In late 2007 I decided to let my subscription expire - or so I thought. Then, over the past couple months I've received letters from The New Yorker formulated as if they were "invoices". I thought this was a ploy to pressure me into renewing, and figured that simply not paying the "Invoice" would be enough. I still suspect that's what's going on, but today received a letter from their "Credit Department" that caught my attention. Here's what they wrote:

URGENT: [my name]

Several months ago, you ordered a subscription to THE NEW YORKER at a rate substantially less than the price you would otherwise pay at the newsstand.

You have received THE NEW YORKER for many weeks, yet to date we have not received your subscription payment.

In order to clear this Delinquent Account from our records, please pay the above invoice today.

Thank you, The Credit Department.

Pay online at www.pay.newyorker.com

--End Letter

I mean, what the heck is that all about??? So I went to their website and logged in with the customer number that came in on one of the back issues, and sure enough found that they had renewed my subscription the subscription was renewed on Nov 5, 2007, but here's the point: I NEVER REQUESTED THAT MY SUBSCRIPTION BE RENEWED.

Yet I'm worried that they are going to throw me into collections and hurt my credit rating. Can they even do that?

If so, then that's patently unfair because I never agreed in any way whatsoever to renew my subscription and I shouldn't have to pay.

If not, and they are just bluffing, then that too is a violation of my rights as a consumer, as far as I'm concerned. I mean, writing letters as if they were "invoices" and now signing it "The Credit Department" which, by the vague language they use, seems more like a focus-group tested ploy to scare me into subscribing for another year, rather than anything at all legitimate.

I'm mystified. I'm going to call them on Monday to try to get some kind of answer from them. But I think whether unfair or just plain intimidating, either scenario is worth reporting to Complaints.com.

Has anyone else had an experience like this???