Complain about a product or service

Global Readers Club

155 Main St, Massena, NY

Roland of Encinitas CA (04/26/06)
I was in the bathroom washing up. My son's friend was waiting for him, and answered the phone. I heard him talking about Discover magazine. When I came out of the bathroom, he told me somebody, maybe Norman, said he was going to give me a free subscription to Popular Mechanics. I said I didn't want it and about Discover, I already had a 3 year subscription running to 2009.

This unsolicited order was taken without my consent, without identification that I was ordering, merely that the person ordering had answered my phone. I deny ordering anything directly or by proxy. If I am further annoyed by telephone solicitation, that i understand is illegal here in California, further demands for payment of illegal bills, I will go to court and file a judgement for damages. (I am an old unhealthy invalid, and should not be disturbed by unknown strangers)

Wayne of Thornton CO (04/12/06)
Called and talked to my wife about renewing subscription to Golf Magazine. Wife told the young lady from Reader Services that I had already renewed my subscription directly with Golf Magazine. Started pressure sales pitch and asked my wife to provide Credit Card Number and other personal information. Wife declined. Woman on other end said she would mail the solicitation. On 12 April 2006 received Bill in the Amount of $79.80 for something we did not order.

No monetary damage yet. Will send invoice with "NOT ORDERED!" and wait for reply.

Derek of New Smyrna Beach FL (03/10/06)
Received a call to renew magazine subscriptions for unknown amount. Then received an invoice for $72. I called to cancel order and was unable to speak to a person, left a message at both tel. numbers.

Sandra of Tijeras NM (02/23/06)
Global Readers Services called me on the phone to get me to renew Discover Magazine. I told him nNo, I already had it through another year. In fact, I NEVER buy anything on the phone unless I call the company myself.

Then they sent me a bill which I threw away and then I got another notice that looked like it was from a collection agency with big black letters saying OVER DUE which I found threatening and rude. No letter with it.

Then some woman, who never gave her name, told me that I had ordered it over the phone and to pay it as they had already put the subscription through. I told them no, I didn't want it as I already had a subscription for another year. I told her that when the person called I told him NO. She said I would have to pay $10 to cancel the order. I told her that it was a mistake of theirs and I wasn't going to pay for something I was not responsible for. Then she called again and I didn't answer so she called again and said she was going to play me the tape of my voice okaying the order and the phone went silent.

I said "Hello?" a few times, then hung up. These people are rude and nasty and guilty of phone and mail fraud. If they try to put a ding on people's credit rating it's bad enough. You would think that the magazines they are misrepresenting would do something to stop them.

I want to file the info with the phone and post office fraud division. I hope I can figure out how to do that. I am a 60-year-old woman with a chronic illness. I don't need people like Global upsetting me. I am still shaking right now. They come across as bill collectors and are very nasty. We have excellent credit rating and everyone has always been very solicitious and kind to us. I am not used to being treated in such a horrible manner as this rep from Global treated me.

William of Washington MI (01/29/06)
These 3 agents contacted me by phone and got me to renew my subscription to American Heritage Magazine, the first in 3/05 for 18 issues at $72, the second in 5/05 for 12 issues at $50, and the third in 1/06 for 12 issues at $43 (I'm not sure which one called last.) None could tell me when my current subscription runs out. All were paid by credit card. American Heritage Magazine says my subscription now runs to 2018, but can give me no help in dealing with those agents. Can't someone stop this?

Lisa of Massapequa Park NY (12/09/05)
Global Readers Services called me on the phone to renew my soap opera digest and I didn't realize that i still have a year left on the subscription and they told me if I  wanted to renew it I had to pay first on the phone with a check. Because of the one year left on the subscription I want to cancel my subscription with them and I cannot find a phone number to contact them. I found a address from them and called information and they said there is no number for that listing. I will write to them and hopefully they will respect my decision.

Sara of Lancaster SC (09/17/05)
I have 2 letters (12/2001) stating that my account is paid in full, and that I am not to be called. They were also instructed to not renew any magazines. Since Since April 2005, I have been receiving calls that I owe 12 payments of $74.75. Each call quoted different magazines that I do not receive. Today's caller was the worst. "John Dalkins" was the name he gave me.

He accused me of pushing a button on my phone when the connection was broken. He demanded that I "go and get my Discover Card." When I explained that I had 2 letters stating that the account was paid in full, he told me to "go and find these letters." He laughed when I tried to read them. He told me that the only way the calls would stop would be if I paid the 12 payments of $74.75($897.00 for magazines I do not receive). If not, he would turn the matter over to a collection agency.

As he continued to demand payment, the amount suddenly was reduced to ONE payment of $74.75! When I questioned that, he said I had been scammed earlier with my letter. "John" said that he would send a letter stating the status of my account. Since I have been told that before, I doubt I will receive any letter. After the 8 minute call, I called Global Readers and talked with "Rico." He said the computers were down, and that he could not check my account. He told me that my name would be removed from any calling lists. Somehow, I doubt that.

Terri of Levittown NY (1/27/02):
I was solicited by telephone to purchase magazines in 1999 - I agreed and paid it in full by credit card. In November 2001 I was contacted by this same company and told to close out this account you must purchase Forbes magazine - I told them I did not want Forbes so I was offered TV Guide instead. I said ok and paid that in full also by credit card.

I was receiving all the magazines I ordered and had no problems. Then in December 2001 - I was contacted again by the same person (cannot remember his name)and told that when I ordered TV Guide and they taped me agreeing to all the terms - the tape did not come out, they couldn't hear me, so he said they needed to retape the last purchase order. He told me everything is staying the same - but it just had to be taped over again for their records. I agreed.

He put me on hold and a supervisor came on the line and started speaking a mile a minute about what I agreed to - the only difference was he mentioned Forbes instead of TV Guide. I didn't say anything because I knew my account was paid in full and I was already receiving the TV Guide in the mail. Then the end of December I receive a letter in the mail saying Forbes will be arriving at my house in 90 days. Then I received my Credit Card statement with an installment charge of $49.95 on it. So I called the customer service number on the letter from Global Readers and the problem got worse.

I was transferred to Justin in Accounting who informed me he was a supervisor. I explained the whole thing to him and he would not help me at all. He had 2 tapes which he played back for me accepting these subscriptions. I told him how come I was told the 1st tape did not come out and it actually did. He said we have no proof that I was told that. I asked him to cancel it - and he told me it is not subject to cancellation - it was too late. He was very obnoxious and didn't care what I had to say. I asked for his Manager and he said he is the Manager, there is no one higher than him. I aked for the owner's name and he didn't know who that was.

When I kept pressing for a name-he said Justin just like mine - I said I doubt that and then he said Ok than it's Bill Clinton. He refused to give me any names to contact other than him. He also said he didn't know who called me and doesn't know the names of the companies that work to get subscriptions for them. He was not helpful or empathetic at all. I hung up and the next day, I called My credit card company (Discover) and they took charge off temporarily until they investigate it. I have not heard the results yet.

La Donna of Minden NV (12/20/01):
I was contacted by this company and made an offer for magazines. At the time the offer sounded okay. I fell for it. Of course after making the deal I realized it was stupid. I was asked to pay 75.62 for 12 months. I would receive 5 subscriptions for 5 years and I could change my subscriptions whenever I wanted to. I paid for the 12 months. My contract that I have says after that period, "the remaining 48 months, you will continue to receive your magazines but you'll pay nothing as your account is paid in full". This contract was started in June 1999 and I finished paying it in May 2000.

I have received many calls from this company telling me that they want to close out my account and all I have to do is pay them another 299.99. I have asked to speak to a supervisor, to no avail. I have called the phone number that is listed and I never get a human just leave a message. I was contacted today by someone named "Rocky". When I asked if he wanted me to read my contract to him he said "ma'am, I'm not stupid", I told him that I wanted to speak to a supervisor and he hung up on me. I promptly called the number, got the recording and of course I don't expect a supervisor to call me back.

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