magazine scams

[Rine]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31684484...onsumer_news//

Interesting article. These kids are out in full force in my area right now. Well, I've come across at least two of them. I turn them away with a friendly, "NO."

Two years ago, I did buy a magazine subscription to US News and it did come, after about 12 weeks, so at least the guy I bought it from wasn't scamming me.

He even said that he was part of a group that traveled all around the country just to sell magazines, so I figured he was legit if he out and just said it.

Now, I don't trust these people anymore because of some stories I heard. It makes sense. These folks ruin the reputation of the "good ones," like the man I bought my magazine from. It's a shame.

[draggar]

I have something similar - I get Discover magazine and Popular Science. For the longest time (I don't know how long) it seemed that my subscriptions were running short - I didn't pay attention at first but I soon realized that they were insisting that I renew sooner and sooner each year - sometimes less than 6 months apart.

No, the renewal notices were not though the magazines, but though another service. I did some research - now both won't expire until 2014 and 2017. They're still sending me notices, even 'final warnings" that my subscroptions are about to end.

Uh-huh (I confirmed it with each magazine when they will end). Not as much of a scam as take the money and run, but still highly shady.

[joe hx]

Smithsonian did that to me. I started getting the renewal notices about the second magazine on a one-year subscription.

[Eric the Grey]

Any time someone shows up at my door trying to sell me something, I point to their right (my left) and ask them if they saw the sign.

Usually, they'll admit they did see it and give a "but..." that get's interupted by me yelling "That means YOU TOO" at them.

I have a No Solicitors sign right next to my door to keep people from ringing my doorbell and waking me up during the day, but it doesn't work all the time. For some reason, some of these door-to-door bastards seem to think it doesn't mean them...




Eric the Grey

[One-Fang]

Those would be related to the flyer bastards who think "no circulars" doesn't apply to them.

[Caveat Emptor]

I got a call almost a year ago offering several subscriptions and I hung up when they started "all you have to do is..." I was surprised when I started getting Newsweek and Rolling Stone as I had agreed to nothing. I'm still getting RS, but it's free so

[taxguykarl]

I have a No Solicitors sign right next to my door to keep people from ringing my doorbell and waking me up during the day, but it doesn't work all the time. For some reason, some of these door-to-door bastards seem to think it doesn't mean them...

Eric, it isn't that they think those signs don't apply, but that 99% of the people who post those signs have no salesman resistance. Thus, they are easy sales. I speak from experience--I once had a job selling door-to-door and all but one of the people with those signs helped me make quota. Try a 'DAY SLEEPER' sign.

Regarding the OP, I placed a sales order to get rid of that gangsta-clad PITA. I sent in the cancellation papers certified. A couple months later I got them back marked "Return to sender...Forwarding order expired". Yes the Postal Inspection service heard about this...along with just about every other consumer-protection bureaucracy.

[Rapscallion]

Try a 'DAY SLEEPER' sign.

I'd be worried about that inviting burglars around at night when they think you're at work.

Rapscallion