My first contact with IRL of Peoria came from a phone call to my home around Sept. My home number is on the do-not-call list. I am a busy daycare provider and of course it was an inconvenient time. The very nice sales woman asked me if I would like to receive some magazines for my daycare. I said, "No". She said she could get me a great rate and it was only 19.90 per month. I said, "I'm not interested." She continued with her sneaky little sales tactics and finally I caved in. I was needed by the children in my care and finally agreed to 5 magazines. How did I do that?
I received the information in the mail a while later about the magazines that I could switch out to if I chose to at a later date. I didn't see any 'contract' of any sort and I threw the information away because I was sure I would like the magazines. I do like the magazines.
Early this year January I received a call from yet another rep asking if I received any calls to renew my subscription. I said, "No." The rep asked if I was happy with my magazines. I said, "Oh yes, they are very nice." The rep continued by saying, "Are there too many subscriptions?" I said, "Yes, there really are too many to possible read each month, but i do like them." She asked which ones I really liked. She said she had a fabulous offer, she could only send me my favorites, cut down on the costs and extend my subscription.
It was again another inopportune time to call me and I really didn't fully understand what she was saying. It sounded to me like she was willing to cut my payments down, and only send me the magazines that I really liked. Before she sent me onto the phone with the supervisor 'to verify' she told me that I better make sure I just say yes to all the questions because that would really help the process continue.
This time I didn't get anything in the mail regarding my conversation and didn't think anything of it until I get yet another phone call from another lady. She offers me a one time offer to pay off my account in one lump sum. I said, "That would be wonderful, but I don't have the money right now." She was asking for $298.35. I said, "Give me a call in March and I would do it then." So March comes and I get the phone call again. She offers me the one time payment and I agree to it. Up until that point I had already paid 117.00 in monthly payments. So in total I paid 415.35 for 5 magazine subscriptions. Crazy, but I'm thinking, heck, I'm still getting a great deal. Until!
I get yet another phone call on Monday, April 10. I spoke to a man named Tim. He told me that my conversation was being recorded, blah, blah, blah. He wanted to let me know that my payment was due. I said, "Well, I just did the one time payment to pay off my account." He said, "Well you have this new account that you still owe on." I told him that I wasn't aware that I had another account and I hadn't received a bill from him and until then I wouldn't be making any payments to him. He apologized for me not getting a bill and I was pretty rude and hung up on him.
After that call I did a little research and that is how I ended up here. I read all the reports and now I am furious! I gave him a little call this morning around 10 am CT since I finally got a bill. I spoke to Tim again. I asked him what ungodly amount I owed on this account. He said I owed 39.80. I said, "No, what is the full amount." I owe them $398.00. I told him that I was unaware that I had 2 accounts and it was a complete scam. I got pretty nasty with him and he threatened to terminate the phone call. Why are they doing this to us?
This is nuts! I told him that I refused to pay this amount because it was a fraud. He said I agreed to the contract, it's on tape. I told him I would like him to send me a copy of the tape or a transcript, he said he couldn't. I asked him to send me a copy of my contract and he said he couldn't because they sent the original to me. I never received on.
This is freakin nuts! I have called two of the magazines customer service and now one of my magazines (my favorite) subscription runs until May!! Who does that? Who has a magazine subscription for that long? I asked him why would I renew my subscription when the subscription hadn't run out yet. He said he didn't know, he isn't in sales.
Oh, I asked about the do-not-call list and told him that my number is listed with them. He said that I am a business (my daycare). I told him I don't have a separate phone line for my daycare, it is my home phone number and that is listed. He again said he didn't know, he doesn't work in sales.
I want out of this. This is crazy! What do I do next? I found this company listed on the BBB online and I did find an email address for the manager of the company. I think I will email him.
Nicole
Center Point, Iowa
U.S.A.
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