Complaint Review: UNITED READERS SERVICE

In early 2008, I filled out  an online" $100,000 Sweepstakes"  form which included, my phone number and email address needed " to contact me in the event I win a prize". A month or so later, I received a call from the nicest sounding person, regarding a magazine subscription service  and somehow was talked in to subscribing to TV Guide  for 4 years, with the added "benefit of receiving 6 free magazines ".

They record you making a statement that you are agreeing to this service, and giving out your bank account number (crazy, right?!)"for the convenience of billing monthly". So with the promise of only costing cents an issue for TV Guide, I consented to a $39.90 monthly billing cycle for what I thought was only  a few months . --I figured  I would  receive 6 magazine of choice for free, so it was a great opportunity.  I was told in the initially conversation that their cancellation policy was 10 days, they record all of the conversation!

  In the interim of the 10 days I ended up breaking my ankle requiring surgery, documented by workman's comp.  Several months later I had a case of remorse after receiving magazines with upside down covers, missing covers, torn and ripped magazines looking like they came off the printing room floor, etc  but especially after reading  the fine print on the back of the initial letter which stated  $957.60 was to be my total outlay! How in the world is this cents an issue, and 6 free magazines???The actual cost of TV guide for 39 cents/or so an issue for 4 years (228 issues total) is around $89 dollars, nowhere NEAR  $957.60! I called to cancel this whole thing after paying for months and month of billing.

I was told I could not cancel, and was told I had passed the initial cancellation period, and that billing would continue. I called again a few more times, to no avail, and month after month saw my account drained of $39.90, and feeling like a total fool. In 2009, I closed my bank account. Then came letters, some in bold print saying I had 72 hours to pay them $500.00! By this time I was no no longer was receiving ANY magazines of any sort, though the bills and weekly phone calls , which have turned into daily phone calls persist! .gee, didn't I at least pay for 4 years of TV guide already???