never knowingly subscribed

ComplaintsScamsPopular Mechanics

Complaint

0
michael shirley
Country: United States
I never knowingly subscribed to popular mechanics. I did, over the internet, enter a sweepstakes for a motercycle. Evedently the also included a subscription in the legalese. I do not wish to subscribe to this magazene. Please don't bother me any more regarding ths scam. thankyou, michael shirley    ac#105422613

Comments

  • 0
    tj
    The publisher, Hearst, uses Sunrise to "retain" subscribers.  They routinely "retain" them with vaguely threatening letter that imply you "owe" for a subscription renewal you may not even have agreed to.  

    You might also get such notices from requesting a free sample of a magazine, entering an online "sweepstakes", just having had a subscription sometime in the past, or even for no cause of your own at all.  There is no way they could even verify that you were actually the person entering a "sweepstakes" or requesting a free sample magazine, so sometimes people use this to harass others.  In addition, the websites are deceptive, hiding the "subscription" terms buried behind links in legalese.

    They know all this, so although they send these vaguely threatening "reminder" letters, they are in no position to assert a contract claim, so if you dispute or challenge them, they drop it.  If they didn't, they would catch flak from FTC, state AGs, U.S. Postal Inspector, etc.  It's a game of "chicken".  

    Notify the publisher and this subscription seller/debt collector you did not subsribe or renew.  Do so in writing, mailed certified.  They generally go away.
  • 0
    Tim
    | 1 reply
    I just had this same problem.  Signed up for a drawing to win a free grill, with "no purchase necessary".  Next thing I know, I got an email with a bill for Popular Mechanics - even though we already get it.  Nothing in the fine print suggested that an automatic subscription would be the result of entering the drawing, and who needs 2 copies of the magazine anyway.  I'm quite frustrated.....
    • 0
      tj replies to Tim
      Don't lose sleep over it.

      It's a deceptive marketing tactic designed to coerce consumers into "agreeing" to some subscription when they thought they were only entering a "sweepstakes".

      Nifty of them to email the bill rather than mail it, as it leaves the US Postal Inspector out of it, at least at this point.  The "bill" is only an "offer", but deceptively written to imply you "agreed", and have some obligation to pay it, when you do not.

      File a fraud complaint with your state AG.  State AGs don't take kindly to contests involving fraud targeted against their citizens.

      If you starting getting magazines, or a bill or threatening "collection letter through the US Mail, forward those also to your state AG, and also file a mail fraud complaint with the US Postal Inspector.

      While you are at it, why don't you file a fraudulent billing complaint with BBB, forcing Popular Mechanics to have to respond to the fraudulent activity of their marketer, and run the risk of a publicly tarnished reputation.

      In short, start building a paper trail.
      Report all fraud, including fraud attempts.

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