Bay Area Readers Club Pedro Ferran aka Rick Ferran Didn't send money paid for subscription renewal to magazine publisher Sarasota, Florida

Phone caller identified himself as working for the subscription department of The Week. To check validity I asked him when my subscription was to expire. He had the correct date, so I agreed to renew on the phone. Soon after I got a renewal notice in the mail from The Week.  The charge was more than $50 less than what I'd agreed to.  I phoned The Week to complain. Service rep gave me the name of the company (Bay Area Readers Club), said they were a contractor not part of the company, gave me their phone number, and encouraged me to call. 

Woman who answered immediately offered to issue a credit for the excess amount. I asked for an email confirming the credit and she sent it from a private email address (Danielle Scaramuzzo <rscsdanielle@gmail.com>), Credit showed up on my credit card account, but the company never forwarded my $150 payment to The Week. I phoned the company again, found that phone was not in service. I emailed the woman who confirmed my credit. The message didn't bounce, but I got no reply. My subscription expired.

I am currently disputing the charge with the credit card company. I'm sure I'll win. I have all the information the credit card company asks for.  But I've wasted a lot of time tracking down the company information and owner's name and I want to warn others: Don't subscribe to anything over the phone, even if you think it's legitimate. Wait for the mail subscription form.