Magazine Scam!! Please Help!
Complaint
ting lin
Country: United States
Hi! i need serious help! and i dont know what to do right now! im only 19 and i've been scammed by this magazine company named C&R marketing and assoc. i've searched up this company and address and only found one result which was a scam! earlier last year in 2009 i was foolish to give in my credit card number to them and since then i've been asking to cancel the subscription. In response they said i have to continue till the agreement is over. So i canceled my card and capital one helped open another one with different numbers. I also filed a claim for missing money and to my surprise C&R Marketing sent in documents to my bank!!! The company called me just the other day and said they could not charge my account. I also got a letter saying if i dont pay it will affect my credit! Please help me!!!
Comments
Fraudulent misrepresentation is reason enough to cancel, and also a valid reason to regard the "contract" null and void.
What did they originally offer?
What magazines, total costs, payment terms, years of subscription, cancellation terms, were in the original offer?
What did they later claim the terms were, and what later "terms" were not disclosed up front?
Did they send something in the mail after the call, claiming to be disclosing the terms of the "agreement", but including additional terms that were never disclosed up front?
That is generally the form of fraudulent telemarketing scams.
What "documents" did they send to your bank?
Are they just their own fabricated documents?
Are there any "documents" purporting to have your signature on them, that you did not in fact sign? (forgery)
Has your bank sent you copies of the "documents" they sent?
What is your bank's response to these "documents"?
Did they send you anything IN WRITING, that you signed and sent back, or are they just claiming you made some "verbal contract", but they have altered the terms of the offer unilaterally?
Are they threatening you claiming they have some "recording" of your agreeing to what they now claim are their terms?
Have they selectively used clips of such a recording, to threaten you, or to deceive your bank?
FTS defines the requirements for telemarketing in what they call the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR). It requires full disclosure up front of the terms, no deceptive claims, disclosure up front if there are limits on cancelling, etc. Anything else is called "FRAUD", and like all crimes, you report FRAUD to FTC, your state Attorney General, their state Attorney General, etc. You dispute fraudulent charges through your bank as FRAUD.
It is important to call a crime what it is.
What did they originally offer?
i believe it was 29.99 and it'll end within a year
What magazines, total costs, payment terms, years of subscription, cancellation terms, were in the original offer?
EllE, Glamor, Cosmo were the magazines. for one year only. i wanted to cancel and the first girl i talked to was you'll have to go up to our office in manhatten and she never told me the address and then after i gave the info she transfered me to her "manager" which told me you'll have to wait till your subscription is over.
What did they later claim the terms were, and what later "terms" were not disclosed up front?
they made another phone call a few months later saying do you want to renew your sub and i told her no i wont be giving you any more info. She asked why and i told her they started to charge my account $49 and i want to cancel! She said you only have 6 more months to go and i'll make the price cheaper..so i hanged up from there. I went to the bank to close everything and transfer to another card.
Did they send something in the mail after the call, claiming to be disclosing the terms of the "agreement", but including additional terms that were never disclosed up front?
They NEVER sent me anything about an agreement until i canceled my card!
they sent me a mail saying " VOLATION OF AGREEMENT" in cap's they wrote "DUE TO VIOLATION OF YOUR AGREEMENT WITH US, YOUR CREDIT RATING HERE HAS BEEN AFFECTED. IN ORDER TO RESTORE YOUR PREVIOUS CREDIT RATING ON THIS ACCOUNT OUR OFFICE MUST HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY. FAILURE TO RESOPND WILL RESULT IN FURTHER ACTION BEING TAKEN DUE TO VIOLATION OF YOUR AGREEMENT. TO MAKE VOLUNTARY ARRANGEMENTS CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT (866) 370-2602
and they said i have and amount due on your account is 179.85 AND a payment of $1,198.80 will pay your account in Full!
That is generally the form of fraudulent telemarketing scams.
What "documents" did they send to your bank?
They sent a CHARGEBACK NOTIFICATION!! and they sent a letter saying i agreed to make 26months of 49.95!! they also said they have a verbal recording...
Are they just their own fabricated documents?
Are there any "documents" purporting to have your signature on them, that you did not in fact sign? (forgery)
no they arent asking for signatures
Has your bank sent you copies of the "documents" they sent?
yes they sent me the documents
What is your bank's response to these "documents"?
the bank says its a FRAUD claim?! what is that suppose to mean!
Did they send you anything IN WRITING, that you signed and sent back, or are they just claiming you made some "verbal contract", but they have altered the terms of the offer unilaterally?
yes they are asking me to make a call or make payment
Are they threatening you claiming they have some "recording" of your agreeing to what they now claim are their terms?
yes they said they have my voice recording
Have they selectively used clips of such a recording, to threaten you, or to deceive your bank?
i am not entirely sure about that
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/c-amp-r-marketing-c298774.html
That complaint mentions Reader's Services, and several other named companies as related. Searching on "C&R Marketing" gets rather thin results, yet their scheme is clearly well developed and executed, so they must be getting complaints under other names.
What addresses or phone numbers have you finally gotten out of them, perhaps through what they sent your bank?
Often those are easier to trace than company names, since scams often use multiple company names to hide the level of their activity.
Here is information on a similar scam based in Buffalo NY, so that you can see what these look like.
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/EOCyDbSpRAC7TgjJ3Y3HJg
There are a number of simlar scams located around the country, notable several in the Atlanta GA area, and south Florida, long a hot spot of fraudulent telemarketing.
"29.99 for a year" becomes $1,198.80 "to pay your account in full".
If they had said $1200 up front, you would have told them to go to hell.
Even 3 magazines at $30 a year would be only $90.
"1-2 months later i get phone calls saying i have to pay for them so i thought ok i'll give them my info since i got some magazines..."
Notice how the terms are never fully disclosed.
"i wanted to cancel and the first girl i talked to was you'll have to go up to our office in manhatten and she never told me the address and then after i gave the info she transfered me to her "manager" which told me you'll have to wait till your subscription is over. "
They get to change the terms to whatever they want, but by some miracle (for them) there isn't any way you can actually cancel, You can only try, but you can't even get an address.
"they started to charge my account $49 "
I assume they started charging you monthly.
$49 a month is an absurdly high amount to pay for 3 magazines, and a far cry from $29 a year. They aren't complying to any agreement you ever agreed to. They are just taking as much of your money as they can get away with.
"She said you only have 6 more months to go and i'll make the price cheaper"
And if you believe that, she will try to sell you a bridge as well.
"They NEVER sent me anything about an agreement until i canceled my card!"
These scams seldom send anything. If they did, you would have evidence in writing of their attempted fraud. They prefer to keep changing the terms and piling on more amounts due as much as they can.
The "agreement" they sent is mail fraud, using the mail to demand payments that are not due, for products and on terms that you didn't agree to. They never disclosed the "terms" of this agreement when they were first selling, so any agreement can be nothing more than what they DID disclose. This "contract", and their claim you agreed to it, is fraudulent.
"VOLATION OF AGREEMENT" in cap's they wrote "DUE TO VIOLATION OF YOUR AGREEMENT WITH US, YOUR CREDIT RATING HERE HAS BEEN AFFECTED. IN ORDER TO RESTORE YOUR PREVIOUS CREDIT RATING ON THIS ACCOUNT OUR OFFICE MUST HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY. FAILURE TO RESOPND WILL RESULT IN FURTHER ACTION BEING TAKEN DUE TO VIOLATION OF YOUR AGREEMENT. TO MAKE VOLUNTARY ARRANGEMENTS CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT (866) 370-2602"
Now they are making a play from as much as they can wring out of you, as a "settlement" for letting you out of this "agreement".
But notice the weasel words: "Credit Rating Here", not just credit rating. Who cares what THEIR credit rating on you is?
"Restore your previous credit rating", Paying a bad debt reported to the normal credit reporting agencies doesn't "restore your previous credit rating", it just leaves you with a paid bad debt, still a negative.
"FAILURE TO RESOPND WILL RESULT IN FURTHER ACTION BEING TAKEN DUE TO VIOLATION OF YOUR AGREEMENT." Maybe this "further action" will be they will go home and get drunk tonight.
"TO MAKE VOLUNTARY ARRANGEMENTS CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT (866) 370-2602"
So if you cave to their fraudulent claims and threats, your extorted payment is "voluntary". "But Your Honor, what could I do? She volunteered to give me her money. It would have been rude not to take it."
"They sent a CHARGEBACK NOTIFICATION!! and they sent a letter saying i agreed to make 26months of 49.95!! they also said they have a verbal recording..."
You disputed their charges through your bank, and blocked the card number. Your bank can yank back 60 days of payments in a keystroke. They want to keep it, and keep taking it. This is one of the two ways they use their fraudulent recordings, either to intimidate you, or to discredit you to your bank.
You know they never offered you 26 month * 49.95 = $1298.70 They never said this was an offer for over a thousand dollars. No one in their right mind would pay over a thousand dollars for 3 magazines for 26 months.
"the bank says its a FRAUD claim?! what is that suppose to mean!"
You disputed their charges as unauthorized. They were not in accordance with the offer they presented that you had agreed to. Therefore your dispute of the unauthorized charges to your bank is a fraud dispute.
They are attempting to refute your dispute. They are the ones engaged in fraud.
Contact your local police or District Attorney, and file a fraud complaint, since they are deceptively turning a "3 magazine $29 for one year" subscription into a phony $1300 "agreement". Then get a copy of the police report, and present that along with a notarized fraud affidavit to your bank. That should refute their disputing of your chargeback.
It is not your bank's job to act as mediator in this dispute, it IS their job to make payments AT YOUR DIRECTION. Nor did this scam outfit ever intend to document what this "agreement" ever was. In fact, they deliberately avoided doing so, as part of their scam, on what they only now claim is some $1300 "agreement", so that they could most effectively fabricate whatever terms they later wanted to. If they had actually intended to create a legally binding contract for what they now allege you owe, they would have disclosed it in their initial offer, put it in writing, and sent you a copy up front. Instead they intentionally avoided that. They never acted to establish this "agreement" in writing, preferring instead to keep you in the dark as long as possible so they could continue altering the alleged "agreement" making up new terms, knowing that they intended to use threats and intimidation to get your money.
Assuming they got 2 months of $49, for 2 months of 3 magazines, they have gotten more than the value of the magazines, even if bought at the local store. You have not defrauded them by refusing to go along with their scam. In fact, you have paid them far more than the magazines you got are worth, yet they are trying to get paid for their whole $1300, that they never disclosed and you never agreed to, for product never even received. (Equity isn't even an issue, as they set out to con you from the start. You don't get to argue equity with unclean hands.)
Don't believe any claims they have a "recording" of you agreeing to these terms. They never disclosed them, so you never heard them, nor could you have agreed to them. But don't be surprised if they come up with some recording with parts of your phone call edited into some script that now has all they claim you agreed to. That is a common practice with this type of scam.
Contact FTC and your state Attorney General to file a fraud complaint.
Contact the U.S. Postal Inspector to file a mail fraud complaint (sending their phony "Violation of Agreement" notice). See 39 USC 3001.
http://supct.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/usco ... 01----000-.html
Their dispute of your charge-back is also fraudulent.
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/c-amp-r-marketing-c298774.html
^i saw this earlier when i was trying to search up the company! i'm wondering how she dealt with the situation
i also searched the address and it was complete bullSh*t
i just want to get away from this as fast as possible
i just can't believe i got myself into such a mess!
They set out to con you, and that is what they are still attempting to do.
It is what they do, and what they say to anyone is of no consequence.
They make up a BS agreement, they make BS threats, and if you believe them, they get your money. If you don't, they move on to the next sucker.
They sold you a subscription on one set of terms, sounding like it was competitive. based on that, you provided your credit card number.
They used that without authorization to take more money than they said they would. Those charges are unauthorized.
Seeing the unauthorized charges, you disputed them with your bank, as you are allowed to do under federal law.
They found they couldn't keep taking your money, so they sent you their "violation" BS, and disputed your charge-back.
You didn't make them do it, nor did you "misunderstand" what they were selling. They intentionally misrepresented their offer to deceive you into disclosing you credit card number, so that they could take you for far more than they ever claimed these magazines would cost.
They are crooks. What they are doing is fraud.
You report it as what it is.
Their "Violation" crap is full of weasel words to give them plausible deniability should they be caught and prosecuted for fraud. Every threat they make includes an alternative interpretation they can use as a defense, to claim it doesn't mean what you thought they were threatening you with.
That is the mark of a practiced scammer, running on the edge of the law, but determined to keep defrauding people, while he stays out of jail.
You have no obligation to honor any fraudulently claimed "agreement". They didn't state the current "terms" up front, so you did not agree to them. This is not a "misunderstanding". If it were, a legitimate business would simply terminate the agreement, and move on. They deliberately set you up with one set of terms in their offer, knowning that they would later try to take you for several times that amount.
Every step they take, therefore, to attempt to get you to pay on this bogus "agreement" is just more fraud. Their sending your bank a charge-back dispute, on what are in fact unauthorized charges, is more fraud. Any bank that is so stupid they will accept a claim of an unknown company, whose actions fit known fraud patterns, over their own customers, doesn't deserve your business.
Give FTC a call. They have heard many similar complaints, as there are a number of ocmpanies pulling this exact same scam, and they have prosecuted several.
Call BBB. If you talk to someone there with some complaint experience, they can tell you this fits a common pattern of fraud.
Call your Attorney General.
Call your local police, and file a fraud complaint. The moment they demanded payments different from the terms they originally offered, they crossed the line. From their later behavior, it becomes clear their game is fraud. Report it, get a copy of the fraud report from the police, and send it to your bank with a signed fraud affidavit. Federal law gives you the right to dispute charges to your credit card under FCBA, or to your checking account under FRB Reg. E. That is all the reason your bank needs to reverse fraudulent charges under FCBA.
You don't just have to let people take all the money they want once they have your account numbers. The final say is in your hands.
These types of punks prey on naive suckers where they think they can get away with it. They make phony claims, they even fabricate doctored recordings, as "proof" to intimidate you or deceive your bank.
ALL of these practices are common and well known with fraudulent telemarketing scams in this price range, (several hundred to about a thousand dollars), whether magazine scams, or small business "directory" scams. They are all the same con. It's a poker game, but they have to fold on the first inkling that you have gone to the authorities.
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/EOCyDbSpRAC7TgjJ3Y3HJg
Here are links to another one.
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/brsgGdLTZwACDAjMYQgvNA
And another one.
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/otKZX-o8EwD7HAjMWELc0g
Here is one who got prosecuted, so when the consumer asked for their money back, they sent it back.
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/BkEXZy1m_ACO-gjMZDr_0A
Here is a "business directory" scam, with complaints of doctored phone recordings, and accounts sent to a collection agency dumb enough to get in bed with these crooks.
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/SE8MbxeIQADghgjMKi1F_g
Included in this thread are examples of how fraudulent telemarketers doctor and misrepresent phone recordings. A "marketing partner" of BofA is apparently behind this, scamming BofA customers with information bought from the bank.
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/tYc4K1wNsACmMAjLZ-BuTg
Here is the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/marketing/bus27.shtm
Fraud is everywhere. If you roll over at a simple threat, crooks will line up to pick your pocket.
Scammers often use multiple names, but may use the same phone numbers under the multiple names, so even untracable phone numbers or even BS addresses, can tie the names back together because they can be used to find complaints against the same scammers.
Even mail drop addresses indicate something about the level of deception, or need to hide from legal action, of a scam. Some mail drops are well known as associated with certain types of scams.
Alternatively, a total lack of trackable addresses or phone numbers points to a different type of scam. They usually don't have access to credit card payment systems, but there are exceptions.
There should have been a phone number associated with the charges on your bank statement. Also, they may have shown their name associated with the charge.
Exactly how did that item appear on your statements?
www.elle.com
"12 Issues (1 year) @ $10.00 "
"24 Issues (2 years) @ $16.00 "
www.glamour.com
"12 issues (1 year) of Glamour for just $12 "
"24 issues (2 years) of Glamour for just $19.97"
www.cosmopolitan.com
"12 issues for just $15"
"24 issues for just $28"
"36 issues for just $36"
For $37 total, you can get a year of each, direct from the publishers.
F0r $64 total, you can get 2 years of each, direct from the publishers.
They tipped their "initial offer" just under what it would cost to order from the publishers, to get your credit card number. That was the lure, in what is essentially a phishing scam, coupled with an extortion racket.
Deception is about appearances. At first glance it appears "normal", but there is ALWAYS some difference. The magazines are only props, to create the appearance of legitimacy. They want YOU to think they have some "agreement" they can use to make you pay whatever they want. They want YOUR BANK to think this is just some "misunderstanding", this kid must have forgotten what she agreed to. They prey on the unsophisticated and naive, like kids just old enough to have a credit card.
Anyone can pick up a few magazines at the store and toss them in the mail, for a few bucks.
YOU ARE BEING CONNED.
$64 vx. $1300 is not some "misunderstanding". IT IS NOTHING BUT A SCAM. IT ALWAYS WAS, and your decision to dispute all their charges against your card was the correct decision.
They set out from the beginning to steal $1300 from you by using a phony offer that sounded a little better than the publishers to get your credit card number.
There is no "contract" since they never intended to honor their offer from the start.
What you have already found is various attempts to take as much from you as they can. They will threaten, they will claim "fraud", they will offer to "settle" for HUNDREDS of dollars. It's all a con. The goal all along was to get a bunch of money from you, not to sell you some "subscription" at a competitive price.
If they do scrub, they have to pay out thousands of dollars every few months for the lists.
If they don't scrub, and FTC gets a lot of complaints (and particularly if those complaints allege fraud), they run the risk of massive penalties, potentially thousands of dollars per illegal call, which can shut them down and take away their drugs and fancy cars.
Do Not Call violations are easier to prove than actual fraud, since all you have to show is complaints from numbers on the list, and that the perpetrator hasn't been paying for the lists.
What the shady telemarketers have often done is use "sweepstakes" or "lottery" advertising to lure suckers to call. That way, the calls do not violate the Do Not Call list, and they can even call back for a while to "sell" their scam offers.
You mentioned you found this "offer" on some website. They may be using those sites as a substitute for "sweepstakes" postcards, or they may be "seeding" sites with "offers" that appear to be written by other "consumers", to lure people in.
1) Very thin report existence. Total 2, no BBB listing, implies possible made-up name, or use of multiple aliases.
2) Attempts to hide location and contact information. Non-working number. Uncertain location and address. Possibly "borrowing" another company name.
3) Evidence of deception. Different information with every call.
4) Indications this is really a "trumped up subscription settlement" scam, not even a fraudulent "magazine subscription" business.
5) No magazines received.
6) Claiming to be part of some subscription company that you can find in searches, but then why don't they go under that name? (There are also many similar complaints against "Reader's Services" even with similar dollar amounts, which may indicate either that these jokers are "borrowing" that name a lot, or that they picked a company with a reputation worse than their own.
7) Use of threats.
8) Fraudulent $1300 claim.
The above factors are consistent with several telemarketing fraud rings known for engaging in a range of scams, from "advance fee" loan scams, phony "lottery" scams, phony "government official/IRS" scams. The amounts are typically in the high hundreds(>$700), to a couple thousand dollars, and often include "reloading", attempting to con prior victims a second time. Some have indications that they are cross-border, with connections to Canadian Montreal-based telemarketing fraud operations, or use of mail-drops near the Canadian border, such as Champlain NY.
Anyone can make threats on a phone.
Anyone can drop some official-looking "documents" in the mail.
So far, what evidence is there that there really is a "C & R Marketing"?
Where are they physically located, in what city and state?
What physical address actually checks out as belonging to this "company"?
Do their charges appear under their own name, or are they borrowing some other company's merchant account to illegally launder their fraudulent charges?
Who is their bank or payment processor?
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/c-amp-r-marketing-c298774.html
"C & R Marketing
Posted: 2010-01-12 by Att2de
Scam of magazine subscription
Complaint Rating:
I have received numerous phone calls stating I owe money for a magazine subscription I have with them, but they cannot show me proof. I do not get any magazines with them. When I ask why I haven't received anything they say they don't know. They then make the threat that they will be sending me to collections if I don't pay the money of $49.95. I asked to cancel and they say that will cost $300. The number they give me to call doesn't work and everytime they call they give me different information. They say they are a part of Reader's Services company. It is a scam!!! "
9) Using posted offers to lure in victims. Internet postings and classified ads are a common tactic used by "advance fee" loan scams.
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/great-american-reader-c154170.html
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/united-readers-servicereaders-source-c106533.html
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=29616434571&topic=7106
Deceptive claims to be associated with VISA/MasterCard.
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-279-9221
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-499-1332
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-352-688-3761
Midwest Publisher's Home Office, "$1000 shopping spree" scam.
Minneapolis,MN?
Reports of deceptive attempts to obtain credit card information.
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-763-230-7682
http://www.bbb.org/minnesota/business-reviews ... tal-mn-96019260
National Readers Service.
Witholding contact information, inflated charges run against credit cards.
Refusing to cancel after they alter terms.
Deceptive refusal to disclose cancellation terms, in violation of TSR.
False claims consumers agreed to subscriptions.
Reports they claim to have recordings.
$1200 inflated amount.
Reports of doctored phone recordings.
Possibly located in Clearwater FL.
http://www.quis.com/2009/02/06/magazine-and-s ... rvices%E2%80%9D
"They actually recorded part of my conversation but I know they didn’t ask me questions that were on the tape so they must be able to alter the questions on the tape also. Also, several times during the conversation I insisted it was a one time fee, that was not on the tape either."
"I kept asking the lady would i be able to cancel my subscription and she kept saying she didnt know because she just started working there. "
"I got 2 calls from them so far. the first was asking me if my magazines were showing up in good shape i told them i never ordered theese and to give me the billing information on the account and he told me he didnt have it his supervisor did....the guy told me he was the manager and I owe them 1200 dollars and he needs to collect it. I told him i didn’t order them and he said he had me on a tape recorder ordering his magazines. I asked him to play that recording and he wouldnt but offered to send it to me in the mail....he said i charged it to a visa but he didnt have the las four numbers on the card that it was supposed to be charged to. ... he ended the call with good luck with collections and court. "
Leube Baker & Associates, debt collector playing the same scam.
Inflated $1100 for magazines, but will then settle for $300.
Terms match the "National Readers Service" scam.
No magazines were delivered.
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-786-363-8103
"I have been getting phone calls and letters in the mail from LUEBKE BAKER & ASSOCIATES. It has been saying that I owe 300 dollars for magazines that i have never received. However, it seems even more fishy when they tell me that the amount has dropped a whole lot when they told me my balance before was 1100 dollars."
Great American Readers
http://www.quis.com/2009/02/06/magazine-and-s ... rvices%E2%80%9D
952-852-6729
954-782-6307
954-782-5563
Century Marketing
Magazine Readers Services
Reports of unauthorized charges.
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-806-4680
National Magazine Exchange, Clearwater FL.
http://www.bbb.org/west-florida/business-revi ... minole-fl-10292
http://www.ripoffreport.com/collection-agencies/luebke-baker-and-ass/luebke-baker-and-associates-ri-p5dae.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/collection-agencies/luebke-baker-and-ass/luebke-baker-and-associates-h-a7fza.htm
http://www.complaints.com/directory/2005/june/30/20.htm
https://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/8002597654
Note insider report by an ex-employee of Periodical Publishers Service that sent accounts to LBA. Discloses that many consumers claimed they had never heard of the alleged account. Amounts of around $1000.
Evidence of fraudulent telemarketing, with LBA assisting in collection on the resulting accounts.
http://www.ripoffreport.com/collection-agency-s/luebke-baker-an-asso/luebke-baker-and-associates-cdgg8.htm
"...
I noticed that over time, the customers who I was trying to collect from grew more and more oblivious to the account I was talking about. CRC of Peoria contained a lot of accounts where the person had no idea what I was talking about, and there were several scam methods which telemarketers reportedly used. Many customers reported the same methods. CRC of Virginia was by far the worst in this regard.
...
We frequently used smoke screens and legal threats to get payments. I frequently used illegal forms of skip tracing (finding the customer) such as misrepresenting myself to family at alternate numbers, calling the post office and DMV for information, and even reporting soldier's debts to their commanding officers. (the UCMJ mandates that military personnel must pay their debts) My supervisor knew of these extreme and illegal tactics and allowed them. We were allowed to say more or less what we wanted, but if anybody threatened us with the BBB or Attorney General, we had to place the customer on hold and immediately transfer the call to our supervisor, who pretty much terminated the account immediately.
...
If it was a Monday, I would tell them that their account would go to Luebke Baker And Associates on Tuesday if they didn't give me their credit card information to pay in full that day. If It was a Friday, it was the same story; only I said Monday instead of Tuesday. Looking back, I feel horrible that I collected large amounts of money from these people (often in excess of $1000) while they were still insisting that they never agreed to anything (often these people would claim that they never even heard of CRC until collections started). I would simply tell them that they would be sued for the full amount plus legal fees and court costs later if they failed to settle with me today. Many people caved to that kind of intimidation. I would tell them that we have a taped verbal contract on file where they agreed to this.
...
I frequently alluded to this taped verbal contract in my collection attempts. Very often, customers would insist that they told the telemarketer "no" to the magazine subscriptions, and that in fact the huge magazine order was an attempt for the telemarketer to "upsell" on a much smaller purchase that the customer had agreed to. The customers insisted that they agreed to the small purchase but refused the magazine purchase. My suspicion is that CRC charged the magazines to their card against the customers' wishes and set up the account anyway. Often when customers would demand to hear the audio contract, I would file the request for that to be done. I often called them back in the future to continue collections attempts. I never spoke with a customer who confirmed that they had in fact heard the taped conversation between them and the telemarketer.
..."
Could C&R Marketing be CRC?
#759 bogus account from CRC but they will settle for $200
Deception and attempts to evade validation.
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/crc-c198861.html
Fraudulent telemarketing, bait and switch, fraudulent charges, failure to deliver magazines.
http://www.ripoffreport.com/telemarketers/crc-fitzgerald-south/crc-fitzgerald-southern-magazi-829aj.htm
Fraudulent telemarketing, deceptive claims to be some special offer associated with credit card company, bait and switch, credit card number obtained through deception prior to disclosure of additional terms, fraudulent charges. http://www.ripoffreport.com/telemarketers/crc-of-clearwater-fr/crc-of-clearwater-frc-won-t-bp5p8.htm
Fraudulent telemarketing, bait and switch, fraudulent charges, etc. Admission by ex-employee that they regularly engage in this scam.
http://www.ripoffreport.com/telemarketers/crc-subscriber-servi/crc-subscriber-services-of-den-64892.htm
http://ftc.gov/opa/2012/05/luebkenr.shtm
"...
For Release: 05/15/2012
Debt Collectors Settle with FTC, Agree to Stop Deceiving and Abusing Consumers
Consumers Were Subjected to Collection Efforts for Magazine Subscription Debts They Did Not Owe, FTC Alleges
Defendants in a debt collection operation that allegedly sought payment for bogus magazine subscription debts have settled with the Federal Trade Commission.
The FTC alleged in its complaint that the defendants knew, or should have known, that some of the magazine subscription debts they were collecting were not valid. The defendants, who handle collection of hundreds of thousands of accounts each year, violated the FTC Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and the Telemarketing Sales Rule, according to the complaint.
The proposed settlement order, filed by the Department of Justice on the FTC’s behalf, bars Luebke Baker and Associates, Inc., Kevin Luebke, and other defendants from representing that a consumer owes a debt without having a reasonable basis to do so, and from making any other misrepresentations when collecting debts or selling goods and services. It also requires the defendants to conduct a reasonable investigation when a consumer disputes a debt or when the defendants otherwise have reason to question whether the debt is valid.
Under the proposed settlement order, when the defendants attempt to collect debts, they must provide consumers with disclosures about their rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The proposed order also requires the defendants to inform their collection employees of their personal obligations under the Act.
The Luebke defendants allegedly collected on debts for magazine subscriptions despite the fact that the FTC had successfully sued the company that originally sold the magazine subscriptions for deceptive marketing. The defendants were notified of a 2003 federal court order against Cross Media Marketing Corp. that placed special requirements on anyone attempting to collect payment for these magazine subscriptions.
The FTC alleged that the Luebke defendants ignored these requirements and repeatedly told consumers the debts were due and payable.
The complaint also alleges that the Luebke defendants:
illegally masked their identity and sent false information over caller ID, falsely posing as Ed McMahon, attorneys from a law firm, and other entities;
falsely told consumers that magazine subscription debts are exempt from the statute of limitations; and
illegally threatened to garnish wages and take other unintended legal actions.
The defendants also marketed a credit repair CD titled “Credit Solutions,” allegedly collecting an up-front fee before providing any goods or services, in violation of the Telemarketing Sales Rule, which bans advance fees imposed by companies selling credit repair goods and services, according to the complaint.
The complaint and proposed settlement against Luebke Baker and Associates, Inc. and Kevin Luebke also name as defendants Leslie M. Farrar, Matthew T. Scott, and Joel P. Ferguson. They also name Kevin Luebke’s wife, Julissa Luebke, as a relief defendant.
The proposed settlement imposes monetary judgments totaling $3.1 million – $2.3 million in civil penalties for violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, $730,000 in disgorgement for collecting Cross Media Marketing Corp. accounts in violation of the FTC Act, and $45,000 in restitution to consumers for charging an advance fee for a credit repair product in violation of the Telemarketing Sales Rule. In addition, a judgment is imposed against relief defendant Julissa Luebke for $420,000. The judgments will be suspended, based on most of the defendants’ inability to pay, when Farrar pays $20,000. If it is later determined that the financial information the defendants provided was false, the full amount of the judgments will become due.
..."
Gambino crime family connected with Atlantic Magazine Service (AMS), aka "Community Reading Club", and a scheme to defraud ADT Security Services, a subsidiary of Tyco. Most business locations mentioned are in south Florida.
Specifically note Count 1, items 8 through 13, on the operation of AMS to defraud magazine subscription customers and divert the money for use in defrauding ADT stockholders.
http://scrantontimestribune.com/projects/forgione.pdf
Coinvicted and sentenced on racketeering charges, Dec. 16, 2008.
http://www.justice.gov/usao/fls/PressReleases/081217-04.html
This pattern of fraud shows up in connection with some organized crime operations. If you do not report it, and especially if you pay, you may expect to be subjected to additional attempts at extortion.
Treasures Coast Readers complaints.
http://whocalled.us/lookup/8008064680
Possibly related numbers.
800-806-4680
800-984-1178
800-643-1164
800-253-7027
800-220-4794
Century Marketing
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-643-1164
"Century Marketing Inc.
344 Grove Street
Suite 50
Jersey City, NJ 07302"
http://whocalled.us/lookup/8008064680
866-437-4541 Century Marketing
978-406-8696 Treasures Coast Readers
866-608-9254
321-872-3210
321-751-4482
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/treasure-coast-readers-inc-c212068.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/misc/treasure_coast_readers.html
"The number this company calls from is a Florida number. But when they tried to take money from our account the compnay was from Shawnee, Kansas"
http://www.ripoffreport.com/telemarketers/treasure-coast-of-ft/treasure-coast-of-ft-meyers-fl-c92fb.htm
Treasure Coast of Ft Meyers fl
3509 Virginia Beach Blvd
Virginia Beach Virginia 23452
United States of America
Phone: (757) 490-9860, 800 304 8567,
Citizens Reader Service of Shawnee KS
National Readers Service, also of Shawnee Kansas
"middle of January 2010, I was contacted again by National Reader Service in regards to being past-due. When I stated that I had cancelledabout ... they said I had a second account and that it would take $400 or 30% of the contract value to break the contract."
"Kansas Attorney General files petition seeking jury trial against Publisher's Renewal Service dba National Readers Service aka Treasure Coast Renewals"
http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/01/06/Commerce.pdf
"Second account" talk-off.
$400 as 30% of contract, makes "contract" around $1333. Likely bait and switch inflated "contract".
KS connection, but FL based telemarketing.
Virginia Beach VA connection
Search on "3509 Virginia Beach Blvd".
"International Marketing Association"
"Aaron Sells Furniture"
http://www.gsacontractswon.com/department/gsa/virginia-beach-va-virginia.asp
LONDON BRIDGE TRADING COMPANY LIMITED
3509 VIRGINIA BEACH BLVD
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA 23452 3 $27,554
"National Reader's Service" on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8pwG8KhKs0
International Marketing Association ad, call center, "state of the art headquarters", "closers and collectors"
http://issuu.com/hrew/docs/hrew_week_of_100509
"IMA - International Marketing Association" - "CRC Community Reading Club" Virginia Beach Virginia"
Insider reports.
http://www.ripoffreport.com/Telemarketers/IMA-International-Ma/ima-international-marketing-48byd.htm
"...
Monday, September 03, 2007
Last posting: Thursday, February 04, 2010
I agree 100% with the other statements made here. I too am an employee of International Marketing Association/Community Reading Club.
IMA is a very sneaky/shady company. I know everything about both companys. IMA and CRC are the same company.
IMA handles the sale of the accounts.
CRC handles the collections and customer service of the accounts.
Everything that is done is audio recorded.
When the product/service is sold one lie that is very big that really stands out is this.
The company tells customers that there credit card information is entered into an encrypted system and all they see is all XXXXs on the computer screen. This is not true.
IMA/CRC also do NO drug testing and NO criminal background checks on ANYONE. Anyone can get a job there and if you make money for them you will always have a job there. No matter how you act and when you come to work.
Customers are led to believe they can not cancel there magazine subscription. This is not true.
Also if you are a customer you can get ALL of your money refunded to you no matter how much you have invested. Simply state that you will contact the BBB or the Attorney General. ALso say over and over again if you have to that you want to cancel and there is nothing anyone can do to change your mind. They will cancel your account and refund all of your money.
There are a variety of departments ( very small depts) that are used to specifically put more money in the owners pockets. They call to offer you a couple agazines free and that you have to only pay for one. That monthly payment is to cover a 3 to 5 year period and they decrease your payments by making your payment amounts larger towards the end of the call.
Also the options they have for magazines is always getting smaller. When we stop carrying a magazine the customer no longer recieves that magazine either but we still charge them.
The managment staff is paid VERY VERY well some making 6 figures easy.
Though I do not agree with this companies practices it is true that the customer is asked to repeat everything back to the sales associate on an audio recorded device.
There is WAY more that goes on with this company that is bullcrap. Like for example. They supposedly have 10 to 15 different office locations and a rep will present them selves as being from a different company at least 8 times a day.
All of these other company names and locations are nothing more than P.O. Boxs.
I have been with the company for a little over a year and there always seems to be something crazy going on in there.
..."
"...
Monday, September 03, 2007
Last posting: Thursday, February 04, 2010
I agree 100% with the other statements made here. I too am an employee of International Marketing Association/Community Reading Club.
IMA is a very sneaky/shady company. I know everything about both companys. IMA and CRC are the same company.
IMA handles the sale of the accounts.
CRC handles the collections and customer service of the accounts.
Everything that is done is audio recorded.
When the product/service is sold one lie that is very big that really stands out is this.
The company tells customers that there credit card information is entered into an encrypted system and all they see is all XXXXs on the computer screen. This is not true.
IMA/CRC also do NO drug testing and NO criminal background checks on ANYONE. Anyone can get a job there and if you make money for them you will always have a job there. No matter how you act and when you come to work.
Customers are led to believe they can not cancel there magazine subscription. This is not true.
Also if you are a customer you can get ALL of your money refunded to you no matter how much you have invested. Simply state that you will contact the BBB or the Attorney General. ALso say over and over again if you have to that you want to cancel and there is nothing anyone can do to change your mind. They will cancel your account and refund all of your money.
There are a variety of departments ( very small depts) that are used to specifically put more money in the owners pockets. They call to offer you a couple agazines free and that you have to only pay for one. That monthly payment is to cover a 3 to 5 year period and they decrease your payments by making your payment amounts larger towards the end of the call.
Also the options they have for magazines is always getting smaller. When we stop carrying a magazine the customer no longer recieves that magazine either but we still charge them.
The managment staff is paid VERY VERY well some making 6 figures easy.
Though I do not agree with this companies practices it is true that the customer is asked to repeat everything back to the sales associate on an audio recorded device.
There is WAY more that goes on with this company that is bullcrap. Like for example. They supposedly have 10 to 15 different office locations and a rep will present them selves as being from a different company at least 8 times a day.
All of these other company names and locations are nothing more than P.O. Boxs.
I have been with the company for a little over a year and there always seems to be something crazy going on in there.
..."
Culture of intimidation, back to 1996.
http://www.stopjunkcalls.com/roan.htm