I had received an unwanted subscription and renewal to two magazines from Reiman Publications (Taste of Home, etc). I was able to cancel one by email reply. I emailed the company indicating I wanted neither. Today I received an email from Customer Service which was very gracious. I guess maybe it depends on who the publisher is.

Your quilts are beautiful. I used to make my own clothes and when i retired to Atlanta from Pa I meet an elderly woman who wanted me to put the backs on her quilts. I loved it so much I stopped making clothes and started making quilts. I sell most of the ones I make but I don't have the quilting machine or a place for one. Your are like the football player who did needle point. Rosie Greer. He was excellent also.

My internet service was interrupted from Saturday night until this afternoon. (When the service man opened it, I had 584 messgs in the Spam box, and about 114 in my e-mails ...... mostly spam!)

I'm not going to take time to read the the 15 pages of response you've had regarding this complaint, Eddie, so forgive me if this has been said umpteen times while I've been absent.

I had the same experience with Better Homes & Gardens, and I told them I didn't appreciate this kind of treatment from an old established company. Once, I didn't notice my expiration date, and ended up with about a 2-1/2 year subscription into the future!

I think the economy has forced publishers to use these devious means to get renewals, and we all need to scream loud and clear to make our feelings known. I hate to get nasty, but sometimes its the only language they understand! :thumbdown:

Wow, like someone else had said, I have the envlope ready to go to subscribe to Quilt Magazine. Actually, I was going to subscribe to that one because so many on this board said that was their favorite on an earlier thread.

Luckily, I've been too busy to mail the subscription and now it will go into the recycle bin. Unfortunately, I had asked for and received subscriptions to two other non-qulting magazines for Christmas. Now I'm worried that my MIL will be bothered by these companies to renew them. I wonder if both of us will be, though, since my name is the addressee but she placed the orders.
I've seen several people say to contact the BBB about these tactics, but I suggest people report to the Attorney General in their own states and/or the states where these companies are located. The AG's office has the law behind them whereas the BBB deals only with a company's repu-
taton.
I've recently found out some interesting things abou the BBB. My son started his own business last year. He was contacted by the BBB a couple of months ago to be listed as a "top company" by them if he paid a fee. That much surprised us, but then we found out that companies that have complaints filed against them can pay to have the complaints erased! What's that about? Now I don't feel like the endorsement of the BBB means anything. Gee, what's the world coming to???????

I do not blame you for being angry. Send them a message saying you did not re-new the subscription there fore owe them nothing. they had not sent you any magazines, say so.

The trouble is that even if you stop renewing as I did, they bombard you with all kinds of mail. I stopped McCall's about six months or more ago. After which they kept sending me "special offers" which weren't special at all, the subscription price was always the same. Then yesterday I got a McCall's Mag. in the mail. I hadn't requested it, I hadn't paid for a new subscription, all I had done was tell them I was quitting. Now it says on my address line that my subscription ends in Jan. of 2112. What could that mean?? I'm kind of concerned. It sounds like some kind of con to me. :evil:

Fons and Porter sent me renewal notices and I tossed them, then the last one said 4th notice. I am getting renewal forms when I have months left of the subscriptions. I am not paying postage to tell them I am not renewing, unless it is postage paid.

YAY EDDIE. They sent me one also saying that I owe them for my renewal, when I have not even had their mag for over a year. I had better be on the lookout for a letter like you received next.

When you send back the invoice with "Cancel" written on it, KEEP A COPY, then call the co.'s 800 number if available and write the date on it and names of anyone you may have spoken to. 'Cancel' by phone first and then also send the paper invoice back with "Cancel" written on it. This has saved the day a couple of times.

Perhaps you would want to also call the Direct Marketing (not sure if subscriptions fall under this association or not) or Better Business Bureau to also file a complaint.