Magazine Lovers! Don't Fall For This!

When First Selectman Fillmore McPherson received a renewal notice for The Economist magazine recently, he did a double take.

He was certain he had already renewed his subscription. He took a closer look at the renewal request and saw that the address and website listed were not for The Economist and that the renewal notice was asking for a much larger sum, almost $50 more, than the amount The Economist normally charges.

He made a few phone calls and was told that the company listed on the notice he had recieved was not only not authorized to sell subscriptions to The Economist, but that attorneys general in several states had initiated inquiries into the company and its practices. A Google search of the company listed, United Publishers Services, revealed complaints about the company relating to Catholic Digest, a nursing magazine, and Sporting News. A call to the company Monday was not answered.

A customer service representative for The Economist magazine said McPherson did exactly the right thing. She said that, while there are authorized agents who are allowed to sell subscriptions to the magazine, that the company listed on the notice McPherson received is not on the list.

"It sounds like a third-party agency," said Johnna White, a customer service representative with The Economist customer service department. "There are third-party agencies who are authorized to sell subscriptions to our magazine and a lot of other magazines. We have a listing. I'll check it."

After checking the list available to her Monday, she said United Publishers Service was not listed.

White said magazine subscribers who have questions about renewal notices should call the magazine subscription department directly, particularly if a renewal notice is asking for payment to be made to an entity other than the magazine itself.

"We can tell you who is on the list and who is not," she said. She added that a quick Google search can sometimes reveal if complaints have been made about companies relating to magazine subscriptions. Likewise, a Google search can also often help someone quickly find the right number for a magazine's valid subscription department, where inquiries can be made.

"If a company asks you to send a payment to somewhere other than the magazine, be very careful," she said. "These companies are popping up every day. We try to do our part and keep track of them."

McPherson said he was alerting the town's senior services department so that they could put out a notification to the town's seniors.

"This is not the first one I've gotten of these," he said. "I've gotten them for The Economist and I've gotten them for other magazines."

For more information, read this fact sheet from the Federal Trade Commission on Magazine Subscription Scams.

Complaints and inquires about magazine subscription services also can be made to the Connecticut Better Business Bureau.

Connecticut Better Business Bureau, Inc.
94 South Turnpike Road
Wallingford, CT 06492

PhoneInquiries and Complaints Specialists Available:

9:00 AM – 2:00 PM EST

 Automated Telephone Assistance Available 24 hours a day
Phone: (203) 269-2700             Fax: (203)-269-3124