Complaint Review: American Reading Club

The company originally contacted me in early July saying that I'd won a sweepstakes. I needed to subscribe to a magazine subscription in order to receive the prize. The guy said that they prepay their subscription, so I'd be billed everything up front, and then I wouldn't have to make any more payments, but would continue to receive the magazines. I never received my vacation package for four (that was the prize), and when my credit card was declined for the third payment they started calling me several times a day from an unknown number to demand payment.


They refuse to cancel the subscription saying that I have already passed the cancellation period, and I must continue to make payments of $85.60 for sixteen months or else it will go to outside collection, and go on my credit report. I tell the collectors every time to stop calling me (it's using up my cell phone minutes, too) and they say that the phone calls will continue every day until I agree to resume payments. I was not aware that the payments would continue for that long. That's too much money for a magazine subscription, and I really can't afford $85.60 a month. I was originally excited about the sweepstakes offer, but I have never received anything in the mail about it. I was also told by the company that I should have received a welcome packet that had included information on how to cancel, but that never came either.

Ryan
Folsom, Louisiana
U.S.A.