After reading complaints re: this Company, I had a similar incident yesterday. Approached by young man who said my neighbor, who was his Grandmother, had sent him here. Immediately wanted to enter my home by asking where he could sit to write. His sales pitch was that 20% was going to LIttle League and the magazines were being sent to the military in Iraq. Had 3 plans: 2, 4 or 6 magazines. After listening to him for a few minutes and being gullible to support our military, I decided on the 2 mags; I did not select the mags to be sent to Iraq, he did. So I then gave him a check for $98.00. He also tried to get me to change my mind to the 4 or 6. And then he suggested 3 mags and he would wash my windows, clean my car, bathe my dog, etc. He made it a point to tell me that one of his Grandmother's neighbors had purchased the 6 magazines. He also stated that his Grandmother would be baking brownies today to give to the people. And like other complaints, he said there would be a follow-up call to see how he did. Well guess what? He doesn't have my phone number so this was another lie. I looked at the receipt and there is nothing for Subscriber or Subscriber Address; it's blank. It wasn't until this morning that I realized this was a scam when I saw the woman who he said was his Grandmother and lo and behold, she does not have a Grandson and has never baked brownies in her life. This woman has medical problems and was very upset that this person had implied that she was his Grandmother. I will be putting a stop payment on this check and I hope I can find out who he is. The only name on the receipt is Michael. I should have said no from the beginning but I did not want to offend my neighbor who he claimed was his Grandmother.

This company has repeatedly removed more than one payment a month from my account causing overdraft fees. They were supposed to withdraw 1 payment on the 25th of every month and have removed as many as 3 at a time without crediting my account. This has happened several times even after talking to them about it.

I received a call on NOVEMBER 2008 saying that I was selected to get $1000 shopping spree by using this website: www.selectyourgifts.com but inorder to avail this gift, there's a package requirement of supporting the roswell magazines. (this is the program of the UNITED BENEFITS ADVANTAGE and the company that makes the magazines is READING AMERICA )

The agent went over the details and they recorded my verbal contract of agreeing to the payment of $34.24 every month for 24 months but I could cancel anytime. The number that called me is 888 279 9221. I was being uneasy when i heard that inorder to avail the 1000 dollars gift certificate, i have to support the magazines by paying every month. HOwever, I already gave my debit account information for the agent to file on their records because of the $1000 excitement w/c i regret. It was a stupid thing to do and pls. learn fr. this mistake!

Because I felt this is going to be a trick or scam, I called the same number and talked to the same agent on that same day, about 10 minutes after I hang up the phone. I told him to cancel my account information because I didn't want anything to deal with this anymore and even my parents told me to cancel. THe agent said that it was only a pre-registration and they're not going to charge me anything UNLESS i sign the pre-authorization form w/ my signature authorizing them that I chose the certain magazines to be mailed at my door. Perhaps, he said, its too late to cancel bec. he already processed my information and sent it to the magazines and the pre-authorization has been mailed. So i decided to wait for that pre-authorization packet that he was saying and I thought, if i dont fill it out and mail it backto them, they will think that I don't want any business with them.

When that pre-authorization mail arrived, I DID NOT FILL, SIGN AND MAIL IT BACK TO THEM. This act alone shows that I didn't want anything to do with their business. Meaning, i did not want any magazines to be sent to me. The agent's word was a LIE!!! My debit card was charged twice even though i didn't place an order. They charged me for the month of november and december 2008. The number that the agent told me to call to cancel is 877 855 1115 but they directed me to the phone number of the united benefits advantage program which is 1 800 261 8274. The account manager Ms. PALMER said that the magazines are pre-paid and the company cannot take the loss of so much money. She said that I owe $700 something because it was pre-paid and because of my verbal commitment. I explained to her that it would be absurd to pay that amount when the fact is I didn't place an order on the magazines, I have no job, i didn't get the 1000 gift card and most of all did not get anything from their company.She lowered the money that I owe to $300. She said if i pay this amount, I would not hear anything from their company anymore and They would not file a complaint to the COLLECTION AGENCY. Even the $300 amount, i am not willing to pay and never will. She said, I couldn't do anything about it but pay for it. A few days later after talking to her, i received 2 magazines fr. them without a return address.

I called again the United Benefits Advantage Program number to ask for the return address of the magazine and Palmer said the publication has nothing to do w/ it so she gave me their company's address saying that even i mail it back, there would be no change to what I owe. (By the way, it was useless talking to her since she said she's the account manager, the highest managers of all w/c is stupid! I mean what kind of Manager is she if she can't deal w/ the problem and scam the customers. They have a terrible customer service and business. This business is a total scam! IT's our right as customers to cancel and why, as a manager won't she let a customer cancel? )

Until now, they keep sending magazines. I talked to the post man in our area and he said, to put "refuse" and it will be mailed back to them. Though it doesn't have a return adress, there's a bunch of numbers w/c is like a tracking code fr. their company seems like it. So, i've returned all the magazines to them stating that i refuse, return to sender. I even sent a note saying to stop sending the magazines to this address.

For the month of january 09, since they can't get $ fr. my card anymore, the reading america sent me a credit amount of $780 that I owe. Ridiculous! I will not be able to pay for that and never will. If they turn me in to the collections, GREAT! I will have deal w/ the collections and dispute it. MAybe they will listen that this business is a scam, or training their agents to lie to people just so to get money and what the heck, won't let the customers cancel? TErrible terrible business. By the way, i disputed the charge they made fr. my bank and currently its not resolved. its pending. They better refund !!!

So i was wondering, if there's anyone else out there who has the same problem and how was it solved?

Maybe we should report this company to the business bureau or file a claim or sue them!


Here's another thing, if you'll cancel any business with them, they will directly connect you to MS. PALMER. Its useless talking to her since she wont allow you to cancel. She will give you an amt. to pay w/c is totally ridiculous. She will keep emphasizing that you had a verbal contract to pay $34.24 for 2 yrs (in my case). Even though i demanded that i cancelled on the first day and i din't fill out the pre-authorization form w/c means i didn't select any magazines and i din't authorize for them to charge and send it to my address. She'll say, you have your verbal contract that you agreed. Guys, don't you see, she threatens. She also said that their company will forward my number to other companies (totally absurd ) bec. i won't pay. Now, there's diff. toll free numbers that keeps calling me, i just ignore.

I really don't know how to end this ridiculous business that they have. They won't cancell my subscription unless I pay. Well, I wont and never will pay. IMAGINE HAVING A CREDIT OF $$$780 SOMETHING FOR MAGAZINES THAT YOU NEVER WANTED, NEVER ORDERED. THEY'RE MAKING UR LIFE MISERABLE. Palmer also said, once i pay she'll make sure to send me the $1000 gift card bec. i've gone so much stress w/ the acct. (she's a sweet talker, trying to have empathy but really ..so PLASTIC!) Until now that $1000 wasn't sent to me and they better not bec. i don't want it. I want to cut anybusiness w/ them.

they took monewy out of my checking account with out telling me first