A friend of mine had a problem similar to the ones everyone here was having with the company calling and saying he had won something but he had to buy magazines to get it. The company that contacted him was called Blue Mountain Communications. They also do business under the names Blue Whale Publications, Wonder Time Magazine, Worldwide Preferred Publishers and Premier Reader Services.

I told him it was a scam, fortunately he was able to get his bank account closed before they took much out. I helped him file a report with the Better Business Bureau, I got the address from the bills they kept sending him. I was amazed by how many complaints had been filed against Blue Mountain Communications in Peoria, Illinois.

You fill out your complaint with the BBB in the City and state of the billing address on the bill they send you. The BBB will send a copy of the complaint to the BBB and then will contact you with the company's resolution.

I thought it was interesting because the response my friend got from Blue Mountain Communications said that they did have proof by recording that he agreed to buy the magazines (this was never denied by my friend, but he had tried to cancel and they wouldn't let him) apparently these kinds of programs are called Paid-during-service programs and the account IS CANCELABLE upon written notification to the company. WOW he was never told that at any time by the company!!! Anyway his account was closed and nothing more can be charged to the account as of the date I sent the complaint to the BBB and it was received by the company.

I hope some of you that have been ripped off can maybe get the automatic withdrawals and credit card payments stopped this way.