WTF: Magazine Scam

shoeless

Riffin'
So a few weeks ago, two issues (Feb & Mar) of Esquire show up in my mailbox with my name on the label. I never ordered them, so I just tossed them in the recycle bin without giving it much thought. Then the April issue showed up, so I figured I should put a stop to it since I have no interest in Esquire and would rather not waste all that paper.

I contact Esquire to cancel and they inform me that the order was placed through an "independent sales agency", so they cannot cancel it and I'd have to contact the agency directly. WTF?! Don't they ultimately control the names printed on the label?

Anyway, after a little Googling, it turns out this is a fairly common scam. The 3rd party agency is called Subco and they work out of Fresno, Ca. However, they claim to just be a clearing house and don't handle any of the billing, so the buck gets passed again.

Neither my credit card or PayPal have been charged for this, so I'm expecting a bill to show up in the mail any day now. Anybody else experience this scam?
 
I gotten free magazines all the time and then bills, which I don't pay. They end up sending a final bill and say if you don't pay they will cancel your subscription. I think it is more a lets send them some free copies to hook into subscribing or get them to think they signed up and pay us.
 
I started getting issues of Rolling Stone recently and I definitely haven't subscribed to anything. We'll see how this goes.
 
So a few weeks ago, two issues (Feb & Mar) of Esquire show up in my mailbox with my name on the label. I never ordered them, so I just tossed them in the recycle bin without giving it much thought. Then the April issue showed up, so I figured I should put a stop to it since I have no interest in Esquire and would rather not waste all that paper.

I contact Esquire to cancel and they inform me that the order was placed through an "independent sales agency", so they cannot cancel it and I'd have to contact the agency directly. WTF?! Don't they ultimately control the names printed on the label?

Anyway, after a little Googling, it turns out this is a fairly common scam. The 3rd party agency is called Subco and they work out of Fresno, Ca. However, they claim to just be a clearing house and don't handle any of the billing, so the buck gets passed again.

Neither my credit card or PayPal have been charged for this, so I'm expecting a bill to show up in the mail any day now. Anybody else experience this scam?

you would need to review your state law, but, here in ohio (and most states) anything that is recieved by you through the mail, that you did not personally order is neither you responsiblity finacially and is yours to keep.

i've had that game played on me back in the 90's. and it was the magazine mailing them and then trying to make you pay the bill. going so far as to threaten sending it to collections. right up until i said on the phone "i'll get a lawyer and see you in court". end of magazines and harrassment.
 
I bought a couple of subscriptions through my grandkids' school fundraiser one year.

They were all 1-year subscriptions.
One of the magazines sent me issues for about 5 years. I got a renewal notice every year that I never filled out or paid.
Finally, the final notice came and they cancelled my subscription.
Nothing else ever became of it.
 
Sometimes magazines do this in order to boost their "subscription" numbers they show to potential advertisers.
 
They print more copies of the magazines than they have subscriptions for, so they send the rest out in hopes people will subscribe. I guess it beats just trashing them, and if a few people pay the bills, then they have increased their subs.
 
This is the magazine version of nonprofits sending out free stationery and return address labels. They’re trying to hit people who will feel guilty about getting something and not reciprocating.
 
So a few weeks ago, two issues (Feb & Mar) of Esquire show up in my mailbox with my name on the label. I never ordered them, so I just tossed them in the recycle bin without giving it much thought. Then the April issue showed up, so I figured I should put a stop to it since I have no interest in Esquire and would rather not waste all that paper.

I contact Esquire to cancel and they inform me that the order was placed through an "independent sales agency", so they cannot cancel it and I'd have to contact the agency directly. WTF?! Don't they ultimately control the names printed on the label?

Anyway, after a little Googling, it turns out this is a fairly common scam. The 3rd party agency is called Subco and they work out of Fresno, Ca. However, they claim to just be a clearing house and don't handle any of the billing, so the buck gets passed again.

Neither my credit card or PayPal have been charged for this, so I'm expecting a bill to show up in the mail any day now. Anybody else experience this scam?
As Chad says just ignore it. Nothing can happen to you, don;t waste your time worrying about it.
 
My wife and I have been getting Essence, the magazine aimed at African Americans, for several months. Not sure how that happened.
 
Many moons ago (like 15 - 20 years ago) I started getting Playboy Mag in the mail. Correct name - correct address. I never subscribed and I was never billed. My wife was not amused. All the issues were trashed by her as soon as they arrived. Kept up all through the one year subscription.
 
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