Area Circulation Sending me to collections Virginia Beach Virginia

So, like many people on here, I too have gotten hosed by Area Circulation. In 2004, a freshman in college, they called me and suckered me into an account with them. I was promised a diamond watch with my subscriptions, but that I found out had strings attached and I did not get my watch.

A year of so later, they called me to ask how my service was. I told them I got my magazines sporadically and was not satisfied and wanted to cancel my subscriptions. They offered to change some magazines and talk with the publishers to try and get the magazines I ordered to me monthly.

Two months later, I'm still not getting anything they promised, but I did get a second account added to my bill with the new magazines I tried to switch out though... nice.

However, my luck changed when I lost my wallet and had to change card numbers that they used for payments. They called to get the new card number, but I refused saying that they did not fulfill their end of the bargain, I did not get the magazines I wanted in a the normal manner, and opened up a second account without my permission. They said they were notifying the magazines I ordered from not to send me anymore magazines and I thought that was that.

Now, a year and a half later, I get a call notifying me that I'm being sent to collections for over 700 dollars. The collection agency offered to lower it, but Area Circulation isn't getting a penny more from me. With the amount of money I paid them, the "diamond" watch I never received, and the service they provided me, I figure that they owe me money.

I know that their argument is that they don't distribute the magazines, they just place the order, but as the third party responsible, they should be liable to ensure quality service or suffer from their consumers.

I'm not sure if they will take me to collections or not, they threatened that when I didn't give them my new card number. But it would be like those bloodsuckers to wait a year and a half to two years, just to build up the interest and payments.

David
Greeley, Colorado
U.S.A.