Scamming of T&FN Subscriptions Alive & Well

[tafnut]

Just got my renewal notice for the magazine - trouble is - it's bogus. We've been through all this before, but I haven't seen this in over a year and assumed it had been 'fixed'. It is from

Magazine Billing Services
Box 8001
San Luis Obisbo, CA 93406-8001

1-866-808-8199 [think I'll give them a ringie-poo tomorrow]

[dukehjsteve]

How about many of us calling them, and telling them they are crooks ? That what I did last year.

[gh]

Unfortunately, you probably just confirm to them their efforts to reach many people are an ongoing success, and that's what they want.

[lonewolf49]

For the first time in years, I did not receive my subscription scam this year.. they must have dropped me from their list..

[GeoffPietsch]

Actually I called them this morning before reading this thread. Tried not to be too harsh on the low-paid phone person but asked her to tell her bosses they were doing wrong. She seemed genuinely unaware. Might not do any good, but at least it wastes their time - and costs them more(?) for their 800 (well 866) number.

[tafnut]

Unfortunately, you probably just confirm to them their efforts to reach many people are an ongoing success, and that's what they want.

In this case I think MORE publicity is NOT better publicity. If we are all harrassing them in, and you guys are reporting them, it may become more bother than it's worth. Go over and play with 'Runners' Whirl' and 'Sports Illustrious' and leave us alone.

[az2004]

I get these phony re-ups almost every month...

I take the stamp they used...

cut it out

tape it to their return envelop

and mail back the empty envelop

[ZZrunZZ]

My dad gave me a great idea several years ago to get back at all of that unsolicited junk mail that lands in my mailbox on a daily basis. Anyone who sends me crap and includes a pre-paid return address envelop gets a reply from me. I take someone else's junk mail contents and randomly stick it in one of the prepaid envelops and drop it back into the mailbox headed for the company that gave me the envelop. It's not going to stop the crap from ending up in my mailbox but it gives me a good laugh when I stick about 20 of these things in my mailbox knowing that someone on their end is going to pay postage for getting junk mail in return. Plus I get the joy of knowing that someone on their end is going to get paid to open totally worthless mail.

Give it a try and see if it doesn't make you smile too. Just remember to not include anything with your name and address on it when you stuff the return envelop with junk.

Enjoy!

[bad hammy]

Just remember to not include anything with your name and address on it when you stuff the return envelop with junk.

Stuff 'em with newspapers.

[ppalmer]

My dad gave me a great idea several years ago to get back at all of that unsolicited junk mail that lands in my mailbox on a daily basis. Anyone who sends me crap and includes a pre-paid return address envelop gets a reply f....
Enjoy!

I do that with really annoying ones like this, and I got one of those yesterday. They did not include a postage paid envelope. I renewed months ago with TFN, so I briefly considered pretending not to know the difference and calling and raising a big complaint about ignoring my order, getting angry, "cancelling", etc. and threatening to contact the postal inspectors, unless they sent my money back, etc. But, I decided it was too much trouble for me, (I mention it here in case someone with more time gets the opportunity.)

Pat Palmer

[gh]

We had a correspondent get pissed off at us once; he took one of our pre-paid mailing labels and taped it to a brick. The USPS delivered it!

[mike renfro]

We had a correspondent get pissed off at us once; he took one of our pre-paid mailing labels and taped it to a brick. The USPS delivered it!

That's cold. I did once renew TFN using said labels. But that was in a kinder and gentler era. I'm not sure those still are valid.

Mary (aka "wise woman") routinly gathers all the crap in credit card offers into the reply envelop, with a terse "knock this crap off" note. She still gets tons of such, as do I. I wimp out and just recylce them.

[spvxv0]

I fell for it 2 years ago. I think I paid about $80-90. I remember chatting about it, here in this forum; pursued them for six months after that, to get the order canceled for a refund. Every time I called, they said the refund will take 4-6 weeks to get to me. I still haven't received anything and I spent way more than $82.00 of my time. So I gave up.[/quote]

[guru]

Found this running in the new ad list at the bottom of the board here. I assume this service is legit to use since you have them advertising on your site.

http://store.yahoo.com/onlinemagazinestore/40415.html


Timing couldn't be better since my sub ran out last month lol.

[Jon]

Fortunately (and gh/bh may already know this), you can block certain websites of companies that you do not wish to appear on the google ad sense reports. If you log in to the google ad sense control panel, there's a place where you can block selected URLs. I'd do it sooner rather than later to avoid embarrassment.