Magazine Subscription Fraud
While The Saturday Evening Post works with many reputable agencies that sell the Post through school programs, catalogs, etc., we have unfortunately received several complaints recently about magazine scams. We feel it is our duty to provide you with as much information as we can in order to help prevent purchasing a subscription from a fraudulent salesperson. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says that customers should question approaches that feature:
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- Salespeople who encourage you to buy without giving you your total cost.
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- Salespeople who tell you that magazines are “free” or “pre-paid” for you and that you’ll be charged only a “processing fee.”
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- Salespeople who don’t identify themselves or who may not give you the name of their company.
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- Salespeople who give false information about the publication (i.e. length, content, or frequency of publication).
If you receive a notice in the mail to renew your subscription, by law it must list the expiration date of your subscription. All of the notices sent out directly from the Post will list the date right above your name using this language: “Expires S/O 2011 issue.”
Questions you should ask if approached:
Q: How long does the subscription last—one year, two years, or more than that?
A: The Saturday Evening Post typically offers one-year subscription terms through agencies.
Q: How many magazines will I receive and when—monthly, bimonthly, quarterly?
A: The Saturday Evening Post is produced on a bimonthly schedule, which means in one year you will receive six issues (i.e. one every other month).
Q: What’s the total yearly cost of the publication?
A: The Saturday Evening Post is published at the annual cover price of $23.94. Some agencies do add a small processing fee to their orders so the price may be slightly higher.
Q: What are my cancellation rights?
A: Get them in writing before you agree to buy. The salesperson may not be required to tell you about the policy unless you ask. If you do not receive a written notice of your cancellation rights and you want to cancel your subscription, write your own cancellation notice and mail it to the seller within the required time frame. Then, contact your bank or credit card company to stop any unauthorized payments from your account or to dispute any charges or debits to your account.
Where to go for additional help:
If you think you’ve been involved in magazine subscription fraud, contact your local police department, state attorney general, or local consumer protection office. They are listed in the blue pages in the telephone directory. You can also file a complaint with the FTC www.ftc.gov (1-877-FTC-HELP) or the US Postal Inspection Service http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov (1-800-372-8347).
To view the fraudulent agency list that we have compiled, please click the link below.
If you have general inquiries about your subscription to the Post, you may call 1-800-829-5576. Phone hours are (Central Time) Monday-Friday (8 am-9 pm), Saturday (8 am-5 pm), and Sunday (9 am-5 pm). You can also email us at [email protected].