I received a call from these magazine people who said they were located in Helena, Montana. The call was on January 12, on a Saturday morning around 9 A.M. Now I know sleeping in until 10 in the morning is absolutely inexcusable no matter how much youd stayed up the previous Friday night (because you know, nobody stays up late on a Friday night), but that was exactly what I had planned to do. Unfortunately, my phone rings loudly and so I groggily made a dash for it from my bedroom (thinking perhaps it was my parents). The number on Caller ID was one of a variation of 866 numbers I'd been receiving, but up until then, I'd always gotten dead air. This number was 866-724-5076.
I hate being rude to telemarketers, I really do. My dad has been annoyed several times when I would answer the phone and not screen them for telemarketing before handing it to him. I feel sorry for them, because they are only doing their job. I usually view the company they work for as reprehensible. Now the man on the line was pleasant enough and said he wanted to ask me a few questions. I thought it was a survey for visa card holders. He got information on my hobbies, likes, dislikes, told me about the prizes I could possibly win (which, I might add, are very attractive to a 19 year old who's just moved out of their parents' house), and along the way told me that I was subscribing for magazines.
This is the part where I hold myself totally responsible and duly call myself a complete ass and idiot. I thought, alright, it doesn't sound so bad and I signed on, giving them my credit card number. I was to receive either 5 or 6 magazines (remember, I was still barely awake and details are foggy) for 15 payments of $69.16 charged monthly for a 60 month subscription (something close to that). I was asked to put in a good word for him because he was new to the job before he transferred me to his supervisor. There they recorded me stating I understood the payments, how many magazines for how long, and that I wouldn't cancel until such and such time.
Later, I looked over my finances and decided, what the hell did I get myself into? $70 a month, no matter how cheap that sounded, was more than I could afford. I had credit card bills, rent, utilities, food, and other unexpected expenses to worry about. I tried looking up information on this company and try to find a phone number (yes, they had given me one on the phone, but ONLY once, towards the end when I was just grasping what was happening). The only things I found were websites of telephone numbers people were annoyed with and this website.
That following Tuesday (January 15), I tried calling back the number that was on my caller ID. How embarrassed was I when a girl answered and stated this was her personal cell phone? Very. As well as very confused as to how this number was a personal cell when it's an 866. I remembered someone had posted a number on here and said it had worked for them, so I tried it. It was a toll free number: 800-643-1164. It worked. A lady answered asking for my name, etc, verifying who I was. I told her I wanted to cancel because I would not have the money for it. My parents have been helping me get through financially so far but this was something frivolous and unnecessary. She tried telling me I was recorded saying I would uphold my agreement. I didn't argue but stressed that there was just no money there, I would not be able to afford it and I desperately asked if I wasn't allowed to cancel. She said no ma'am she wasn't saying I could cancel but that they would like me to uphold to my agreement. I said I couldn't. She said, alright ma'am, fine. You're subscription has been cancelled. I was surprised and so asked if that was really it. Was there anything else? No ma'am. So I hung up.
Now today, February 7, I checked my credit card statement online and found I had been charged $69.16 by this company. The number by the charge was 888-854-4706 with GA (for Georgia) next to it. I thought this company was in Montana? I called telling them I had cancelled this subscription earlier, they said they had no record of that and did I have a confirmation number? No I didn't because I wasn't given one. I was transferred to a supervisor for cancellation information. The supervisor said that I had agreed not to cancel and they had sent the money in to the publishers. The only thing they could do for me was lower my payments to $20/month or I could pay $900 something to cancel it completely!!! I am frustrated! I decided to call the 800-643-1164 number. They stated they had no record of me calling. I know for a fact that I did! I'm waiting on my phone company for a history of my previous calls (hopefully it will show because it was a toll free number and they only pull up long distance numbers, don't know why).
In the meantime, I have crunched numbers and looked up cost for individual subscriptions direct from the magazine company. The total cost from the telemarketing company was over $1000 for 5 years. If I estimate it to be $20 for each yearly magazine subscription direct from magazine company (which is almost twice the amount some really charge for 2 years) it ranges from $500-$700. Ridiculous! The only way I could see the magazines being $1000 was if I bought them at cover price per issue!
I've read all the postings on this company here and I feel very disheartened. I realize those of you who worked/work for this company are probably having a good laugh and remarking on what an incredible idiot I am, as I most likely deserve. But really, how hard is it to cancel from the publishers? I'm even willing to pay the $70 or whatever the first bill comes out to be. But after that, I don't want anymore to do with it. Besides, these are advanced payments for magazines that have yet to be printed (unless printers actually print a whole years worth or 5 years worth in a whole month so there would be no way for subscribers to get out). I doubt that's what they do.
I dont want to go through the run around and just find myself being called by collections. Worse comes to worse, the subscription will be paid for. However, I just find it totally lacking in respect and courtesy on this companys part for making it so difficult. Do they realize they are stressing and pressuring people into years and years of debt and ruined credit? I mean come on, marriage (which is a life-time promise and bigger commitment in front of actual people) has a way for people to get out.
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