From a similar letter, I too also hope this inspires other peopleBUYER BE AWARE! UnitedReaders' Service, Ltd. Or Readers Service OH13400Madison Ave. POBOX 771747Lakewood, OH 44107-0067ConfirmationNumber: xxxxxxx
ToWhom It May Concern: Duringthe approximate 2 week period from May 17 - May 29 I received multiplecalls at work and at my residence from 1-888-369-7323,310-831-1130 and310-241-0523. Company name: Readers Service OH (according to my CreditCard Bill). Shawna (?) the sales person finally connected with me at my residenceat 7:57 PM PDT May 29. I am on the do not call registry. Sheproceeded to tell me that I was a finalist in your companys sweepstakes and toexpect various prizes, which included a car, vacation etc. The next thing Iknew, we were talking about how I would receive 5-6 magazines at such a greatprice. That price after a locked 48 month calculation would be $39.95 * 48months = $1917.60 in hindsight. Here supervisor Brandy came on the line to confirm and do voice authorization via a Robot question/answer period. Besides the outrageous price, that in itself represents a fraudulent scam ripoff for magazine purchases as I can get those magazines at different placescheaper or even online. I was told by the supervisor named Brandy when yourcompany called that I would be able to change my magazines at any time and thatI could cancel my subscription at any time - no questions asked and/or if Irecall, within a 10-day period.
OnMay 30 I tried calling 1-888-369-7323, the number Brandy said was aworking number to call if I wanted to cancel. I called multiple times and thenumber only gave me a fast busy signal; therefore, I knew it wasnt a working number or offline. Ialso tried the other two numbers from my caller id 310-831-1130 and310-241-0523 with no answer. However, after further investigating on theinternet, the real number I found is 1-800-233-6454 to which I left a voicemailwith cancellation details on May 30, 1 day after. Irealize this is over the Memorial holiday weekend and your Hours of Operation are M-F 9am 5 pm ET. This seemed to be a pressure sweepstakes sale knowing thisholiday weekend was fast approaching and time constraints to get the sale within aspecific time frame to make it work for your company's policy to get your loot. Thereis only one place on your website that talks about canceling anything https://unitedreaders.com/faq.php: Q: what is your Cancellation Policy?
A: orders may be canceled within 72 hours of the time they are placed. We willnot cancel any order after it has been sent to a publisher. Youwould have to change publishers to change magazines from one to the other sothis could not be talking about canceling the magazine subscription, nocancellation, nor 72 hours is not within a 10 day period, so again thiscouldnt be talking about canceling the subscription. No where on your websitedoes it say you can not cancel and/or that you have 10 days to do so? If thisis the policy then this should have been told to me on the phone and/or placedon your website in writing. Aftercareful investigation I found that your company is in fact operating under manydifferent names. United Readers Services is one with the exact same website asReliable Readers Services. They both have the same contact information andthey both have this quote: A Quality Magazine Service for Home and Businesssince 1972 with the exception of since 1972 missing from the ReliableReaders Services site. Attached you will see the two websites with theircontact information. TheTelemarketing Sales Rule, effective Dec. 31,1995, requires telemarketersoffering a prize promotion to provide clearly and conspicuously to consumers, before payment, several items of information, including the fact that nopurchase is necessary to enter, how consumers who do not wish to make apurchase may enter the prize promotion, and the odds of receiving the prizewhere there are several prizes. The rule also specifically prohibits othersfrom providing substantial assistance to telemarketers whom they know orconsciously avoid knowing are violating key provisions of the rule. "ProjectJackpot, " a joint effort between the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), thestate Attorneys General and the U.S. Postal Service, targeted firms thatfraudulently offered purportedly valuable prizes to consumers to induce them topurchase products. Ifeel that you have violated my rights as a consumer and the FTC's TelemarketingSales Rule by: failing to clearly and conspicuously disclose that no purchasewas necessary to win a prize; misrepresenting the value of the prizes; andfailing to disclose material limitations and conditions of the prizes. Also bysponsoring the promotion; claiming to send confirmation letters, prizes andbonus items to consumers; taking customer service calls from consumers; andbilling consumers' credit cards; misrepresentation of cancellation by asupervisor and non-documentation regarding the time frame of cancellation ofthe subscription.
Foryour reference in for cancellation in the state of Washington: TelemarketingSales? Under Washingtons Commercial Telephone Solicitation Act (RCW 19.158) when you agree to make a purchase during a call initiated by a telephonesolicitor, the sale is not final until youve received written confirmationfrom the seller. The written confirmation must provide an address where acancellation notice may be sent and an explanation of your cancellation rights. Youmay cancel the contract within three business days of receipt of the writtenconfirmation; if delivery is not made within 42 calendar days of the initialsolicitation; or whenever the Telephone Solicitation Act is violated. Toremedy this situation, I request that I be refunded the initial $39.95currently in pending when officially charged to my credit card, cease mysubscriptions over the 48 month period, do not charge me any more moniespertaining to this fraudulent/scam sweepstakes telemarketing and do not send meanymore magazines. I will not pay any invoices billed to me for any of the 6magazines as I have told you in writing now that I am canceling thissubscription. I have tried to call to no avail; therefore, I submitted complaintforms to the FCC/FTC, BBB, and the Washington State Attorney General. I have also submitted fraudulent reports to the three credit bureaus and made sure I am on permanent OPT-OUT: https://www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form. Cgi If any magazines come or continue to come I will assume that these are a free gift to meas I told you that I do not want them. I DO however want in writing withinthirty (30-days), a letter sent to my mailbox above confirming this transactionand any and all transactions in conjunction with your company be canceled andresolved. A copy of this letter and other information pertaining to yourcompany (s) is being retained for future references. Thankyou, Ballcc:? Federal Trade CommissionFederalCommunications CommissionOfficeof the Attorney General State of Washington: Rob McKenna and the AGO staffNational Fraud Information CenterBetter Business Bureau of Ohio (216) 241-7678
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