I got it too! It did say that IF you didn't want it... that I was under NO obligation to pay for it. It was mine to KEEP! Then 3 weeks later I got a letter asking me to return in enclosed envelope (WHAT ENVELOPE) OR I could keep it.
I didn't order it... not sending it back because not postage paid... AND it again said I could keep it FREE!
Hubby said not to worry about it. You don't have to pay for anything that you didn't order. Never seen him steer me wrong yet!
My advise... don't worry about it!
We didn't order...we don't pay!!!

I don't even get the mag!!! LOL

This is a terrible marketing scheme and makes me go sour on these companies who are using these tactics. If it continues with me, I will not subscribe to McCalls nor BH&G Quilting mags. BH&G sent me a cookbook, Readers Digest sent me condensed books and McCalls is sending out DVD's. I am not sure who sold my address to Readers digest. I am livid about these tactics and what a pain to return!

I got one of those but did not watch it, I just put it in the return envelope and returned it. I hate it when they send these things.

I recieved that DVD. After informing you to return at their cost if not interested you will see that it says if you do not wish to pertisapate that you can keep the DVD as a gift since you did not ask for it. I kept the letter that it came with in case they send me any more letters for payment. I haven't viewed it yet but when I find were I put it I think it will be very informative LOL

I keep getting calls thanking me for my subsciption for Reader's Digest. Haven't gotten them for 15 years!!!1 :shock:

McCall's sent me one two, I actually liked what was on the DVD and $12.95 was O.K., but the next ones would of been $29.95. Out of the question. Here's what they said in everybody's literature:

When I get unsolicited "gifts" in the mail, if I want them, I smile and say thank you! because it's a free gift that I don't have to pay for. If I don't want it, I toss it and forget about it. And all further mail regarding it, I also toss. If they think they can get my money for something I didn't order, they can sue me for it! LOL But of course they won't because they DO know that you do not have to pay for it. They are counting on people's ignorance of the law and hoping to "hook" a certain percentage of those that they send free items to.

I do this as well and it does seem to work.
~Deb~

Usually a quick courtesy phone call will stop all further mailings.
If they try and sell me on the offer, I simply state, "no thank you, remove my name from your list, and "what is your name please"? Then I file the notes away for the future in case anything comes back to haunt me.

It used to be that if you receive something you didn't order, you don't have to pay for it.

Had the same thing happen when I lived in Texas - started getting toner and bills for it at the office where I worked. I contacted the state's attorney-general's office. According to them, if you didn't order it by signing a contract you are not responsible for paying for it. You should contact them first by phone, if possible, then follow up by sending them a letter telling them that you did not order their product and will not pay for it. If the charge is on your credit card, contact the credit card company and advise them of the situation. They can stop any further charges being made to your card.

Yes, that's what mine said too, but like you I sent it back anyways.

That's funny. I also got a statement from Readers Digest asking for subscription that I didn't order. I threw it away.

Yes I also got a DVD I did NOT order, but it said right in it that since I did NOT order it I could just keep it. I also got a bill, but in the bill again it stated that I could keep the DVD at no cost since I did NOT order it. So no don't send money.

You could try calling them and tell them you didn't order it and will not pay for it. If they want it back tell them that when you find it you'll send it as long as they send you a postage paid sticker. I wouldn't send them any money. That happened to me with a subscription to a VERY expensive magazine that someone sent in with my name. I received a bill for it and I called and told them I didn't request a subscription and had never even heard of the magazine before. They said I didn't owe them, canceled the subscription and I threw out the magazine.

By law, if you did not order it, you don't have to pay for it, and you don't even have to return it. I got one of those, too, and like you, I misplaced it. You are not responsible for unsolicited "gifts". Don't you get sick of people trying to rip you off like that?

In the future if you received a unsolicited package all you need do is not open it write refused on it, initial it and stick it in the mailbox. That way they have to pay the return postage.

I received a follow-up letter from McCall's dated May 5th "reminding" me to send the reply form with the DVD or payment back. Not doing either so we'll see if they continue to send more DVDs without my permission. Will keep the phone number handy just in case. It's a gift whether I'll use it or not.

I received the same DVD and got a bill and just sent it back cancel and I did not order this and will not pay for future DVD's that come to my home. I also stated on the statement that if this continues I will notify the Better Business Bureau and or state Attorney General. Never got any more DVD's.

You might want to contact them and tell them you did not order it and won't pay for it. Years ago I ordered some books and the option was return them and be done, or you receieve some every month. I returned them, cancelled my account, and let it go. Several months later, a collecion agency contacted me and sent a very threating letter about the account not being paid. After I wrote to them explaining what I did, they let it go. Either way, somone will realize you didn't return the disc and didn't pay for it. It may save you trouble in the long run.

I also got that DVD and forgot about it. They sent me a letter asking what I was going to do. I found it and sent it back with a note not to ever send me anything not requested.
I do remember them saying you can keep it for free because it was not requested.
Send them the letter back telling them not to send anything more or you will turn them over to the Better Business Bureau.

You may get a third one that is not quite so friendly in spirit, but just ignore it. They know well what they're doing and the risk they're taking by sending out unsolicited merchandise. Don't worry about it, and if you find it, watch it. You may as well enjoy it for all the hassle they've put you through.

I think we need to turn them in at p.o. and inform postal inspectors. I got one too and if I get anything else I'm going to try that.

Go for it... we're all 100% with you. This is a type of abuse. In future, I will think twice before I subscribe to their magazine again. Besides, I have enough quilting patterns to keep me busy for three lifetimes (if I hurry!). (And I'll bet y'all do, too. ) :?

Same here Alonra!

I got one several months ago and if you read the letter that came with it, it says "we understand that because you didn't order it, you don't have to participate or send it back and you can consider it a free gift, but we hope that you will decide to participate". I got these notices that look like a bill, a couple of times. Just call and tell them that you are not going to send it back, and not to send anymore letters. It should take care of it.

The first one was very friendly... you must have forgotten... we know you are so busy, but still with the "we know you didn't ask for it" disclaimer.
The second one a little less friendly... a reminder, because we know you must have misplaced the bill... no "you didn't ask for it" disclaimer this time. Return SASE sleeve included. By this time the disk has disappeared.
The third one was an undisguised demand for immediate payment, although it stopped short of any threats, no disclaimer, no paid postage on the return envelope.
Am thinking there was a fourth, and if so, I'm wondering if it's occurred to them that they're wasting perfectly good paper and postage on me. Do I send out subliminal vibes saying "Send me some more!"? <G>
I went online and told them not to send me unsolicited goods in future, because I had no intention of paying for what I didn't order. By now it's become a crusade. <G>
To top it all off, I still can't find the darned thing. Do you think it vaporized while I wasn't looking?

Any of you think that since so many of us have received this DVD that they are going online & getting our names somehow? Maybe thru the ISP number!!
Just a thought that came across my mind as I was reading the post here. I don't even subscribe to McCalls, so how did they find me... unless another mag sub. sold my name & yours too!

That is a thought, I was wondering about that too. Also, I was wondering if everyone that received the dvd, had you all subscribed to the McCalls magazine at one time or another? I know I have. Not now though, when my subscription ran out on all my magazines, I did not renew because of the economy. Like someone already said, I have enough to last me 3 lifetimes.

The arrival of that DVD was before I found this board, but I do (or did) subscribe to McCalls Quilting Magazine. They could get our names anywhere, from any fabric site, or quilting blogs, or even from watching YouTube tutorial videos, or even from mailing lists from places like JoAnn's or Hancock Fabrics. Lots of places sell their customer/user lists, unfortunately. Every time we register for a catalog or a quilters' newsletter, we just have to know those lists will probably be sold. That's one way they support their site. Our next best option is to know the law and not to pay for things we didn't request.

I do subscribe to McCalls Quilting magazine, and a few others as well. I did find the DVD, after all the good advice from this board I am going to consider it a free gift, just like the letter says. We will see what happens next. Thank you everyone.

ProudGranny, I really think that the quilting mag co. sell address lists and perhaps they could also get your address if you order from a fabric company.
But I understand your worry about online info when their has been much reported about facebook= a company I do not trust..

My subscription to McCalls Quilting has just ran out and I won't be renewing it - like everyone else I have enough magazines & patterns to last eons.

Yes...I got this same deal. My feeling is...I didn't order so I am under no obligation to pay for it. They did send me a second one, (again, unsolicited by me). With this one, I read the fine print, and it said that there was no obligation to do anything with it....but I "could" pay for it if I wished to continue with their program. I still have both discs, and have not, and do not intend to, pay for either one. I also do not intend to use a stamp to send back their reply card....which does require postage.

I wouldn't stress yourself over it. Just my opinion.

Patti

Patti: When are they gonna learn. They sent you two? I hope they don't send me another dvd. After reading all of these comments and everyone is saying the same thing, looks like the company would learn by now. You know they probably have seen these comments. Think of the money the co. has lost, not to mention the bad publicity!

hpylady.....

Yes, they sent two. And they are different. One has to wonder who is in charge of that program...and how much longer they will have their job!!!

Patti

There is a no postage required envelope included in the package. Use this to send back everything (unless you would like to keep the DVD, in which case you can keep that. But load up that little return envelope, with marker clearly telling them offer is refused. Then send it. They have to pay for that mailing so if some of your other junk mail finds its way in there, well, huh, how bout that?

Companies will continue to do stupid promotions like this until they find it is unprofitable to do so. This is my attempt to make it clear to them that it is unprofitable to mail me things I did not ask for and do not want. I find campaigns like this one to be really misleading and manipulative, and even if the DVD was super, I would not do business with them because of the way in which they've done this. And I would like to know who sold my name and address -- I never ask to be added to mailing lists which may be sold, and I tend to be very cautious about providing my name and address to sites that may sell info. Anyone think it might be Connecting Threads related? Or is it a Quilting Board thing?

RST

It could be - but if you entered a sweepstakes or drawing, or subscribed to any quilting magazine or even gave your contact information to your local quilt shop, it could have been passed on from those.

Unfortunately, most businesses "share" contact lists.

Email is nearly unusable as a method of personal communications, lately. Even with spam filtering by ISP's and individuals, our inboxes are even more cluttered with commercial mailings than our mailboxes.