Was contacted today out of the blue by a woman (Bethany) from the Cetral billing center in CA by the number 323-553-2833 stated that I owed over $700 to Readers Discount Center for an unpaid 24 months magizine subscribtion. I did sign up to a magizine back in 2011 (do not recall name of the company) but paid of all my dues and never resubscribed. I still continued to recieve magizines and called on numerous occassions using the info from the magizines to cancel and figure out why I kept getting them. Was told they where canceled and that I owed nothing and they would stop.
Still I recieve magizines to this day, constantly changing magizines from all sorts of companies even in my new home that I moved too. The collection agency states that in their report I signed up in 2013 and that in 2015 they sent me a bill saying I was deliquent. I never recived the bill and when asked the address they sent it to, it was to an old adress that I had moved out of back in 2012. So for me to have subcribed in 2013 makes no sense, why would I have magizines sent to a address I don't even live at.
They even said I had made some payments on this subscription (over $300) and even stated the last 4 of my credit card. Stating that I must have cancled that card and that is why my payments didn't go through anymore and that is why i still owe the other amount. Again I know for a fact no payments where ever made from this card because it is emergency only card with a very small credit limit ($400) and I would notice if money was coming out of it, especially $300.
They offereed me a settlement amount of $500 that was only good for 24hrs and that if I refused to pay they would report it to my credit report. And that the only reason it is not on their now is because I am still in good standing with them. Which seems strange to be in good standing with a agency that you supposidly owe over $700 for the past 2 yrs now.
I am not paying this bill as I do not owe it and everything they say makes no sense. When you say you will dispute they tell you, "well the company is going to say you owe it and then you will have to pay all of it, so why don't you just accept our settlemnt". When asked for the contact info for Readers Discount Center was told that I would recieve a machine and that I would just be redirected to Central Billing again because they are now the ones handling the account.
I will wait and see if I recieve further calls or whether it actually shows up in my credit report. But as of now it seems very suspect and I will not be paying it.
Not Today
Mississippi,#2General Comment
Tue, July 12, 2016
The EXACT same thing happened to me in April 2016. They sent me a letter for over $900 and I called immediately. The guy was rude and evasive (but at least he told me the name Subscription Center). I cannot find anything on this mystery subscription center.
Unfortunately, I had to file bankruptcy previously. I knew from that process, IF someone was trying to collect a debt, it should have been on one of the many credit reports I obtained. They were not!
I wrote up my dispute as Rude Boy had told me. But beyond that, I sent that letter certified so that I could be sure it was received. I also included my bankruptcy attorney on the letter and stated that from this point forward any correspondence should be sent not only to me, but also my attorney.
My attorney says that it sounded very much like a scam. Now it is July 2016 and I haven't heard from them since!
Good Riddance! It is unbelievable that these people have the nerve to attempt to swindle people like this! I hope that they get investigated and at least reprimanded. I am keeping all documentation just in case they try to have another go at me. From what I have heard some of these "collection agencies" are like herpes and try to pop up later with the same BS. I hear sometimes its the same company name, but I have also heard that they will either change the company name or send it from another "division", but it is all the same story, SCAM.
#3Author of original report
Sat, May 07, 2016
I have not recieved any further calls yet or letters from them. I also have yet to see any report of collections on my credit report. So it has been nearly 2 months since they called me. One would think if they truly would be a collections agency with a legitimate debt owed to them they would have reported it to the credit agencies. But as of now nothing.
Lullzzz
Roanoke,#4Consumer Comment
Sat, May 07, 2016
Any updates on your situation? I just received same call and a letter about a debt from them of 808 dollars over magazines and a subscription 4 years ago that was for only 2 years! Weird thing is they said I've paid 300 dollars back in 2012 when I "ordered" the mags. Have you disputed the claim? Not paid or not even bothered with them? I'm concerned for my credit and I don't have the money it sure feels like a scam.