Complaint Review: Active Periodicals

I join others have been sucked into this magazine subscribtion scam.

Back in May of 2001, I got a phone call about subscibing to magazines. I agreed to the 4 year subscribtion of $67 a month and was told I had 30 days to cancel. After mulling it over, I decided to go ahead and cancel. Upon calling, I was told I only had 3 days to cancel, but I insisted I was told I had 30 days. The lady I talked to said, even if it was 30 days, I missed the cut off by 1 day. I was upset, but since I had agreed, I would stick it out.

Then, in February of 2003, I was contacted again by a lady that said she would reduce the number of magazines I was getting if I didn't have enough time to read the ones I had or if I didn't like them and would do so for a lower monthly payment. Again, I agreed, because $67 was a bit much for the one or two magazines I was actually reading. They said they could double my $8.40 monthly payment to $16.80 for 24 months and would still recieve my magazines for the full 48 months.

My last payment was February of this year according to my 'contract' sent to me in February of 2003. Tonight I get a call telling me they were having problems with subscribtions in my area and asked if I was having problems with mine. I said no and was told by Julian that I still had 48 months on my subscribtion. I immediately told him that I had finished paying for the magainzes. He inisisted that I had 48 months left and told me that it would be $14.95 a month. I was a bit confused because I was sure I had finished paying, but said ok.

Wesley called to confirm the information and I agreed that the info was correct. Since getting off the phone, I found my "contract" and I did indeed, according to their contract, finish paying the 24 month commitment. I was coereced and bullied into agreeing to pay again. I don't like outstanding debts and while speaking to the guys on the phone I felt I should confirm the info.

I have seen on this site others have tried cancelling to no avail. I will be calling to cancel my "subscription" tomorrow, but if I get the run around, I shall proceed with legal action as this is the only way I can think of to stop this.

Does anyone have any suggestion on how to handle this without getting a lawyer involved?

Teresa
Cumberland, North Carolina
U.S.A.