United Publishers Of America

United Publishers of Atlanta, GA (404-845-0403). I was suckered into this magazine subscription a few months ago. They use the tag team method. The first person that calls you immediately congratulates you for being the winner of $500 worth of gasoline/food and subscriptions to several magazines of your choice. They give you a price then transfer you to the person that "closes" the deal. Then, you get stuck with what you think is a great deal. When you get the packet, it reveals the true costs. You have 10 days to cancel. When you call to cancel and get your money back, you can't. You'll have to accept the agreement that they suckered you into in the first place. They started calling me again with the same line that I've been chosen as the winner—tag team method again.

I tried to get a price out of the first rep, but she said she would have to get my contact info to her boss and the boss would be calling me back. They did call back at least 10 times in a 30-minute time span. I finally answered and asked for the cost up front and the rep told me to go hell and that I was ignorant. Then, she hung up on me. I called right back and that rep said the company is too big to know who called me and then she hung up on me. I called back several times to the same number that had called me over 20 times in March, but now no one answers the phone. They don't know me. I'm not going to stop with just phone calls and online complaints. I'm going to the BBB first and then I'm going to track down the owners and keep sending them letters until I get an acceptable response and apology or disciplinary action for that rep that called me ignorant. Evidently, this company is allowing/and or promoting abysmal, rude, obnoxious, ghetto CSRs.

I received a call at work regarding the magazine sales. The pitch was good, very good. However, when I called that I was confused about how much these magazines were costing me and that I was getting double issues, all I got was the runaround and a recording of my order. While it was my mistake that I ordered the magazines, I was told that I could change the type of magazine at any time. What they didn't say is that it takes six (6) weeks. The worst is that they send you a bill and if you don't pay it on time, they debit your card. Lastly you cannot log in online to check your account. You can only call Monday through Friday between 10-3 EST. I live in California!

They have hit up my wife's checking acct. for $138.20 and she doesn't recall authorizing this transaction.

While I was stationed at Fort Stewart, GA, in 2000, I was contacted by United Publishers to purchase a magazine subscription. I paid the full balance when it came due. About 6 months after I had paid my debt, I was again contacted by them and told that I owed them money, even though I had already paid.. I explained to the operator that I had paid the debt in full, 6 months prior to this call, and that I was still waiting to receive my magazine subscription. I was then told that I owed them $381.00, and that if I did not pay the debt, that since I was a U.S. soldier they would contact my Chain of Command. They would ruin not only my career but my credit as well. So, I foolishly paid the $381.00 that I was told that I owed, and thought that the debt had been settled. Now, here it is, 2007, and United Publishers is still wanting money from me! Do I have to pay them a 3rd time to get them to clear my credit report?

My husband was killed in Iraq last September. I'm trying to purchase a home for me and my 3 children, and I'm trying to provide a fresh start. The loan agency wants United Publishers off my credit, and I'm having a difficult time getting into contact with someone that can help me get to the bottom of this. Because of what they've done to my credit, I'm paying higher interest, and I am having a difficult time pushing my loan through. I have my preapporval for my loan, but this makes the difference of 6.5% or 8.5% interest on my loan. I really feel like I'm being scammed.

I received a call from someone who referred to himself as Mark who said he was calling for Publishers Clearing House to inform me that I had won $5,000 for being a longtime buyer. He indicated that all I needed to do was buy one publication and a check would be mailed to me.

A second call came about an hour later to verify that I had placed a subscription order with United Publishers. At this point, I assumed it was some kind of scam and indicated that I did not wish any publication from them. She abruptedly disconnected. Is this organization associated with Publishers Clearing House?

This telemarketing company called me on the evening of 2/27. They called on my business cell phone. They told me I had won an opportunity for a $ 5,000.00 drawing, I told them I wasn't interested and hung up. They called again the next night and before he could finish his script I said that I had received a phone the day before and to please not call me again. At this point the guy got mad and said "are you trying to tell me what to do, you better not tell me what I can and can't do, I know all about you". At this point I hung up and tried calling back but only got a voice recording.

I recieved a call saying I was eligable to be a cash prize winner in missouri.but they wanted me to order tv guide. for which I would also recieve free 4 more magazines. when another lady called to confirm my order, the amount per month was outrageous. I told them nevermind I do'nt want to order after all.

she said that I could not cancel. all she could do is reduce the price. and that I had already agreed to the terms and they had it on tape. so I told her to let me hear the tape then, because they had left out some information. which of course she would not. so I had no choice but to accept the reduced price in hopes of finding another way to cancel. so I called and spoke with the collections superviser , who was very rude and hateful, and she also told me that I can not cancel. she said , this is a bussines we already paid for the magazines. I asked who she paid. she said, united publishers.

so I said that does'nt make any sense. because they are united publishers.anyhow I spoke to this woman twice about canceling.and tried other offices and they still put me back through to her.so I have not sent back any forms which I am supposed to sign for prize release, and they are billing me and I am not sending any money. I canceled my credit card so they could'nt take my money.and I intend to send back any magazines that they send me along with a note to cancel all magazines. any advice , other than a brain scan ?

woke up to the phone ringing, it was a telemarketer, which are supposed to be blocked. Talked into a magazine deal that I didn't want but they don't get to the costly part til they have you hooked. Received a bill on the 26th of july for 86.38 saying if I didn't pay it by the 12th of august they would charge my account but upon looking at my account they had already charged it on the 18th of july. They say in order to receive my freebies I must send in my official gift release form which I don't even have and haven't received.

I don't want their product, I don't have time to read magazines and wouldn't have given in to anything if I had been awake. They called with a follow up saying that I was hooked and that was that. I can't call them, they are only receiving calls for 5 hours, 10 to 3 Mon through Fri. Is it to late? Am I screwed? If so I'll pay the bill but I don't want their product cluttering my mailbox. Thanks for your time.

This company called my parents and talked my Mother into giving them a credit card number because 'she had won' something. They then proceeded to sign her up for 5-year subscriptions to 5 magazines. When they called back, she asked them to cancel the order, but was told it was too late because they 'had already sent in the money'.

She has made 5 of 12 payments for $51.83, totalling $259.15. I've told her not to send them any more money, but the invoice says they will charge it to the credit card if payment isn't received by the due date. We will dispute any such charges, but normally if the company can provide any kind of order confirmation, the credit card company reposts the charge. She has received 5 months of the magazines, which should represent $51.85 worth of the $621.96 total they are charging. The expiration date on the cover of the magazines show Dec 05, which is only 1 year.

I called their customer service number, but was told that the only name on the account is my Mother's and that they cannot speak to anyone else. What I want is to cancel the subscriptions and have them refund $207.30 ($621.97 - $51.85) to my parents. I would also like these people put out of business (and preferably into jail) for scamming senior citizens, but I won't hold my breath for that.

In November 2004, a sales representative from United Publishers of America called me at work. The lady persuaded me to list the company that I work for in their business directory. Fifteen minutes later, I get a phone call from a supervisor from UPA and the conversation is recorded confirming the business address, my name, and my position in the company. Then he tells me that an invoice will be mailed out to me. After the recording, he had asked me if I had any questions.

Unfortunately, this part of the conversation was not recorded. I had asked him about the invoice he had mentioned earlier that would be mailed to me. I asked him how much this was going to cost me and He told me $379! I immediately cancelled the order and he did give me a cancellation number. However, I misplaced the cancellation number. I have never received an invoice from United Publishers of America or a phone call from them until after New Years, the first or second week of January 2005. UPA's collection department called and wanted to know why I didn't send out the overdue payment. I never knew there was an overdue payment. So I ask her to fax the bill over. Nothing came through.

A week later, I get a letter from UPA's collection department stating that there is an overdue balance. On that letter there is no amount indicated. I call the 866 number, and apparently they're closed asking me to leave a message so I did, I also sent them a fax. The following week I get a phone call from the same lady and she asks me the same question. I tell her that I never received her fax, and the letter I received didn't indicate a dollar amount. This time she faxes the invoice and waits on the phone to comfirm that I received it. She and I had several conversations and basically she told me that I couldn't talk to anyone else except for her and that there was nothing she could do since I don't have a cancellation number.

Our last conversation, she told me that she would talk to someone about my situation and call me back. I never received a call from her again. I left a message for her to call me back. A few days later I get another letter from UPA stating that I owe the past due balance. A day after, I receive a phone call from another lady from the UPA's collection department. Now she's that one in charge of my invoice and she just tells me that I have to pay the invoice because I cannot provide the cancellation number.

I have been dealing with the above prepetrator and other companies concerning my mother R. Ms. R is a widow, who is on a fixed income of social security and I feel she has been taken advantage of by these and other tele-marketing companies. Although my mother does not remember ordering magazines, she began receiving several different ones each month.

The magazines had my name on the label however was being sent to my Mother's address. I can assure you I did not order any magazines or merchandise from these people. Several months ago, we had to close out my mother's bank account because several of these companies had gotten her bank account number and was drafting money from her account. She has lost several hundreds of dollars over the past months due to these drafts. I have spoken with representatives from a couple of these marketing companies and instructed them never to call my mother nor myself again. They contacted me at my home and I have no idea how they would have gotten my telephone number.

Somehow, beginning last month, two of these companies have once again gotten money out of my mother's new bank account through a bank draft. This is unbelievable to me that it is so easy for these people to get into someone's bank account. There must be something we can do to protect our elderly.

This company talked to my mother-in-law about purchasing something (magazines) on the phone in 2002 which she has no recollection. The company claims that the agreement is non-cancellable. My wife and I are now managing her finances so she doesn't send checks to these telemarketers. She is 79 years old and has been diagnosed with alzheimer disease-in the first stage. Her bank notified us of a problem with her checking account being drained from various scam companies.