Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/26/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I received a call from "South West Mediation" from a lady named ***********************. I listened to her for a minute and then hung up It was about American marketing service magazines and that I breach of contract I know that i dont get any magazine contract because I dont even read them. She left me an voicemail saying this when she called me back hanging up on me is not going to make this matter go away, it'll just force the client to move forward with further action against you". She also told me I needed to secure legal counsel based on breach of contract. She even emailed me this document that I have uploaded and I think that its nasty for people to be fake and scammers like this person is

  Business Response

  Date: 07/28/2023

  ****************,

  After **************** contacted you and verified your information regarding this outstanding balance on a Magazine service Contract you agreed to review the documentation you received and uploaded to the BBB website.  The document states multiple payments as you told **************** you did not have the funds to pay in full. As for the magazines : ESPN, Car & Driver, ******************* & G.Q. they where delivered to the address on Sea Breeze  until payment stopped.  Two collection agencies tried to collect and failed and AMS sent this account to ********************** and that generated this BBB. We will send this account and complaint back to ****************** Service for them to review as see fit. You will not hear from our office again.
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/13/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

   
  Complaint: 20316465
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  While I appreciate the little joke in the reply (because it proves youre a fraud, see below), I have never worked for this company or had any association with this address, which I can prove. So we agree that my response is out of line with a paying customer, because I have never been one. I see that you do this in all of the dozens of complaints you receive about your little scam: Repeat the bogus details, never offering any proof. Let me show you how easy this is:******* from Southwest Mediation ordered 5 copies of TV Guide and never paid. I have her on a recorded line, which is a contract. But I cant share the recording or a copy of any contract. Now she owes me (calculator sounds) $2400,but if she pays me RIGHT NOW, we can square it for (calculator sounds) $600 to avoid a lawsuit. Easy. Scary. But you can't just make things up. So let's take the focus off of the fiction you are pushing here, and put it squarely where it belongs: Your fraudulent business practices.
  
  You explicitly stated on the call that you are "not a debt collector." You fashion yourself as a "mediator," talking fast and implying that things are Very Serious,and suggesting that you are trying to "make a decision" and have the power to do so. Heavily implied in this is that you are somehow an officer of the court. But you are not a mediator. For mediation to occur, both parties must voluntarily enter into mediation. I have not done that. A mediator hears both sides, and uses that information to render a fair decision. You provide only one side of the case, and do not listen to the other side at all. A mediator would listen to one party saying that they have evidence that the claim of the other party is false. Instead, you make snarky jokes in response to such a claim. You lean on one party at the behest of the other. And, you want that party to pay you directly, to make the case go away. A mediator would not do this. So you are a debt collector. Even the language you use here and elsewhere on the BBB site (We will send this account back as refusal to pay) is the language of a debt collector. That is important, because:
  
  1. You are violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in at least three ways. First, you are failing to identify yourself properly and honestly as an entity attempting to collect a debt. Second, you are making demands well in excess of any existing contract. Here, the contract does not exist, but if it did, no judge on Planet Earth would see $4,100 as fair damages. Not to mention that by your own admission, the alleged debt is more than *********************************************************************** every American state. And third, you provide no written notice or any other evidence of the debt.
  
  2. As best I can tell, you are not a bonded debt collector in the state where I presently resided, or the one where I resided where this contract was allegedly executed (which is not the state you seem to think it is).
  
  3. You are not a licensed debt collector in Nevada, where you are apparently conducting business outside of state law (not that I believe you are an actual entity in Nevada).
  
  4. It is a crime to impersonate an officer of the court in Nevada, as well as the one I presently live in. You guys get pretty close to the line here, likely by intent.
  
  I believe the true scam here is getting people to pay you, thus converting a fake debt to a real one, so you can then go after the rest. So I believe no one should pay you, ever. I believe people should file complaints against you with the ************************ (search for FTC Complaint Assistant), as well as the attorneys general of Nevada and the state in which they reside. The more that do so, hopefully the harder it will be for you to continue engaging in what I believe are illegal business practices.
  
  If it isnt clear already, I am not afraid of being ***d here, because I will win and counter-*** and also win. But I cant shake the feeling that you guys actually succeed at this every day, probably shaking down little old ladies who are afraid of your tactics. I wonder how someone sleeps at night, strong-arming innocent people into paying money they have never owed. Shame on you.
  
  

  ourt-authorized official. They are trying to shake people down for debts they don't owe, threatening litigation that they can't even bring. They are perpetuating a scam designed to make people panic and pay. No one should pay this company. I'd be willing to bet that they've purchased really old, dubious "debt" at pennies on the dollar and they're just threatening people with ******* to get them to pay something.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/18/2023

  ****************,

  Our office contacted you to settle an unpaid debt for magazines delivered to the address on Glenridge Ave while employeed at Lord & ******'s . The periodicals in question are: Bon Appetite, Cookbook Digest, ESPN, ************* US Weekly, G.Q. Magazine & **************** all a 5 year bulk subscription. Not only are the cooking magazines unique and most asked for as a custom order this contract in question is a renewal order. That means you have ordered from them before. For you to say I never did this and this is a scam is out of line with a good standard paying costumer. You not only received these magazines you requested the cookbook digest & Bon Appetite. **************** must be good in the kitchen and bad with memory. We will send this renewal account back to AMS as a refusal to pay and you will not hear from our office again. Our job is to mediated a settlement not chase a complaint on paper. 
  

  Business Response

  Date: 07/19/2023

  To answer this rebuttal we are in fact not a collection agency in any form and do not fall under the ***** law. Ms. **** was given a case load of outstanding unpaid magazine contracts for mediation. after we verify name, address, payments and last four of SSI # we then proceed to find the debtor and make contact. Thought our experience over the years in this field we have learned that a consumer can custom order magazines of their choice. This service contract allows the consumer to change the magazines as often as they like for the life of the service. you made 2 monthly payments of $59.90 and owed 28 months. the last 30 months ( double payments for the first 30 months) are paid for a total of 60 months. Cooking magazines are requested items and that raised an eyebrow. You say you never did this is a open door for both parties. Your complaints as a way out and us ending all communication and sending this back to Publishers Renewal Services on July 18th, 2023. Our office will not contact **************** again as this account is not under our agreement to mediate.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/20/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  A lady called me and said a magazine subscription I made in 2013 and that the company was filing a law suit and that I owed $200ish. She said she wanted to help settle this complaint because the company "could not get a hold of me" but yet she has my number and I've never received a call from any magazine company. I did in face get scammed into magazines in 2009 but it was under a different last name. She somehow knew a name of a relative that has nothing do with it. When I asked for her to send me the written law suit so I could send it to my lawyer to look at she just said ok and hung up and didn't even ask my address or confirmed a correct address.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/05/2023

  We have sent this complaint and original contract back to ****************** Services for review and You will not hear from our office again

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/19/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Tried to call me about a magazine subscription that I never really had and that I was being notified of a lawsuit against me for it. I NEVER in my life used magazines so I know its not true, I was born into the generation of ***************** and the internet so never needed magazines. I am not foolish enough to accidentally signing up for anything and they said it was years ago, well jokes on them because my history wouldnt have even allowed me to revive any magazines to any location. They repetitively called and left voicemails. When I did answer they did not even confirm it was me on the phone before they started talking their nonsense. No actual real mediation business would do such. Do not fall for it.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/25/2023

  ************, While residing on **************** in ********, ** you received the following magazines: Vouge, Whole Living, ESPN & PC Gaming for 5 years with the option to change those selections as often as you like through ****** Publishing. After 7 monthly payments were made they stopped for a reason we have no clarity. Address change or finances could have played a factor or in most cases. This company is now out the remaining balance  of the 5 year contract. After we verified the information we did call and leave a message for you to return our message. That generated a BBB complaint that we answer in a timely fashion and even though this is in fact a contractual agreement within its statute of limitation we will send this account back to ****** Publications for review including this complainant.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/08/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  They called me and left a voice-mail and upon further searches BBB website came up and I knew immediately it was a scam. The woman "***************" on the phone using an obvious alias didn't sound legitimate at all, clearly uneducated and unprofessional. Do not give them a dollar, and I will be warning absolutely everyone I know.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/23/2023

  After a message was left on a voicemail the consumer proceeded to file a complaint with the BBB without speaking to us regarding said message. We already sent this file back to the company that owns this account for processing. We will not call again or leave a simple message to call us back.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/03/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Im getting accuse of purchasing some magazines I never would order any kind of magazines.The reason why is I dont read any kind of magazines Im not the reading type of person. Claiming I ordered them in 2016 .

  Business Response

  Date: 05/09/2023

  ********************, While living on Frankton Ave in ******* the following magazines where delivered: Essence, Ebony, Every Day with *********************, Better Homes & Gardens, Red book & Woman's Day. you entered into a 20 month contract and after making one payment you defaulted. All ******** Readers offers a three days buyers right to cancel and that was not exercised therefor binding the contract to *********************************************** dis-regard the merchandise they are under contract. Once a complaint is received we are ordered to se3nd this and the contract back to AMS the parent company for legal review and ******************** will not hear from our office again.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/20/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

   
  Complaint: 19624002
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I didn't live at that address at the time you claim I had magazines delivered there. Moving forward, I would like to receive the initial documentation where I agreed to pay for 5 years, a copy of payments paid, and a copy of the voice recording you claim to have of me saying I wanted these magazines for 5 years, to be delivered to the address mentioned that I did not live at. i can prove my address at those dates, and the one mentioned is not it. Please provide me the proper documentation. My email is ********************* I have never received any of the magazines mentioned above, nor have I ever given a verbal or written consent to subscribe to a magazine that I would never read for 5 years. I don't even like phone contracts for 2 years. So, once I receive all of these documents,  along with my verbal agreement that you claim to have recorded,  then I will be willing to move forward. Until then, even 2014 is outside the statuse of limitations. Debts get written off and go off your credit after 7 years. And funny.... I've NEVER seen this debt show up on my credit, because it's just not real. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************ices, take a hike. 2012 was 11 years ago. I've never seen it on my credit report. So this is clearly a scam. You aren't taking my hard earned money for something I never signed up for at an address I didn't even live at during that time period. Do not ever call and harass me again. I have an actual job that I work for my money, not scam people out of theirs. Isn't there some sort of statute of limitations on debts anyways? 11 years seems outside those limits......

  Business Response

  Date: 03/23/2023

  The information you are requesting is in the possession of the publisher and we will forward the account back and this response as a refusal to pay. Once a consumer requests all information regarding delinquent account we must send it back. You will NOT hear from our firm again.

   

  *************************
  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/21/2023

  ********************, claims of not receiving any magazines not even Glamour is false based on the information we received from the publishing company that has lost $867.10 for a 5 year service for merchandise received under a service contract never paid in full by ********************. The magazines in question Glamour, ********************** Rolling Stone, Elle & *************** all 5 years and Elle was for one year. They had been delivered to the address on Saint ******* for 6 monthly payments and then they stopped. Two collection agencies tried to collect unsuccessfully and the account was sent back to the publisher at that point. Fast forward to 2014 and contact was made with a promise to pay on 08/05/2014 claiming she was a newly single mother of three children and will call back to make a payment and that in effect re-instated the statue of limitation in FLA as a promise to pay. Our main objective is to settle the consumer out for less owed and have all information removed from the data base. In this case her promise to pay when she can just made the company look at the contract not the merchandise or payments made. All of this said our office follows a policy after a complaint has been generated. We will send this account back to AMS for review and attach this complaint with paperwork and ******************** will not hear from our office again.

   

  *************************
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/23/2023

   
  Complaint: 19624002
  
  I am rejecting this response because: how are you going to collect a debt that you have no information about? That's insane. This debt is outside of any limitations to go on my credit report, so I considered this matter closed and I better not find one thing on my credit report. 7 years and debts get removed. If this was truly a debt I owed, it would have been on my credit report at some point since 2012. Again, I consider this matter closed since absolutely no information can be provided to me regarding this matter. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/06/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

   
  Complaint: 19534717
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I have NEVER lived on Attala Rd, I have NEVER in my LIFE nor would I EVER subscribe to ******* magazine, or any of the other magazines listed. That was your major mistake. I am not a car person and am certainly not an out-doors person. The fact that these are the magazines that have been listed as me having ordered are laughable at most. I have never made a single payment for any of these subscriptions and will not be bullied into this any further. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

  Business Response

  Date: 03/06/2023

  ********************,

  While residing on Attala Road you received Hot **** *** & Driver, *******,  Outdoor Life,  & TV Guide under a 5 year service contract that allowed you to change the magazines as often as you like regardless of weekly or monthly subscriptions. the company that sold the order to you was ****** Publishing and that account was sent to AMS for upkeep and collections. you paid four monthly payments of $16.87 and left a outstanding balance of $269.92 to pay in full. At this point in time we see an attempt to complain instead of justify the debt and pay it off so we have no other choice but to send it back to the original owners with this response and you will NOT hear from our long term established office again. For a consumer to find us as a way to file a complaint instead of working with us through Mediation is nothing more than a stall static. We have a B - rating with the BBB and answer any and all complaints in a timely fashion.  

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 03/23/2023

  THIS IS A DUPLICATE that we answered on March 6th, 2023. this account is not in our office at this point as all complaints are sent back to the publisher for processing ******************** has not and will not receive calls from our office.

   

  *************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/17/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  A lady *********************** called stating she was a mediation company and I was going to be sued by some magazine company that I've never heard of or bought from.. Tells me the statue of limitations is 10 years and a suit will be filled by june... pretty sure this is a ligit scam.. or a company disguised as a collection agency... by the way this is supposedly from 10 years ago

  Business Response

  Date: 02/21/2023

  **************** was contacted by our office regarding a magazine offer with living in *********, **. He received *************, Golf Digest, ESPN Magazine, Sport Fishing. once payment stopped in this 5 year agreement the company  Magazine Service tried to collect in house and with two collection agencies and all three businesses where unsuccessful in that en endeavor. Our mediation service contacted **************** to see how this account fell into default and offer a settlement to pay in full for a lessor amount. **************** claims this account is uncountable because of statue of limitations. We are not a collection agency and as we explained this matter to him he then assisted we need to send all information to his lawyer. Without a Bar number and full name we cannot send any sensitive information via email or regular mail. So we will send this back to AMS for processing and **************** will not hear from our office again.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/05/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

   
  Complaint: 18690375
  
  I am rejecting this response because: they are going off an address that I no longer reside at, and havent been at in almost 5 years. The address was ********************************************************. I never got any kind of magazines. And when I moved I put in a change of address on line **** website. and all my mail from the **** address should have been rerouted to my address here in ********. And they are now saying I owe for magazines almost 5 years later.  If that was true at the time of my supposed magazine subscription them magazines should have been forwarded to my current addresses here in ********. If not then that delinquent account should have been added to my credit, and I check my credit very frequently and there has been nothing along the lines of a magazine subscription from the company added to my credit. So its a little suspicious that Im being hit for something like that now. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************************

  Business Response

  Date: 01/12/2023

  ***********************,  Was contacted by our office for a breach of contract for a Magazine offer that she agreed to pay for over a 40 month period. $33.30 was the down payment and 4 more consecutive months for the same amount was paid into this agreement. Postage shows a delivery on *************************** in **************** and a reference name of **** at same address. Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Vogue, ********************** & 1. mens Bonus magazines. *********************** claims she moved and that can be the reason for stoppage of payments. We see consumers move but they must notify the publishes or the magazines will continue at old address until delinquent. That being said we will hold this account until January 20th , 2023 for a response from *********************** via phone call or BBB response.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/13/2023

  Our Offices do not claim or redirect to a consumers credit or credit score. We only address the contract and balance owed. As you mentioned there was a address change out of state and this account did not follow you there. That fact being stated by you leads us to believe the punishing company and TWO (2) ******************* could not get a hold of you at all. We will forward this account and all correspondence including these BBB emails back to AMS for review. We are only equipped to handle settlements and resolutions. You will not hear from our office again.