- Report: #227842
Complaint Review: National Magazine Exchange - Clearwater Florida
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National Magazine Exchange
16120 U.S. 19 North Clearwater, 33764 Florida, U.S.A.
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888-333-6247
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National Magazine Exchange - N.M.E - Special Data Processing - Clearinghouse Magazine - National Publishers Exchange - National List Exchange - Million Dollar Sweepstakes ripoff privacy violation high pressure sales rude representatives dishonest sales practices Clearwater Florida
On December 29, 2006 I received a notice in the mail requesting that I call regarding a $2 million sweepstakes. Since I never provided my personal information to be used in this manner, I consider it a violation of my privacy. I called them and spoke with several people. One was very rude and yelled at me, the rest were polite but not helpful.
They REFUSE to tell me where they got my name and address or give me the phone number of the department I can call to find out. This is the essence of my complaint.
First I spoke with "Anthony." Anthony refused to tell me over the phone and said I would have to send a letter to their "operations department 33." I explicitly stated that I did not want to be entered into the sweepstakes and I did not want to receive any mail or calls from their company. Anthony just started telling me about their special offers, sweepstakes, some luxury cruise I could win, and ignored me. Then he transferred me to another line that just talked about a $1000 contest I could enter.
Next I called back and spoke with "Stephen." I asked Stephen where they got my name and address and he said it was confidential and he could not tell me. He told me to write a letter to their "operations department 33." I told him I wanted the information over the phone and he became very rude and told me to shut up and listen to him or he could not help me. He finished explaining the letter I needed to write and hung up on me.
I called back again and talked to "Ray." Ray put me to his "supervisor" who said I was in fact entered in the sweepstakes, despite my previous call
asking not to be entered. I explained to the supervisor the conduct of the representatives who handled my previous two calls, and he gave me back
to Ray to take my name and address to remove from their lists. He assured me that I would not receive any more mail from them. I asked him where
they got my name and address, and he told me I would have to write a letter to "operations department 33." I told him I wanted a phone number I could call to find out the information, and he gave me to "Doug" who identified himself as a "senior supervisor." I told Doug I wanted a phone number that I could call to find out where they got my name and address. Doug said I would have to write to "operations department 33" and said they do not have a phone number I can call.
I want to know where they got my name and address, since that company has violated my privacy. I do not want to write a letter. There is no law or regulation that says I have to send in a letter to get this information. I want the information over the phone.
Thank you.
James
Columbia, Missouri
U.S.A.
They REFUSE to tell me where they got my name and address or give me the phone number of the department I can call to find out. This is the essence of my complaint.
First I spoke with "Anthony." Anthony refused to tell me over the phone and said I would have to send a letter to their "operations department 33." I explicitly stated that I did not want to be entered into the sweepstakes and I did not want to receive any mail or calls from their company. Anthony just started telling me about their special offers, sweepstakes, some luxury cruise I could win, and ignored me. Then he transferred me to another line that just talked about a $1000 contest I could enter.
Next I called back and spoke with "Stephen." I asked Stephen where they got my name and address and he said it was confidential and he could not tell me. He told me to write a letter to their "operations department 33." I told him I wanted the information over the phone and he became very rude and told me to shut up and listen to him or he could not help me. He finished explaining the letter I needed to write and hung up on me.
I called back again and talked to "Ray." Ray put me to his "supervisor" who said I was in fact entered in the sweepstakes, despite my previous call
asking not to be entered. I explained to the supervisor the conduct of the representatives who handled my previous two calls, and he gave me back
to Ray to take my name and address to remove from their lists. He assured me that I would not receive any more mail from them. I asked him where
they got my name and address, and he told me I would have to write a letter to "operations department 33." I told him I wanted a phone number I could call to find out the information, and he gave me to "Doug" who identified himself as a "senior supervisor." I told Doug I wanted a phone number that I could call to find out where they got my name and address. Doug said I would have to write to "operations department 33" and said they do not have a phone number I can call.
I want to know where they got my name and address, since that company has violated my privacy. I do not want to write a letter. There is no law or regulation that says I have to send in a letter to get this information. I want the information over the phone.
Thank you.
James
Columbia, Missouri
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
John
Palm Harbor,Florida,
U.S.A.
They also need the bonus mags and logo's
#2UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, January 10, 2007
They also can not exist without the bonus mags and the logo's on the mailers. They make $4++ times 5 or 6 bonus mags per sale. The logo's must significantly increase response. They also need countless people (dare I say morons?) on the phones. There are some nice people there - but that is only because of the lack of quality opportunity in Tampa.
John
Chicago,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Without the lists they can not exist
#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Mon, January 01, 2007
Follow the logic chain. NME/SDP buys hundreds of lists and profiles you. Without the lists they can not exist. If you find out who sold your name and complain then NME may not be able to get that list anymore. They DO NOT want you complaining to whoever sold your name. They love lists of people with new credit cards because they have purchasing power and NME can push the mags. Why don't you write to dept 33 and see if they give you the information and let all of us know how it turns out.
Ace
Clearwater,Florida,
U.S.A.
operations dept. 33 and lists
#4UPDATE Employee
Sun, December 31, 2006
ok, here are some of the facts: no one who works on the phones at NME; this means the SSA that enters people into the sweepstakes, the verifier (supervisor) that sells the people the mags, the outbound reps that call people who bought mags to push them into renewing, the customer service reps who push people not to cancel the mags when they want to nor the "senior supervisors" who are actually team leaders for the above mentioned reps; have any kind of access to the customer lists. we are told to tell the callers to write to operations dept. 33 because all that info is confidential and has to be in writing. as to why it's supposedly confidential i believe it's because they deal with so many lists and generate so many of their own that they can't really keep track, so they have the callers write in with their ID number and based on that particular ID number they look up which list they generated the ID from. i could be wrong, but it's a theroy. also, according to your letter it looks like you called in 3 times, maybe more. each time you called did the rep give you a new ID number? each ID number that is called in or made is added to a new list to be sold. that is unless the caller requests to be added to the no call/ no mail list. then the info is not sold and all the info from then on for that caller is blocked so no more contest mailers are sent to them. however, that only applies for the ID number bearing the no call/ no mail and on into the future. any entries the caller placed and completed before the request are fair game. and finally the customer service dept. DOES have the ability to take entries out of the sweepstakes. you have to call and raise holy hades but they can do it. if you do you may want to call back and talk to a second rep just to make sure you were taken out. and again, you have to have each ID number you entered to get them taken out. as a PS, just want to let you know that i am a current employee of said company and am not in anyway defending them.
