Better watch out for this scam. Consumers from Alaska to New York are being slammed into magazine renewals they never asked for and having their bank accounts debited for subscription renewals that they never authorized.
The Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South region warns consumers that they have received numerous complaints about a company called Global Subscription Services.
Consumers have reported that the company mailed them notices stating that the company is automatically renewing their magazine subscriptions and debiting their bank accounts.
The only problem is that Global never received permission from the consumers nor their bank account information. It is not known how Global was able to obtain bank account information from the consumers in the first place.
In a response to a BBB inquiry, Global Subscription Services stated that some consumers were “inadvertently” enrolled in their automatic renewal program, but didn’t say how or why. They also did not address the question about how they obtained the banking information.
Global Subscription Services lists its business address as 111 S Highland Street, #102, Memphis TN. However, the BBB has confirmed that address to be a rented mailbox at a UPS Store.
The Better Business Bureau offers the following tips:
Check your bank and credit card statements. Make sure all the charges and drafts were authorized by you.
Don’t wait for your bank or credit card statement to come in the mail. If you have electronic access, check them more frequently.
Don’t automatically pay bills and invoices that arrive in your mailbox. Verify their legitimacy first.
Here are a few of our tips:
Beware of free trial subscription offers sent to you online or by mail which are included in your bank account or credit card statements. In many cases these offers allow you to “conveniently” cancel your subscription after the free trial period, but only after you call them to do so.
Read the fine print on anything you do online. Make sure that any free trial or subscription offers that pop-up on your screen on not pre-filled to opt you in to an offer. Make sure any check boxes are deselected before you go to the next screen or log out.
If you get slammed into an offer that you did not ask for, immediately notify the company that billed you. If necessary, file a dispute with your bank or credit card company and ask them to reverse the charge, and ask them to make the company that billed you prove that you opted in and gave your permission to be billed for the subscription.
