Unauthorized magazine subscription

[Rose Pink]

Whoa! I just opened a bill for a magazine subscription that I did not order. I went to the website and entered the account number on the bill and it shows I have a subscription--complete with a past history from ten years ago. I called and the rep said they had received my order earlier this month. I told her I did not place any order and this was fraud. She said she'd cancel the subscription. What I want to know is how did they get such a thing in the first place? The name is the same as I use on my credit card and I don't usually use that name anywhere else, except sometimes it shows up that way on medical billings and EOBs.

Once upon a time my mother would give me a subscription to this magazine as a Christmas present but it's been years. The name on that old subscription was not the same as what this new subscription shows, though, so this couldn't have been dredged up from that past subscription.

Has anyone had this happen to them?

 

[Passepartout]

Yes! We recently changed addresses. (Not houses, just addresses) DW ordered checks with the new addy from a bank you'd know, headquartered in your state capitol. With a branch in our neighborhood supermarket. We never ordered anything, or told anyone the new addy. Shortly, we got bills for magazines we'd never order- Women's health, Men's health, Yachting, and a slew of related catalogues at the new address. We called the customer service at these mags- if we could find them- and had them fax copies of the order forms. They were just the cardboard postcards found in magazines at a news stand (like in a supermarket). Our mail info on the applications was invariably address stickers. Same typeface. I assume there are more out there somewhere.

We've stopped the subscriptions, but I've thought 'what a relatively elegant mischief'. to do to people. We think we know that it was an employee of the bank- as DW had words with this person just before we started getting stuff but there's no way to prove anything.

I suppose at worst, you just have to write something like "Prank subscription, NOT ORDERED" or some such on the billing they send you, but then you have to buy a stamp. Just another example of modern living.

Jim Ricks

 

[NWL]

I got one last week to a magazine I never would have ordered. Entered my "customer #" on their web site and it comes up with my name, address, etc. saying I have a 2 year subscription. Has a price but no credit card info. I sent an email saying I do not want it and did not order it, but have yet to hear back from them. I guess I'll call them, but would rather have a paper trail in case I need to challenge the charge. In a way it's nice to see I'm not the only one, but why would someone do this? What's in it for them?

Cheers!

 

[Rose Pink]

DD came home from work and said she ordered this magazine but not under the name the bill listed. I wonder if they just looked at the last name and address and plugged in old info--but that still couldn't be as the first name on the bill was not the first name on the old, old gift subscription. Still a bit of a mystery.

 

[pjrose]

Several weeks ago I got a magazine I don't remember ordering and never even heard of before - "Details". Those of you who hang out in the Lounge likely know I'm a big Adam Lambert fan - Details had Adam on the cover!

It's possible I ordered it, as sometimes I do online surveys and am then "rewarded" with the opportunity to buy $2 subscriptions. I have occasionally followed through with the intention of dropping off extras at the doctor's office. (In reality I am now looking at three unsightly piles on the coffee table in front of me ).

If you're sure you didn't order it, cancel it, alert your credit card company, and drop off the unwanted issue(s) somewhere where others can read them.

 

[djs]

Several weeks ago I got a magazine I don't remember ordering and never even heard of before - "Details". Those of you who hang out in the Lounge likely know I'm a big Adam Lambert fan - Details had Adam on the cover!

It's possible I ordered it, as sometimes I do online surveys and am then "rewarded" with the opportunity to buy $2 subscriptions. I have occasionally followed through with the intention of dropping off extras at the doctor's office. (In reality I am now looking at three unsightly piles on the coffee table in front of me ).

If you're sure you didn't order it, cancel it, alert your credit card company, and drop off the unwanted issue(s) somewhere where others can read them.

I'm not sure which magazine it was, but I believe there was one that recently ceased publishing and it got replaced with Details as something like this happened with me.

 

[short]

Free subcriptions

My son (24) has been getting subscriptions to several magazines. I believe they are trying to get him to try them out and hope that he will subscrib in the future. Right now he is getting Maxim(sp) ESPN somthing, GQ, Tv guide, Prevention. Most of them I through directly away.

Magazines sell advertising based on their distribution and I am sure get more advertising if their magazine is going to certain target demographics.

Short