Complaint Review: NewSub Magazine Service LLC

Trough an advertisement on my CHASE PLATINUM credit card , I was offered CARDMEMBER REWARDS valued up to $82.00 for FREE by identifying magazines I could choose. In fine print TERMS it was (is) stated, "While enjoying your Reward issues you'll receive a notice with the low annual prices for the magazines youv've selected. You'll have at least 15 days upon receiving the notice to call and cancel subscritions." (I don't recall receiving that notice.) Continuing, "If you're 100% satisfied do nothing and your Chase Credit Card will be charged 80 days from when you make your selections for the next year of issues and annually thereafter until you tell us to stop. Publishers ask that you allow 4-6 weeks for weekies and up to 4 weeks longer for monthlies to start. (Bimonthly magazines may take longer.) Regardless of when you start receiving your magazines, you will always receive 90 days of issues free. There is no obligation to continue. You will receive a notice each year. You may call toll-free to cancel any time and your account will be credited with a refund for all unserved issues. A valid credit card is required for this offer. 2001, NewSub Magazine Services LLC, d/b/a Subscription Services, Four High Ridge Park, Stamford, CT 06905, is the vendor for the magazine program and reserves the right to limit quantities. When you select a magazine from NewSub Magazine Services LLC you become our valued customer. Question or to cancel call us toll-free at 1-800-927-9371. Chase Manhatten Bank USA, N.A. is not affliated with or responsible for NewSub Magazine Services LLC or the magazine program."

Although I don't remember receiving the notice referred to above, I did begin receiving the magazines, Flower and Garden, Psychology Today, and US Weekly. Yesterday I received my monthly Chase credit card statement which included a charge of $88.00 for a transaction described "NSS*NSS_MAGAZINE#837P3 800-927-3828 CT."

To understand the charges, I called the 1-800-927-9371 # and interacted with a phone programer to hear that those magazines were on my account and enabling me to cancel the subscriptions. On one call, I cancelled "Pyschology Today" and "US Weekly" for which I was informed I would receive a refund of $52 (I think I remember). On a subsequent call, I cancelled "Flower & Garden" for which I would receive a refund of $20. I wonder now about two amounts: 1) the difference between the rewards valued up to $82 and the charge of $88; and 2) the difference between my calculation of $72 refund and the charge of $88.