Complaint Review: editors readers choice - buffalo New York

I would like to report having been caught up in a telemarketing scam by a company calling themselves ‘Editors Reader Service’, from Buffalo New York, phone #814-357-3043, by use of fraudulent solicitation at my place of work, misleading tactics and outright lies, and deceptive disclosure of cost.  I have also received abusive customer service upon calling to cancel this ‘magazine subscription’. Upon asking to speak to a supervisor, the woman, whom did not give her name, refused, now stating ‘that she was the supervisor’, and I than requested to speak with another representative which was also denied. I first asked a woman named Lori who answered first to the number on my receipt, to speak with someone about cancelling as I was told initially I could do at any time, only to be given a completely different phone number to call, to this rude woman (who strangely only answered the phone with “hello”, not a name, or Editors Readers’ Choice- I actually had to ask if that was who I called) who insisted there was nobody else I could speak to no matter what I asked for.

The time was 12:00pm Friday June 19, 2015. She offered no explanation as to the miscommunication, and simply stated over and over “well, you signed the paper” (which I believed to be a receipt of the cash I did pay, not a contract of any sort)  to anything I said and in an extremely rude tone, and simply proceeded to try to force me to hang up. When first approached about this ‘offer’, around the beginning of the year, a very nice lady was calling my place of work for which I am the receptionist. She relentlessly pleaded with me to hear her out, and try this magazine subscription. She stated to me that it was going to be a one-time initiation fee of $26.00 , followed by a $30.00 one-time fee to cover the cost of shipping, and literally said that it was free otherwise.

I hesitated, than asked “I’ll never get a bill or have to pay anything else at all?” She answered “no, this is beneficial to the advertisers of the magazines that place the ads, and this is their way of getting there ads out there. We just ask that after you read the magazine, you pass it along to someone else, coworker, mother, sister…and the advertisers pay for the magazines because that is where they make their money”. Well, that made sense to me and she sounded very sincere. I accepted the offer after asking just a few more questions for peace of mind. She then stated that someone will come to my place of work to collect the first payment in person. I advised against it due to that being in poor taste at my company, but she insisted that was how it would be done and makes it ‘convenient for me’.

A man showed up to collect my cash while I was in the middle of working, and did not have much time other than to sign that I accepted the offer and gave cash on a green piece of paper that was scribbled in pencil by the man, and hardly legible to me with other plan options and such left blank, making it appear that I would owe nothing else. I again proceeded to ask that man once before I gave him the cash, that ‘this and one other payment of $30 was it?” and he assured me it was. The next day the same lady from the initial call called me again to confirm that everything was good, and she again put my mind at ease that this was no scam, and that I’m accepting the offer being “payed for by the ads placed in the magazines”. I paid the next $30 dollar bill that came to me in the mail by check. After another bill came, I waited thinking that it must be a istake or the first payment had not been posted yet/lost, something like that. 

I called the phone number on what I thought was a receipt I signed (not a binding contract) and a woman answered stating that she was only an answering service and to call back during business hours. These are the same business hours I run, so it is difficult to find time, but when I did so on my lunch break, the woman I spoke to would not even listen to my story. When I told her I was lied to, she did not deny it, she only said “well, were not here to read the fine print for you”, you signed it and you cannot cancel. She threatened that I will be given to a collection agency and reported to the credit bureau, with the distinct undertone of calling me stupid.

I pleaded with her that I cannot afford an extra $30 a month and total in the amount of $950 just for pieces of paper bound together which I do not have time for, and would like to pay what I owe and then cancel as I was told I could at any time, that I haven’t read any of the magazines and could return them, and so on, but she refused to listen to me or offer any advice or help whatsoever. I refuse to pay any company which provides such hostile customer service. I have now researched and have seen dozens upon dozens of other consumer reports about this company, which goes by several names and has a D rating from the BBB as well as reports on ripoffreport.com and many others. I will also post reviews all over the internet including ripoffreport on this company to keep others from being suckered into this scheme. I am seeking advice or help on getting this cancelled and also keeping this company from getting others into this mess and harassing them.

I believe under national law, you have the right to cancel any subscription at any time due to “unconscionable acts or practices” and that they have a class action lawsuit filed against them (state of Kansas vs. publishers renewal service) and under another company name they use –National Reader Service. I intend to contact every consumer protection organization and even local news groups until this company will work with me to address this and a reasonable solution is reached, as I would have never agreed to over $950 for magazines and do not believe anybody would if they are made fully cognizant of these outrageous charges, which is probably why they were so eager to bother someone in the time of work where you are not allotted such time, and simply went on the word of the telemarketer looking to get commission by any means possible. I will not hesitate to seek legal counsel if necessary; however I am looking to see if I can acquire any assistance first through agencies that deal with these circumstances and would very much appreciate filing a report, advice, and help.