VAnss magazine Service Center ripoff makes it impossible to stop yearly renewals Nationwide

In 2000, I "won" a free subscription to TV GUIDE. Thereafter, the company charged my credit card for a new year. That wasn't too bad, it insulated me from some hefty price increases. This past year TV GUIDE changed its format making it far less usefull as a guide to what's on telelvision. So I vowed I wasn't going to renew.

The company mailed me a card telling me to call 800-920-3667 to cancel the order before a certain date. I quickly called. It has a voice response system to automated questions. After I told it to cancel, it gave me an option to subscribe (as in a never ending sales pitch), so I hung up.

Guess why my credit card is $56 charged this month? Yep. The company renewed me. So I called the number on the credit card statement. Again, after I cancelled they offered me "Would you like to cancel and start a $1 trial subscription" after which they would start charging me again.

Did you know that if you don't answer "yes" or "no" they start giving you the press 1 for yes and press 2 for no type options?

Calming down, I pressed two. They then told me I was getting a $55 refund. That's not good enough. I shouldn't have been charged in the first place!!! I listen to a paragraph of explaination that didn't really apply (Do I want it to repeat? "NO") Now I get a offer for Time magazine. I yell No and I want an operator.

Did you know that yelling hurts the machine's ability to voice recognize?

It asks me to press 1 for yes and 2 for no on the Time magazine offer.... frustrated I push zero.

"It may take several minutes for an operator to be available. Are you sure..." I press zero three more times in rapid succession.

I get an operator. I explain it to her. She fills out a report and they may have to contact me later by phone....

MAGAZINE ORDER 800-920-3667 VAnss (magazine Service Center) or whatever they are called... do not do business with them.

Michael
Saint James, Missouri
U.S.A.