I just received two magazine renewal notices from a company called Publishers Periodical Service, one is Sew News (never ordered and don't want) for $49.95 and Quiltmaker, which I do subscribe to (paid through J/F 2010) and they are asking $19.95 renewal, but I can renew online with the actual magazine for $17.95. Just a heads up to warn folks to pay close attention to your magazine renewals.
In the past I haven't scrutinized these very close, I think now I will put these on my calendar.
And another 'in the mail' aggravation. I keep receiving blank checks from my credit card company. The checks have my name, address and some bar code that surely relates to my credit card number printed on them. What if 'down the lane Bubba smoking unidentified green leafy substances' happens to receive them instead of me? Time after time, I cut holes in the checks, return them to the credit card company and beg them to cease and desist. To no avail. Is there a non-violent solution? Polly
I just received a notice from this same service for Trailer Life which if we ever subscribed to it - it must have been years ago, I don't remember it. In fairly fine print, at the bottom, it says "not a bill". Used to get them for Alaska magazine from the same service, as you said it was cheaper renewing through Alaska magazine. I finally called Alaska magazine and they said there wasn't anything they could do about those companies billing for their magazines.
surely that is not only illegal but also extremely stupid? my first thot was when you're busy making that pumpkin butterscotch bread, some of the flour accidently get into the return envelope. then tell the gators to get ready for some fun and games as the powers that be surround your house. then i thot better of it, maybe its not the best thing to do, even if it is a good idea. scare the bejeezus outta them. actually how about calling their 0800# and tell them what you think about what they are doing. can you also tell them you will cancel your credit card if it ever happens again? i dont know what else might get the point across to them that it is a really stupid thing to do. how about calling the better business bureau or consumer protection office or whatever other consumer protection place there. must be something like that on a national level to protect consumers. j.
"Polly Esther" wrote ... And another 'in the mail' aggravation. I keep receiving blank checks from my credit card company. The checks have my name, address and some bar code that surely relates to my credit card number printed on them. What if 'down the lane Bubba smoking unidentified green leafy substances' happens to receive them instead of me? Time after time, I cut holes in the checks, return them to the credit card company and beg them to cease and desist. To no avail. Is there a non-violent solution? Polly
Oh my goodness, Jeanne, how I love you. I'd guess a tiny bit of Swansdown cake flour from your recipe for refrigerator cookies would send them into a real snit. NOT going to do that but I really do need to get their attention. I read the fine print. I can still read fine print. There's an incredible charge for using the checks. Wouldn't even *think* of doing that. . . but it is, as you say, extremely Stupid for them to send them out. Even retired, I still have friends in low places and high. Wonder if a snappy letter from our state's Attorney General would get their attention? Polly
yup, i would think a letter from your state AG would get their attention. go for it. tho i'm sure the gators will be really disappointed they wont have a tasty lunch, oh well. idiots often need a heads up from those higher up than them. j.
"Polly Esther" wrote ... Oh my goodness, Jeanne, how I love you. I'd guess a t> surely that is not only illegal but also extremely stupid?
Written somewhere on the papers that are included with the checks there is, in VERY TINY print, the notice that if you don't want to receive the checks any more, you can call and cancel them. There should be a phone number included -- likely in even smaller print, to call. I did this and the checks stopped coming. Of course, it took me at least half a dozen times of telling the person I spoke with that I did not want the checks before she finally accepted I was serious! CiaoMeow >^;;^<
PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at
You have to phone your bank. Tell them you want on their do not call list and also that you want no more checks via credit card. Once I did this those credit card checks stop coming but also they no longer phone me to get me to buy their insurance and such. It's worth a try. Take Care Joanna
It's good to know that there's a way of stopping them. I've just been putting them thru the shredder, but it's true that they could be intercepted along the way so better not to get them in the first place. Allison
I may do this out of necessity. I shop mailorder a lot, because we live rural. I am on so many mailing lists it is unreal. Right now, up till Christmas, is "catalog season." Some of them I like. But I've about decided I'll just keep a list of internet websites and forego the catalog. My PO box is exploding every day.
I ordered a car seat from BAbysRUs and now mysteriously, I am getting TONS of baby-related junk mail. I took advantage of a magazine special via Amazon, and now I am plagued with magazine offers. There's just no end to it.
unfortunately, once we buy, subscribe or order from a company, get a magazine delivered or whisper in someone's ear for a newsletter, we are now on "the mailing list" for any other group who'll pay for a mailing list. my shredder is my friend.
For Christmas each year we get our grandchildren subscriptions to a magazine they will enjoy getting every month. That said, beginning in August, we keep getting these "Renew NOW" notices - even for magazines the kids have outgrown and haven't subscribed to in years! Kids grow and change their preferences... the mag. companies don't seem to "get it" -- unless they figure us "oldies" have a lack of record keeping or memory!
It's aggrivating to say the least! But I "black out" the names and numbers (or shred them). Seems like these companies are wasting a lot of money! ME-Judy
It's not all that mysterious. Businesses sell your information (whatever they have or can get) and there's an entire industry based on that. Mailing lists are big money; ten years ago they were worth $.
75 to $1.00 PER NAME for targeted lists, and that was just the RENTAL price. I used to promise customers that their info would never be sold, leased, or divulged except by court order, and I kept that promise (and never got into any legal trouble anyway, so...) A lot of small businesses are doing the same thing today.
My credit card also did this. I phoned them straight away to say I was not interested, and please never send any again. I pointed out the security risk, etc. I haven't received anymore....
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