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Publishers Clearinghouse

Mike of Hayward, CA January 5, 2009

Mike of Hayward CA (01/05/09)
I attempted to order money clips from pch (Publishers Clearing House). They asked for no ship address as any reputable company does. When not asked for shipping address I attempted to cancel. Try that at pch.com and you get the biggest runaround ever. The only reason I tried to cancel is I travel extensively, the address they have is my home of record and it is unlikely at that time or any time in the near future that I would be there, which means I will not receive shipment and haven't yet. Yet they are trying to bill me. When trying to cancell order they said it was already shipped, impossible in matter of minutes it took to attempt to cancel, yet they said they could change address. At this point it was all too clear that it was a scam as how could it be shipped in minutes (under 5!) yet they could change address and still say it had been shipped.

I also called their 800 number in December and was told there would be no further attempt to collect as it was not and would not be received (of course). Now on 1/5/09 I receive 1st class collection letter dated 12/19 which was close to when I called them. Again they were trying to collect by 1/15/09 with added on late fee. I have unsubscribed and done all I can to eliminate this from my account and records for credit. I have not received merchandise only a runaround from Publishers Clearing House and want the entire matter off all records.

Their website is unethical and misleading in that they do not present fair business practices nor access to anybody who can do anything. They do provide places to send emails, however the return answers are generic in nature and serve no useful information or resolutions, only how great they are and that they can't help you.

I had to delete all email information to keep from getting their spam and information clogging up my email. credit reporting and harassing emails and collection letters are adamantly unwanted. The 800 number listed is automated and it takes much doing to get real person who then lies to you saying no further collection attempts will be made.

Tom of Valrico, FL January 3, 2009

Tom of Valrico FL (01/03/09)
I just wanted to complain to someone about the new Publishers clearning house commercial that has a woman screaming at the beginning of the commercial three times. They crank the volume up too and it wakes up my son whenever they play it. They repeat the same over and over. Surely there's a law about it. Thanks for listening.

Amy of Wharton, NJ January 2, 2009

Amy of Wharton NJ (01/02/09)
I placed an order with publishers clearing house in July 2008 for In Style magazine, Good housekeeping and People magazine. I wrote them a check and mailed it. As of September 9, I hadn't received the People or In Style so I called and spoke with Lisa who told me that I would receive 2nd week of October. When I hadn't received, I called on 10/22, they told me that the subscriptions had been cancelled and I would receive a check for 63.70 in 6-8 weeks.

When I hadn't received check, I called on 12/1 and spoke with Dane who told me that the check wasn't cashed and but they'd put a stop payment on it and issue me another check. As of today, January 2, 2009, I STILL haven't received my refund. I called again and spoke with Dane who told me that the check was issued on December 8 and I should receive it Monday, January 5. I have a feeling that I'm not going to get the check on Monday and now I'm stuck in this 'check is in the mail' cycle. I just want my 63.70 back and will never order with them again.

Chris of Sparrowbush, NY December 30, 2008

Chris of Sparrowbush NY (12/30/08)
i keep recieving e-mails for their contest drawings and i read that the 10 mill was suppose to be drawn 2/28 09. Now they changed it to 2/28/12. I just want to know if these clowns are for real? If not-stop wasting everybodys time, all [they] are trying to do is push [their] products on people. If [they] have no intentions of awarding [their] contests than disappear.

Julie of Litchville, ND December 30, 2008

Julie of Litchville ND (12/30/08)
I ordered several items from them, some of which were very nice. But I have had bad luck with the plants. One time they sent me my flower bulbs in December so they froze in my mailbox. I recently had some bad luck with strawberries and lilacs - they didn't grow. I called them and they said they would credit my account and informed me of my new total, which I sent in.

A couple weeks later I had a message on my answering machine to call regarding my account. I got some foreign woman who kept asking me if I had a question on my account. I told her no, you called me and told me to call back. I asked her if there was a problem. She told me they don't usually call and tell their customers to call back, but I said they must have because the number I called her on was on my answering machine. She looked up my account and said their was no problem.

A month later I had a letter come in the mail from a collection agency saying I hadn't payed. They are definitely going to be hearing from me. They told me I still owed for a different item. I informed the gentleman that I was upset because I now had been reported to a collection agency when all this could have been avoided several months ago when I called about the plants. He told me those were horticultural items and they wouldn't credit me for something that wasn't a plant. I told him that wasn't the point.

My account is still my account no matter what I ordered and when I asked what my balance was, they told me and I sent it in. Note that my remaining balance was not plant items. I also told him that I had returned their call and the foreign woman I talked to told me there was no notes or problems with my account. Therefore, since I had been contacting them there was plenty of time to get this straightened out before it got sent to a collection agency and that I was not happy with them. I guess I'll be sending them a check and then it is good riddance to them.

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