Don't pay for magazines with credit cards

[Glenda]

Especially Business 2.0. If you ever want to cancel, they won't do it. And they will continue to bill your credit card. Some other mags are probably ok - just not this one. I'm still trying to get my money back

[cally]

1. I'm sure you know the drill

Send a letter registered mail canceling the subscription and detailing your problems. It's illegal to continue to charge you. You can also call your credit card company and refuse payment of this.

[amazona]

3. never CALL a credit card company

If you call your credit card company about a dispute, you do not preserve your rights under law. It says this in the little eeny teeny print on your credit card terms of service.

The certified letter should go to the credit card company, not the magazine subscription service, if you can afford to send only one certified letter -- they are not cheap.

I've gotten back thousands of dollars over the years in disputes with credit card companies. Not one dollar came back as a result of a phone call. If you call, they say they'll do whatever, and then they'll throw your request in the trash. If they can get you to go 60 days without filing your complaint IN WRITING, you owe the money whether it's a bad bill or not, because you voluntarily gave up your rights.

A phone call is fine as follow-up to a letter, but it should never take the place of the letter -- or several letters. Many disputes with credit card companies are not cleared up for several months or even up to a year, and in the meanwhile you need to write them every month again when you receive the incorrect bill. Only the first letter needs to be certified, return receipt requested though. The rest can go regular first class mail. They'll get your letters. The U.S. Postal Service only loses a first class letter once in a blue moon.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[amazona]

2. probably NOT other magazines are OK

Sad to say, for a few years now, it is pretty much one of those consumer rules-of-thumb that you can't pay for magazines by credit card any more. They all use a similar service that keeps re-charging your card every year. So you can't assume a reputable magazine will treat you any better than a lesser known magazine. The service will continue to try to bill you year after year.

It is better not to subscribe to ANYTHING that has a recurring fee, year after year, unless they are willing to take your payment by money order or check without ANY credit card number being given at any time. It's a shame we have to be so suspicious but that's the way it is these days. :-(

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[Hugin]

4. I'm having trouble with a magazine service too.

CRC of <insert location here>...

In the end they were quadruple billing my account.
It was a charge like every six days. My CC company
has so far been very good about it.

What I'm having trouble dealing with is the harassing
and threatening phone calls from them.

My wife is usually the one who has to answer them.

[amazona]

5. get an answering machine

You can't be harassed if you never answer the phone until you know who it is. Your wife doesn't "Have" to answer the phone. Wait and see who is calling. If a harasser does leave a threatening message, you now have a convenient recording in case you have to threaten small claims court action to get them to stop bothering you.

I haven't answered the phone since around 1985 until I hear the message telling who is calling. I didn't think anyone did!

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[melv]

6. Same thing - Entertainment Weekly

did the same thing to us.

My husband bought something at Best Buy and with it came a 6 month free subscription to Entertainment Weekly. Sure, Fine, Whatever.

THEN, when six months are up, I receive the notice that I must cancel the subscription by a certain date or it will be renewed. So I do so.

THEN, I notice a $35 charge on my checking account. Hmmm. WTF?

They had TAKEN my husbands credit card info from BEST BUY and charged our bank account. WITHOUT PERMISSION! Not to mention I had cancelled the service with plenty of time before the deadline.

So I call them. They explain to me that the renewal notice was for the "next" cycle and not the "current" cycle subscription.

Long story short, I got pissy, they removed the charge.

NEVER give your credit card to a magazine!

[Glenda]

7. Well, it seems like Best Buy gave your info over to the mag

Is that correct? That is worrisome.