Beware those FREE Subscriptions!!!!!

[R W Burgess]

Just got this note below from a friend. You know how we all get those free offers from some compainies? Be careful with some of them. Use certified mail when cancelling to protect yourself. I have blanked out the magazine name.

<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">"Wayne;

NOTICE-NOTICE-NOTICE.

Please let everyone know through our News Letter and your AACA blog. What ever you do, DO NOT reply to the FREE magazine offer from CoXXXXXXX XXXXXXXX. I did so, and received the ONE issure, and sent the letter of cancelation per instructions. I was billed for the whole year. I am now at three letters and one long distance phone call and still being harassed and even threated. This has been going on for months now. People need to know about this.I did not think I would ever see anything like this in our hobby !

Thanks,

Jack"</span></span>

[keiser31]

Yep....those subscription rascals! I went online to apply for the $25,000.00 Popular Mechanics' "garage makeover". Next thing I know I got their magazine subscription in my lap! Oh, the hassle to just cancel. I called and emailed and finally, after many attempts, I was able to cancel. Beware entering any contest that has a magazine or publication involved.

[TG57Roadmaster]

"Subscription rascals" is a kind term; I too, nearly got bitten from the scam alluded to by Wayne's friend. All they have is my address and I doubt it'll go any further, since I never received my "free" issue.

On a different note, for some time now when you buy reading material at B-a-M, they offer "8 free issues of two mags of your choice," cancellable after receiving the invoice in the mail. It's all perfectly legit, but if you slip up (which I did twice), the publishers have your CC or Debit Card info and "simply" bill you at a rate seemingly grasped from thin air.

I finally got wise and cancelled all of 'em, but not before being gouged for $150-plus for 4 subscriptions. This happened a year ago, and when I went in yesterday to get a copy of CA (no fault of their's, BTW), it was offered again. What a racket!

Regards,

Patsy (my new nickname)

AKA TG

[Shop Rat]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: keiser31</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Beware entering any contest that has a magazine or publication involved. </div></div>

No matter what the contest is everyone should read the fine print.

Not all that long ago the scam was that you signed up to win something like a truck or a trip at one of the drop boxes with the forms attached to them that you see in places of business. Too late you find out that the fine print lets them change your long distance carrier to a very high rate one. Kids were signing the cards while their parents were in the store not watching what was going on. Then the long distance bill would arrive.

[R W Burgess]

The subscription in question was an automotive magazine.

They probably use an outside contractor to help with advertising, and lord knows what kind of tactics outsiders might use. I know that happens with other companies. The compertition is getting tight in the magazine industry.

[keiser31]

There was NO fine print on the form where I tried to enter online. It said "Sorry we are not accepting entries at this time.", so I backed out using the "back" arrow. I went to my email and there was a message from P.M.Magazine thanking me for my subscription. My wife (and probably the neighbors) soon heard my dismay, to put it mildly.

[ex98thdrill]

I got into that same mess at a Nascar Race with Sports Illustrated. Been there, done that, and it isn't fun.

[bill pritchett]

Wayne,

I do not worry about those magazine subscriptions as I will soon be getting a large sum of money from Nigeria. I did not even know I had relatives there. The guy is really friendly and I love to send him money via Western Union as it is very fast and the lawyer should be done with the paperwork soon.

See you at Hershey.

[R W Burgess]

I'll bring a pair of shoes for you to wear in Hershey Bill!

[Ron Green]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bill pritchett</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

I do not worry about those magazine subscriptions as I will soon be getting a large sum of money from Nigeria. I did not even know I had relatives there. </div></div>

I wonder if these might be blood relatives to the one I got last week wanting to donate 5.2 million dollars to our club. It wasn't going to cost that much considering the sum we were duly promised. This couldn't be a lie could it!

[Bhigdog]

YO! You guys butt out. I sent my money first, damn it.

[Earl B.]

You poor people, please move aside for the really rich ones like me. Not only have I won the British, French and Italian national lotteries, I just received notice tody that I had won the Yahoo-Microsoft lottery.. I'm just waiting for all the checks to arrive I guess I'll have to get high class and go from being called B to Bee.. hahha....

[Guest BJM]

Yes I got that same offer. I responded - the one the initial poster asked wayne to post here. Same (reputable) magazine. Of course I wanted a free copy and I might have bit for the full year subscription.

Then the threats came stating I "obligated" myself to the subscription and they were going to report me and so on. I kept thinking "Is this CA? No way" But I guess they condoned it.

The thing is, I buy about 3 of the 6 annual issues of this magazine off the newstands. After several years, they have hit on most of the major topics and makes/years of interest to me and to subscribe means I would get 2-3 issues of little interest - still generally readable - but this is an expensive magazine and I have to pick and choose.