Selling Fraud Door-to-Door

Magazine subscription company fails to deliver.

Austin, Texas, August 30, 2007 Last October, San Antonio resident Phyllis McReynolds opened her door to a young man selling magazine subscriptions. She gave him a personal check for $30 for 12 issues of "Vegetarian Times." The check was cashed, but nine months later Phyllis hasn't gotten a single copy of her magazine. She's repeatedly called "Go With Experience," the Waukegan, Illinois-based company that cashed her check. But her repeated requests for a refund have gone unanswered.

The same thing happened to Angela Sikorski of Windcrest, Texas. When a young woman showed up on her doorstep peddling magazine subscriptions, Angela paid $30 for a subscription to "Nick Jr," a magazine she hoped her children would enjoy. Her receipt says the first issue would arrive in 120 days. That was nine months ago. Her requests for a refund have also gone unanswered.

BBB of Chicago and Northern Illinois currently has 47 complaints on file against Go With Experience. Complainants in 8 states all allege they purchased magazine subscriptions from door-to-door salespeople, some of which alleged that part of the profits would go for rehabilitation of Hurricane Katrina victims. Weeks afterwards, no magazines have been delivered, the company's voicemail is full, and there is no response. To view this company's reliability report click here.

The Lake County, Illinois Sheriff's Department confirms the company's physical location is a residential address.

BBB receives thousands of complaints each year from consumers who have unknowingly purchased multi-year magazine subscriptions. Unscrupulous telemarketers and door-to-door salespeople sometimes trick consumers into paying hundreds of dollars for multi-year subscriptions to magazines they don't want or can't afford. Often, the presentations are so slick that consumers aren't even aware that they have bought several magazine subscriptions until they receive the bill. When a salesperson offers a package of magazines for a few dollars a week, it may sound like a real bargain. Yet the deal may include inflated prices and subscriptions stretching over several years.

If you're contacted by a magazine salesperson, listen carefully to the initial sales presentation. Don't be afraid to interrupt and ask questions. If you're not interested, say good-bye and hang up or close the door. If it sounds like a good deal and you're interested in buying, ask the salesperson for his or her name, and the name, address and telephone number of the company. Contact your BBB for a reliability report on the company. Before buying anything, ask for the total yearly cost of each magazine and of the whole package. Compare those costs to regular magazine subscription rates. Also, ask to receive a written copy of the sales terms. Do not feel pressured to make a hasty decision.

Don't give your credit card number or bank account number unless you're certain you want to buy and you know that the company is a reliable one. Otherwise, your account numbers could be used to make unauthorized purchases.

While there are legitimate companies selling magazine subscriptions, watch out for salespeople who avoid giving you their name or the company's name. They may not even say they are selling magazine subscriptions. They may even imply they represent a major credit card company or magazine publisher.

If and when you agree to buy, some sellers may want to tape your conversation to prove you understand all the terms of the agreement. In some states, your verbal agreement to buy may become an immediate legal contract. If you wish to cancel your subscriptions, you must do so in writing. Under the Federal Trade Commission's Mail Order Rule, you may cancel your order within three days of the receipt of the agreement. The FTC's Mail Order Rule can be viewed at: www.ftc.gov.

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