In 2007 I recieved mail offering me magazines as a way to use some of my frequent flyer miles. Because I don't fly often i decided this was they was to go & BIG MISTAKE! I did enjoy four different magazines for a year, but at the end of that year I was charged more than $150 for renewal of all four magazines. I thought this to be unfair, as I recieved several notices in the mail asking me to re-subscribe, and I never did. All of the notices stated they were OFFERS to subsribe at low prices, and that I would miss out on these low prices if I didn't tkae up the offer before my subscription ran out. I even got notices stating "this is your LAST CHANCE to renew". So I thought I was free and clear if I did not renew.
NOPE. The company (Synapse Inc) charged me full priced for the four magazines, and I had no idea how to get in touch with them to get my money back. I tried disputing the charges with my bank, but they said I had to contact the company first, and I had no way to. There is no contact info on any of the magazines. So I gave up and let it slide, until...
This year, a month earlier than last year, the company AGAIN charged my credit card for a renewal of all four magazines. I searched on the internet for what i thought was the company name, TWX was listed on my credit card statement. Thankfully I found this website with all the complaints, and a rebuttal from an employee telling me how to contact them. This is what i had to go through to cancel:
Called the automated service and spent 30 minutes trying to cancel my subscriptions. Each time you cancel one they make you three more offers, and you have to listen carefully because the last offer sounds like a cancelation but it's not. They are worded very craftily to trick you in to keeping your money! I was unable to cancel the most costly subscription (Time Mag $71) because they conveniently didn't have any information about this one, even though it had been charged to my credit card less than 3 weeks ago! Coincidently, Synapse inc., accoring to their website, is "a wholly-owned subsidiary of Time Inc.". Hmmmmm... I wonder why they couldn't find my Time subscription, the cheats!
Anyway, after shouting OPERATOR, OPERATOR about 5 times I was finally put on holf for another 15 minutes and then got to talk to someone. He had no problem finding my Time subscription and cancelling it, imagine that. He did refund the entire $71, however the automated cancellation charged me for the magazines already sent, and he said he could not over-ride that.
So to the employee, Amie, who is sticking up for her company I say thjis: You guys are cheats and you know it! It couldn't be harder to cancel your subscriptions and by then you already have some of the consumer's hard-earned money and it's nearly impossible to figure out how to get to speak to a REAL LIVE PERSON. I don't blame you for saying good things about Synapse though, I looked ujp the employee benfits and they are nice - 401K, Retirement, top 25 midsize company to work for. But you are part of a business that RIPS PEOPLE OFF!
Lastly, so more folks don't have to take time doing the research I did, here is the company information in case you need to go to small claims court:
Synapse Group Inc
225 High Ridge Road
East Building
Stamford, CT 06905
203/595-8255
Jeff Blatt Chief Executive Officer
Sebastien Bilodeau SVP, Sales & Account Management
Michael Wright SVP Marketing
Michael Woods VP, Marketing
Lesson: I will NEVER order magazines again unless it is directly from the company that published them, and I will NEVER support Time Inc. Again!
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