Publishers Business Services scamed my employee into mag subscription *copy of my letter to PBS* Henderson Nevada

Publishers Business Services also scammed one of my employees on July 2 into 30 month magazine subscription.

I got the bill in the mail yesterday for my first monthly payment of $24.00. I had no Idea what this was so I asked my employee and she said they called to do a survey about her reading habits and that we would receive a free magazine subscription.

She was very busy but they were very persistent, so she did the survey. They asked her if this was for (our business name here) and she said yes, not knowing that now is she not only responsible for the subscription so is our company.

I called PBS and told them that this employee was not a financial representative or an officer of our company and could not make any legal binding decisions. They said she agreed to the terms and we were responsible for the debt and if we didn't pay they would send it to a debt collection agency.

The rep that I spoke with tried to offer me a settlement price of $360.00, half of the total $720.00 that was owed for the subscription. I told him that I was not going to pay the debt as I do not feel that our company is responsible. They didn't even spell our employee's first name right and their last name was totally wrong, so much for debt collection on their part.

Do not feel pressured to take the settlement offer if you feel you were a victim of false and deceptive tactics. They can be very rude, persistent and intimidating. Fight them all the way, its their job to try to wear you down and make you give in.

Below is a copy of the letter that I sent to them today. I am posting this in hopes that it will help you build your case against PBS. Please do not just copy my letter and send it to them. Use it as a guide to build your own case.

I will keep you updated on the outcome. Thanks to everyone who posted their stories on this site and many others, your information was very helpful and encouraging.

Letter:
"On July 2, 2007 a representative from you company called my business, (name here), and spoke with an employee. The representative asked my employee if they would take place in a short survey about their reading habits, she agreed. She was told that upon completion of the survey she would be eligible to receive a free magazine subscription.

Feeling pressured because they were at work and was very busy and distracted, which is obvious in the recorded conversation because they asked your representative if they could hold several times, they answered yes to all of the questions in hopes to get off of the phone faster.

On July 23, 2007 I spoke with a representative from you company and explained that our company has no interest in you services. I was informed that my employee had agreed to receive the magazine subscription that you company is offering. I was told that I could not cancel the subscription and that if I did not pay it would be sent to a collection agency.

The employees of a corporation are not able to make financial decisions or create legal binding contracts for the company unless they are a legal or financial representative for our company. In which your company did not verify this information with my employee. All they asked is if the company was (company name here) and she said yes. The answer to that imprecise question does not constitute financial or legal representation or obligation.

I have been in contact with the Nevada, Florida and Virginia Attorney General's offices. I have been made aware that there is at least 178 other complaints currently filed with the Nevada Attorney Generals office not to mention the hundreds more that are filed with the Florida Attorney Generals office where there is an on-going investigation into your company, by Attorney General Bill McCollum, due to its manipulative sales practices and strong-arm tactics.

I have also been in contact with the Better Business Bureau. The Better Business Bureau stated that no matter what state you are in, any contract over the total amount of $500 has to be in writing - it's called the statute of frauds. Also, agreeing to something on-tape does not mean the route taken to get them there was legitimate, which in this case is argumentative.

In addition, I have also been in contact with the Federal Trade Commission and the Commonwealth of Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs. The total cost of $720.00 was not disclosed and the non-cancelable contract was not clear and conspicuous in the conversation.

According to the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule it requires sellers and telemarketers to disclose the total costs to purchase, receive, or use the offered goods or services. The FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule prohibits sellers and telemarketers from misrepresenting any material aspect one that would likely have an effect on the consumer's purchasing decision of the nature or terms of the seller's refund, cancellation, exchange, or repurchase policies.

I was also informed that your business has been entered into the Federal Trade Commissions Consumer Sentinel database for its fraud-related complaints for fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace.

In conclusion, I believe that Publishers Business Services engaged in false and deceptive tactics to promote their magazine sales, and engages in intimidating tactics. In my opinion their tactics are both fraudulent and criminal.

Also, a simple comparison shows that I could have gotten about twice as many magazine subscriptions for the money that I am supposed to pay PBS, if I had gone directly to each magazine. I feel that your company gets its customers deceptively and by immoral means, playing on customers when they are most vulnerable.

I am requesting that you cancel my magazine subscription account with your company. Your unwillingness to do so will unfortunately result in further action by the Nevada, Florida and Virginia Attorney Generals office, the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission and the Commonwealth of Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs and if necessary, our company's attorney. Thank you for your prompt attention with this matter."

Khristi
Newport News, Virginia
U.S.A.

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