Reader's Digest Scam

[Starry_night]

Sorry not sure where to put this,
but about a month ago when I was on this site, i saw a free issue for Reader's Digest posted and decided to sign up. BIG MISTAKE!! I got a letter about a week later asking for money (like $26) or something like that along with some contest thing.

I was soooo scared! Not sure what I should do, I told my parents and they said to ignore it and throw it out, it's not like I gave them my account info so they said they can't charge me and they won't send me anything. Luckily I wrote a fake name on it. However, these last 3 weeks I've received 3 mini magazines from RD and I don't know what to do. I haven't opened them and have looked into the company since and see RD scams are quite common.

I don't want them to continue sending me these books. Apparently, according to other people's experiences, they'll continue to send them forever no matter how much you try and call or email them or even send the magazines back, they will never stop. Also, people say they that the company sells address and names to other companies.

Please help, I don't know what to do, and I don't know where else I can get help. I don't want my parents to be scammed, and it's all my fault.

Also a warning to people considering to sign up for any offer, free or paid, if it has anything to do with Reader's Digest, don't do it!

[Cheap]

Don't open the packages. Cross out your address on the front of the each package. Write on the front: "Return to Sender", circle the return address, and write "I do not want these magazines". Put the magazines back in your mail box to be returned back to the company.

Consider it a lesson, and be careful next time about signing up for stuff.

[Cheap]

And do not send them any cheques or money.

[xiangxiang]

I had same experience with you. I never reply to them whatever mail or email. After a while, they stopped sending me those scam.
Don`t scare. Just disregard it.

[puddin57]

just write "return - not requested" and drop it back in the mailbox....and just keep doing it again and again and again....they will stop (eventually)

[Starry_night]

I certainly have learnt my lesson. But the main thing is I had never heard about Reader's Digest having a bad rep with scamming, until after I got the letter and looked and did research on the company. I signed up like I would any other freebie with a well known name like gillette.
Ahhhh!! so stressed and hating myself for the mess I've caused!

[Angelfingers]

There are much worse things in life to worry about than a $26 magazine "subscription". Don't worry about it and keep sending the magazines and the bills back to sender. Persistance pays off.

It isn't uncommon for magazines to lure you in by the "free" magazine. The catch is that you are automatically signed up for the subscription. Even if you do legitimatly purchase a subscription, the next year you are automatically signed up for the next year's subscription...

Buying a magazine subscription isn't a bad thing. Do it through a legitimate site (Rogers magazines or through the magazine website itself). After you subscription is up, and if you don't want to renew, just be persistant about sending things back.

I have had Reader's Digest in the past, and it is a great magazine to subscribe to. So don't let this experience make you fear RD completely!

[akitakara]

Just so you guys know...

You can't really refuse it since there's no visible return address on there


Also, to OP. This was NOT a freebie. It was a trial.

If a magazine that normally costs money, is offered for free, they will usually try to go into a 1 year subscription after they send the first one free. At the bottom of the offer DID say for you to return the bill marked cancel...

I did that and ended up with 3 free issues and no bill to pay

[hurumi]

My dad had the same experience long long time ago. It was one of those...get the first 2 or 3 free, then you have to pay but he started getting bills for them before the last free book. He didn't open them, wrote "NO SUCH PERSON, RETURN TO SENDER" or something and threw it back in the box.

He got about 3 more magazines (and he did the same thing with each one) before they stopped sending bills and magazines to our house lol.

Edit: It was also with Reader's Digest

[yummyant]

I also signed up for the free issue. They sent me the free issue but the next month they sent me another issue and a bill. I emailed them and explained that I thought I was signing up for only a free issue and that I was not intrested in a subscription. I recieved an email stating that I would recieve one more complimentry issue and they would cancel the subscription. RD followed through and I have not recieved anything else!!!!

Don't be scared, email them again and explain your situation. Im sure they will fix it!!!

Here is there email address:
[email protected]

Hope this helps!!!!

[BobSagget]

You aren't going to be forced to pay for anything you didn't want.

Once I signed up for a contest and being overzealous to get it done I missed the part where I was also ordering a free issue of "Seventeen" magazine. They sent it along with a bill for a subscription.
on the magazine was the account # so i went on their site and logged into the subscription services using the account number and clicked on CANCEL.
They never bothered me again and I chucked the magazine in the trash.

[bucky01]

I also signed up for it . there was a offer from ontario hydro for one free copy but it was a scam I called there 1 800 # told them off and that was the end Reader's Digest always try stuff like this they are the biggest scammers going

[dlkbc1]

My aunt kindly gave me a gift subscription for Reader's Digest but all the associated junk mail has been a headache...
They are the worst for junk mails.
I think they were featured on Fifth Estate or one of those shows about how they scam people, especially gullible senior citizens.
It took me several emails for them to stop sending me crap...
I keep telling my aunt I don't want anymore subscriptions but she keeps ordering them.

[smurfete]

I had something similar happen to me long ago when I was a teen. It was for YM magazine and it was for a free issue NOT trial. Afterwards they kept sending me magazines monthly and I returned them all like above posts. Then they would try to bill me and say late payment blah blah... until I got sick of the bills I wrote a nasty letter to them and threatening legal action if they don't stop harassing me. Then they stopped!

[improperganda]

You don't need to pay for anything. This happens to me sometimes when i sign up for "free" issues of magazines. I just never pay them. dont sweat it hun.