above mentioned reasons. To make a very long story short, Mr. Cooper informs me that there is no way I can cancel, and that I owe the entire amount. My case was if I am only paying postage, why would I pay for something you no longer need to send?
Besides that, I am not even receiving all of the magazines. He said there is nothing he can do—he is not cancelling, and if I don't pay that he will send collection departments after me and that he will make sure that my personal credit as well as the company's credit is ruined. Now, I am not stupid enough to believe that a mark from a magazine company is enough to ruin credit, however, i did not want to see any marks against my dad's credit as a result of this. Mr. Cooper informed me that he doesn't want to do this, but he will reduce my payment to 1/2 of the balance on each account, but that I had to pay today by credit card, otherwise I would be responsible for the entire balance.
Figuring that 1/2 was better than all of it, I reluctantly agreed to pay. I argued with him, and told him that this was fraudulant. He kept saying that he had the tape of my agreement and could play it for me. I said fine, however he never did play the tape. I gave my credit card info to him. Then this morning, customer service finally called back. I spoke with Danny. I explained the situation to him, and asked what he could do.
He said he couldn't do anything—unfortunately I gave my credit card info and it was pending. I suggested that he credit it, as anyone who accepts credit cards can do. He said he could not and would not do that. I asked to speak with his manager. He put me through to Frank. Somewhere in my explaining the situation to Frank the most horrible "customer service" rep came on who, if she did even identify herself, I could not catch her name.
This woman was the worst person I have dealt with in my entire life. I explained the situation thouroughly to her, and all she would keep telling me is that how could I call and make a payment at 5:00p. M and call the next day to cancel it? I kept trying to explain to her that originally I called C.S. To cancel, then collections called me, threatened me, and I reluctantly paid, then CS called me back today.
She mocked me, ridiculed me, and did not even have the decency to mute me when she started telling, what I assume to be her manager about the crazy lady who is ranting about wanting her money back after I called to make a payment and that I was going on with some story about family illness, and business closing and that I had 101 reasons why I should be refunded. She was the most rude person I have ever encountered. Without even telling me to hold on, she transfers me to James. While James, in the end, could not help me, he was the best representative there, and was at least friendly and acted as though he cared. He actually told me that even though you can't go back in time and change things, that really, I shouldn't have said yes when they called. That was the most honest thing that company has said.
I have since filed a dispute with my credit card company. They have a block on that card, and will not allow the payment to post. They are then cancelling that card so no future purchases can be made on it. I am filing a complaint with the FCC and the consumer affairs department here. I received some great encouragement from reading the other stories, and am confident that I will have this resolved to my satisfaction.
Stay tuned...
Jennifer
grandview, Missouri
U.S.A.
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