Complaint Review: Magazine Services Of America

Magazine Services of America, as most of you reading this know, call your home or cell, insinuating they already know some things about you, ask you how your day is, etc... They sucker you into buying magazines for up to five years, at what on the phone sounds like a reasonable price. The representative talks so fast you can't understand, and each of your "Yea's" or "Uh-huh's" they will count as, "I fully understand the scam I'm getting into."

In my case, they called two months later, saying what I thought was a bonus or discount on my first account. Instead, they started a separate account, locking in for 10 years! I'm a college student, and can't afford to pay these people. According to them, I can't cancel my contract (worth over $2200!) after three days, because they pre-order the magazines. I'm locked in to paying them.

Many of you reading this will feel hopeless, run in circles, and just tired of dealing with these so and so's. Well I'm here to tell you to worry no longer. I believe another author already stated this, but I went searching in the Business Law section of our library and found some hope!

The Uniform Commercial Code, UCC, is something all businesses must abide by. In their Sales section, Articles 2, Section 2-201, the practices of Magazine Services of America are proved to be fraudulent. It states...

"Except as otherwise provided in this section a contract for the sale of goods for the price of $500 or more is not enforceable by way of action or defense unless there is some writing sufficient to indicate that a contract for sale has been made between the parties and signed by the party against whom enforcement is sought or by the party's authorized agent or broker."

If you get caught up in trying to cancel your "contract," tell them you have a copy of the UCC, and read this to them. I did, and they immediately canceled my contract, and sent me cancelation letters for both of my accounts.

You can download the UCC as an App for your iPhone or iPod Touch to have it handy for any other sneaky telemarketers. Fight these guys, and don't give in!

Eric
Arkadelphia, Arkansas
U.S.A.