ARC, Karen Hightower, Aka. American Reading Club, Sub. Circ, Plus ripoff, fake sweepstakes, bait and switch, lyers, cheats, cons... Cumming Georgia Georgia

I am a victim of the American Reading Club. My wife got the silly peanut card in the mail and called "Karen Hightower" at the 800 number. After the sweeptstakes pitch, they talked her into a subscription to one magazine for $4.95, for one year. To date, we are receiving over ten magazine subscriptions. I'm waiting for the inflated charge to be made to my credit card...(but guess what....I cancelled it)!

So I called all of the subscription departments of all of these magazines that I am getting for nothing. A few said that you must contact the "subscription service" (of ARC) directly, then they gave the name and address below. Several said that we could not cancel our own subscriptions. One of them even eluded to the fact they may be "a little shady". Several said that they were putting these people on their "watch list". I doubt this as magazine scams are as old as the hills.

So I sent a registered letter to their address on file telling them cancel our one "subscription", and all the other magazines that they signed us up for.

Sub. Circ, Plus
6750 Westown Pkwy #200, PMB 253
Des Moines, IA 50266

There was an 800 number but it they "have to call you back".

Note the "PMB" above. This stands for Private Mail Box, ie:

The UPS Store # 2618
6750 WESTOWN PARKWAY
WEST DES MOINES, IA 50266 - USA
Phone: (515)453-8426

What legitimate company uses a MBE to do such a large amount of business?

I expect the nasty mail and phoney collection calls to follow as soon as my (registered) letter arrives.

I also talked with the postal inspector. She said that this is a common scam and to file a complaint (after you cancel your credit card) with: https://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/MailFraudComplaint.htm

When you call they insist that you leave your number so that they can verify your address And guess what, you just gave them permission to call you. Now, they have a "business relationship" with you and they can bug you.

Today, I recieved a letter in the mail from ARC's front, "Sub. Circ, Plus". They claim to be only a clearing house for ARC. They claim to have no control over the dozen unauthorized subscriptions that ARC put in for the Mrs. I figure that by this time they have passed the word that we are on to their game. By now I'm sure they must have tried to charge their inflated prices to my now cancelled visa card.

They are still using the UPS Store as their official address. With all the business that they do why can't they afford a real address? Maybe this is a work at home business? Maybe it's just easier to relocate fast when the law gets onto them?

SadSak
Las Angeles, California
U.S.A.