Billing for magazines not ordered

ComplaintsOtherOprah magazine

Complaint

0
Kaj Berry
Country: United States
I answered a promo that said one issue free to see if you liked the magazine. That was months ago. I received one and only one magazine, decided it was not for me. Now I get this collection demand! Phoning the Sunrise number only allowed a payment for a full subscription, or $18.-- period. Help!

Comments

  • 0
    kaj Berry
    As above
  • 0
    tj
    Claiming you owe them $18 means they claim you agreed to some offer.  If you didn't agree to their offer, or they didn't disclose the terms of an offer, then there can be no contract.

    If they just said try one, without disclosing the terms of their offer up front, such as what it cost, what you would have to do to accept it, any cancellation terms, etc, then claiming now that you agreed to it is deceptive and fraudulent.  

    Demanding payment for a product you did not order is mail fraud, and it is illegal to send bills or invoices demanding payment through the U.S. Mail for products or services you have not already agreed to purchase.

    Sending something that looks like a bill, but is claimed to be "just a solicitation", is also illegal if it is not clearly marked with language stating that it is a solicitation and you are under no obligation to pay it.

    Who is the collection demand from?
    What name are they operating under?
    What phone number?
  • 0
    tj
    Also note the subscription terms below from Oprah's own website allow cancellation at any time with refund on all unmailed issues.  Since all your issues (other than the free one) are unmailed, it would appear there should be no problem cancelling, and in fact you have received no issues beyond the free one.  

    This is looking like you are dealing with some magazine subscription marketer, not the direct publisher.  Such companies have been known to engage in coercive and deceptive marketing, including fraudulent "contract" allegations, and have been known to turn sending a couple "free trial" magazines into claims of overpriced or multi-year "contracts".  They typically deceptively fail to disclose up front the "terms" they later allege you "agreed" to.

    Who are you actually dealing with?

    https://subscribe.hearstmags.com/subscribe/splits/oprah/opr_sub_nav_left

    "Continuous Service Guarantee: Your subscription will continue unless you ask us to stop.  Each year you'll receive a reminder notice followed by an invoice for the low renewal rate then in effect.  You can cancel at any time and receive a refund on all unmailed issues."
  • 0
    Kerry
    I have the same problem. I just got a notice from a collection agency called Sunrise Credit Services. I too ordered the free magazine but I never received mine. When I received an invoice I marked it CANCEL DUE TO NO RECEIPT OF MAGAZINE. I also received an invoice by email to which I wrote the same thing. I received the collection notice today 6/6/11.
  • 0
    Sheila
    I am experiencing a similar problem.  I have been a long time subscriber.  to save on postage, I always send a check with my renewal form.  I decided decided not to renew when my subscription expired. After my subscription ended, I began receiving delinquent notices sometime in September but I ignored them as I figure it was a mistake as I had not sent in a renewal form.  I have written and emailed their customer service asking for proof that I ordered the magazine.  all I receive are more deliquent notices.  It's as if they are trying to force me to subscribe by harassing me into paying for a magazine that I have not ordered.
  • 0
    joe sixpakker
    i paid in advance and got nothing
    if they try to bill me i will ahve the attorney generals all over their *** and hearst too
  • 0
    joseph sixpak
    no
    they have an automatic renewal system
    which may or may not be legal
    but if you dont keep paying
    they will try to collect from you anyway

    report them to attorney general for fraud
  • 0
    Karen
    Well here I am AGAIN. I was told when I renewed I could give a  FREE gift for someone so I picked my daughter in law to get. A year free. I  just spoke to her AGAIN.Still no magazine.We r going on not weeks but months of this. I finally spoke to a live person I was informed She would yes get a year at
    no charge. So if this dosent happen SOON I am going to cancell the magazine. How about it Oprah????????? Do you even read these? very dissapointed
  • 0
    victim
    I had no problems with canceling other magazines with hearst but Oprah Magazine you cannot cancel the continuous renewal Subscription! why is that?? is it some form of social debt that we are being forced to pay in disguise?
  • 0
    Kathryn
    Same thing here. Now I cant stand Oprah if this is the crap she pulls. All I did was sign up for the online forums. Registering on the website mandated my address, and said by registering I would receive a free magazine with no further obligation. Now, before I clicked the confirm button, I looked for that famous "magazines will continue every 'xyz' and be billed..." bull#×÷% that you so often see with free things, but it was nowhere.

    Now Im getting magazines, and a BILL gor $18. I went to the website and logged in with my address and cancelled the SUBSCRIPTION I NEVER SIGNED UP FOR! I then sent an email to CS telling them to credit my account....(goodness WHAT account!)

    We'll see what happens. If it doesn't stop or they dont credit me, I will file a complaint with the FTC, the Office of Inspector General, and the post office fraud department. I suugest you all do the same.
  • 0
    Phyllicia
    I have never ordered this magazine nor any other magazines for that matter. I keep receiving  the magazines and getting a bill. I don’t even take them out of the plastic covering. I send them back and it gets sent back to me and it says, REFUSE
    On the front of the plastic?  There is no phone number I can call. The email on the invoice won’t let me cancel.  If anyone knows who to contact for this issue please let me know.
    Thank you
  • 0
    Bernie
    Having problem with an invoice from the O Magazine people.  I did notice that there is no phone number to call  I think this is a SCAM.
  • 0
    Naomi
    I agreed to subscribe to Oprah Magazine about 2 years ago and had paid at that time. Now, about 2 years alter I received a bill for $34.97 saying "FINAL NOTICE". There is no phone number on the bill. What a scam.

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