Reader's Digest Association,Inc. Double billing or intended scam? Greendale, Wisconsin

Last spring (2010) I filled out an insert from a purchased Reader's Digest magazine.  I mailed my request for a one year subscription along with my $10.00 payment to the address on the insert.

Within a short period of time Reader's Digest subscription dept. mailed me a statement for $10.00.  I thought they must be behind on their postings and record keeping and I ignored the first statement.

Then came another statement.  I answered via email.  Then came another and another and another etc.

I answered each statement via email ar postal mail.  I included my original check number the date and the date the check cleared my bank.  All my correspondence was answered with another statement saying I owed $10.00.  The messages included became condescending and insulting.

Finally, after four months, I went to my bank and obtained a copy of the check as my proof that I had paid for my one year subscription five months before.  I mailed the copy via registered, return receipt postal mail.

In several weeks I received a post card from Reader's Digest telling me I owed nothing and I breathed a sigh of relief.  Immediately the statements started arriving again.

After the third insulting statement I sent my bank proof to the same department and also to one of the editors.  I sent both letters via registered mail again.  By this time I had spent over $20.00 to prove I didn't owe $10.00.

After a few weeks I received a letter telling me that Reader's Digest subscription dept. knew I had paid for one year and gave me the dates.  They said what I owed for was a second year and gave me dates.

I never subscribed to two years, so who extended my subscription?  Reader's Digest, that's who.  They certainly had plenty of time to answer any one of my emails or postal mails to tell me they had attached a second year to my original request.  I would not have paid for a second year.

If they had made any effort to contact me, I might assume they made an honest mistake.  I feel they were just hoping I would go ahead and pay again.  I'll just bet I would never have seen an extention to my original one year subscription had I paid the $10.00 they were billing me. 

When I was explaining to my bank why I needed a copy of my check to send my proof to Reader's Digest the person assisting me said Reader's Digest tried to do the same thing to her.

How many people go ahead and pay the bogus charge.  Shame on you, Reader's Digest.