Collection for magazine subscription I didn't order

ComplaintsCollection AgenciesSunrise Credit Services, Inc.

Complaint

0
smlongiotti
Country: United States
Sunrise Credit Services, Inc. sent me a collection notice for $22 for Veranda magazine, a subscription I have not even ordered and WILL NEVER order because of this notice.  I sent the info to the Consumer Complaints Division of the NC Secretary of State Office to see if they could help.

Comments

  • 0
    Non-Subscriber from CNY
    | 1 reply
    A couple years ago, I decided not to renew my People magazine subscription. In the last year, I've would periodically get phone calls from a collection agency and today received a collection notice from North Shore Agency to pay $106.07 for the subscription that I never received or asked for.

    I have been ignoring their calls (every few months) and notices (about 2 received). I checked my credit report today and it showed no negative information from collection agency or any of my accounts.

    If I send a letter disputing this claim to the collection agency, won't that cause an updated activity from a collection agency to appear on my credit report and thereby, show negatively on my credit report? I'm considering continuing to ignore the collection agency.
    • 0
      North Shore is another collection agency similar to Sunrise known to be playing this "chicken billing" racket.  (There.  It needed a name.  Let's call it "chicken billing", to present the proper mental image.)


      "A couple years ago, I decided not to renew my People magazine subscription. In the last year, I've would periodically get phone calls from a collection agency and today received a collection notice from North Shore Agency to pay $106.07 for the subscription that I never received or asked for."

      $106 isn't an amount likely to be for an unpaid account for already sent magazines.  The publisher would have stopped shipping new issues long before they would have added up to anywhere near $106.  Consumer magazines only cost around $10 to $20 a year direct from the publisher.  This is a "solicitation" for a "renewal", probably for a "multi-year subscription", and the usual players of this game are third party marketers, including these mixed "magazine marketing/collection agendies", and other even more shady shakedown scams.


      "I have been ignoring their calls (every few months) and notices (about 2 received). I checked my credit report today and it showed no negative information from collection agency or any of my accounts."

      If the "debt" were real, they would not have failed to report it.


      "If I send a letter disputing this claim to the collection agency, won't that cause an updated activity from a collection agency to appear on my credit report and thereby, show negatively on my credit report? I'm considering continuing to ignore the collection agency."

      They better not.  It undermines their claim that they made a "bona fide" mistake to respond to a dispute by posting damaging yet unverified credit information.  

      Send them notice that you dispute the alleged debt, mailed certified, and that you demand that they send you proof you owe it from the original creditor.  If they do post false negative information on your credit reports, file a dispute through the CRA.  And if they "verify" their garbage, get an attorney.


      It is generally better to meet them head on, since some of these scum sit watching your credit files, waiting for activity like a mortgage inquiry to show up, to place their fake collection tradelines when they know you don't have time to dispute.  Respond aggressively, and if they cross the line, sue them.  Otherwise they get to play "chicken" for free.

      In addition, file a mail fraud complaint with the US Postal Inspector, for "chicken billing".
  • 0
    Fed Up
    | 1 reply
    Ok, well, I'll throw my hat in the ring and see what advice I can get.  Back in February I get a book on my doorstep and I think it's a couple of books I ordered relating to my employment.  Nope, it's some other exercise book.  I NEVER ordered the book.  I immediately call, ask how I can get this crap sent back because I don't want to be charged for it.  I get the label, throw it back in the mail and walk away.
    Now, I get a notice from Sunrise stating that I owe the almost $40 for that book.  I really can't afford to have it affect my credit because we're looking at getting a car and I don't want some stupid $40 collection bill to cost me 10x more in the long run but I don't want to pay $40 for something I didn't order, didn't want, and sent back.  
    What now?
    • 0
      tj replies to Fed Up
      Sending a fraudulent invoice for unordered merchandise through the US Mail is called "mail fraud".

      File a mail fraud complaint with the US Postal Inspector.
  • 0
    Mad
    I have been receiving Good Housekeeping Magazines that I did not order for over a year-I have sent them back "Return to Sender" and have sent every invoice back stating I did not want this magazine to STOP SENDING THEM- well now I get a Letter with a invoice saying "When you ordered your subscription with the convenience of being billed later, we fully believed you would send payment upon receipt"-I am sooooooooooooooooooo mad-I did order 2 other magazines a year ago but paid for them when ordering-I do not like this magazine.  They do not give you a phone number to call-just an e-mail address to pay them only-not to leave any other type of message.  I am going to with a complaint with the Better Business Bureau now....
  • 0
    MS AURORA GUTIERREZ
    | 1 reply
    List of magazines i did not order-retired  age 74 yrs old.  Would never order these magazines

     glamour, vanity fair, allure, ok usa, latina.   I called ok magazine and they stated that your company
    had put the orders for the magazine.   Never ordered .  Please confirm and advise me.
    • 0
      MS AURORA GUTIERREZ replies to MS AURORA GUTIERREZ
      Please call me at 909 920-0445  to confirm cancellation  of glamour, allure, vanity fair
      ok usa, latina.     Thank you
  • 0
    Jackie
    | 1 reply
    I received a book from Meredith Books that I did not order.  They have no way of contacting them.  I tried several ways.  Can anyone help me.
    • 0
      They have numerous similar complaints.. replies to Jackie
      They are reported to send unordered books to people, usually women subscribing to Good Housekeeping, while making it difficult to contact them or return the unwanted merchandise.  It's an order cramming scam.
      You have no obligation to pay for unordered merchandise, nor do you have to lift a finger to return it.  File fraud complaints with FTC, your state AG, and the US Postal Inspector.
  • 0
    Brenda
    I am a senior on disability and never ordered magazines. For the past 3 years I have been receiving at least 7 magazines I never ordered. I send them back but still get them when collecters call they say they will not call back but still do
    What should I do?  Never received a bill.

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