I was offered free subscriptions during a purchase at Books a Million and declined, yet repeating charges for 4 magazines started showing up on my credit card. I never recieved the magazines of course. Called Books a Million manager and found out that the employees are offered bonuses for signing people up. next time someone offers me free subscriptions at checkout Ill be cancelling the entire transaction and going elsewhere for my purchase.

There was a $27 charge on my credit that I didn't recognize for TWX. I was very surprised because this is a brand new creit card account #. I had not used it for anything yet. My credit card company looked it up and said it was for a magazine subscription & I should call them. I called the magazine and the magazine said it was a 3rd party and gave me the # 877-536-6414. When I called that # it was IMPOSSIBLE to get to a human. I went round & round the phone tree and tried hitting O, but I never could get a human. There is no website either. Finally the phone tree did accept a cancellation, except for $4. My bank found a $2 charge from them last January. I do remember an offer for free magazines last year in connection with being a "good customer" of something but I can't recall. Was it BizRate maybe, after I filled out a questionairre on customer satisfaction of an online site? It might be that awful BizRate which is also a sneaky company. I never expected this to be a recurring sunscription and $27 for one year of bimonthly magazines that I really have NO interest in anyway is WAY TOO EXPENSIVE. I never, ever, even looked at that magazine when it came last year. It wasn't even worth the original $2 they charged me which I didn't see on my credit card last year. I don't want any magazines that just clutter up the house and I never get to, anyway. More junk. I can't even get to online reading that I want to do.
The problem is:
1) Legit companies send out renewal notices. TWX never did.
2) Legit magazines have websites (like Martha & Oprah) where you can manage your subscription. TWX has NO website. You can't find them and you can't talk to any human!
3) Legit companies do not find the new # of a new credit card and put a charge on it without the customer providing the new credit card #. This was shocking. The bank called it "rolling over to a new account". But I NEVER gave them permission. If they have enough money for that sneaky service to find new account numbers, why can't they afford a website and human customer service reps?
4) Legit companies do not omit their 800 numbers on your credit card bill to hope you won't follow through. It took time and effort to make a series of calls to find their phone number.
5) Legit companies do not sneak a life time commitment to a magazine in a free offer.
6) Always check your credit card statements and question any charge you don't recognize.
My advice is to NEVER accept any free magazine offers. These are the biggest scammers. I think it may be from BizRate so be careful of them.
If this happens to you, press your credit card company to credit you that charge and put a permanent block on that company ever being able to put charges on your card again. as I did.
Please someone tell me what federal government committee can I complain to, for them to open hearings on this magazine scam business? I think it was BizRate in cahoots with TWX/Time Warner Magazines. Time Warner says they are not connected to Time Warner magazines. That is also unprincipled and slimy.

RECUR DEBIT CRD PMT10/17 TWX*MAG 800-586-5089 877-294-6909 NY 432374XXXXXX6614 291040007510181 ?MCC=5968 01 FOR 20.00


I WILL HET LEGAL ADVICE AS TO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. IT IS NOT RIGHT!! I WANT THIS RESOLVED QUICK

I filled out a serve and was offer a subscription for 2.00 for a year of two different magazines. So I paid the Two dollars and started to receive the magazines. the one i received every month but the other one I only received 3 issues. I open my bank statement and to my surprise there were 2 charges on there. when i called to find out what it was for i had to use an automated system witch was horrible. I finely spoke to a real person who barely spoke English. i was told that the whole amount would be refunded but then when i asked about the second one they gave me a different number to call.so i called that number and this time it took me over 20 min. to get rid of the automated system and speak to a real person who of course did not speak or understand English very well. she told me they were only going to give me a partial refund. when i asked why she said i had received some of the issues. i tried to explain to her I didn't even receive all the ones i had paid for in the beginning. she said someone would have to call me back. meanwhile with both phone calls they r trying to get me to add subscriptions at a discount price. I kept telling them no. i just want them canceled and the money refunded. ugh. I will never be this stupid again. it is all just a big scam to charge you more and more.

I am being billed for magazines I did not order.