Detroit Newspapers Scam

**Bobl** · October-01-09, 04:04 PM

An acquaintance signed up for a promotional subscription, at reduced charges, at a kiosk at the Jazz Festival. A Kroger card was included, as part of the promo.
Bill arrived the other day, with a signup date of August 6, 2009. The Jazz Festival took place in September!
She was told that the debit for the reduced rate trial subscription would be made in thirty days. Wrong. Her account was debited weeks ago.
Beware!

**SMRJim** · October-01-09, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Bobl

An acquaintance signed up for a promotional subscription, at reduced charges, at a kiosk at the Jazz Festival. A Kroger card was included, as part of the promo.
Bill arrived the other day, with a signup date of August 6, 2009. The Jazz Festival took place in September!
She was told that the debit for the reduced rate trial subscription would be made in thirty days. Wrong. Her account was debited weeks ago.
Beware!

They almost got me on one of those a couple of years ago. They were set up right in front of the Kroger near me. I had already signed up when I discovered how it was they were scamming me. I can't remember what it was - it wasn't what you just described. But I ended up making them tear everything up. Part of the deal was a Kroger card that would buy me x$ of groceries, can't remember the amount. All I can remember for sure was that I had to 'interrogate' the guy for quite a while getting all the details, and it finally came out that it wasn't buying me anything at all compared to what I was already paying for home delivery, it was actually a worse deal. They tried to sell it like you were saving some huge amount of money, and you were crazy not to take the deal.

**Bobl** · October-01-09, 07:07 PM

SMRJim:

I stopped subscribing years ago.
Isn't it amazing that they treat people like that, then whine about declining circulation?

If they show such lack of honesty in their business methods, how can they be trusted to publish a reliable news source?

**wolverine** · October-01-09, 07:28 PM

Definitely is a scam. I had the guy at Great Lakes Crossings stumbling over his words when I asked the particulars. Even when I told him I was moving out of state in just two weeks, he still tried to push his promotion.

**shovelhead** · October-01-09, 08:03 PM

After the great change last spring, I received a six month promotion for the paper for a real low rate. After the promotional period was up, it jumped to 19 dollars a month.
I phoned in to cancel, and asked why I was canceling. I replied that the Thursday and Friday papers were ok, the electronic format was hard to use. I have limited access at work to news sources due to a time limit built into our system, so unless I have a "hard" copy for lunch time it's a waste. And to read the morning paper at night, well I have listened to at least a half hour of WJR and WWJ during the day on my car radio.

The sales rep offered me a Sunday only for about 8 dollars a month. I told her ok, then she asked for my credit card number. Remembering billing problems in the past, I declined. telling her that I was uncomfortable using my credit card for automatic payments. She then asked me to wait a minute, came back and offered me the paper on a monthly pay plan with a mailed billing for 6.50 per month.

I asked her why was a electronic billing direct to my credit card with no statement being mailed was a buck and a half more that if the mailed me a bill each month. Her reply was "That's what I was told."

Thanks but no thanks, if I want it I'll buy it at the news stands. Like I'm REALLY going to trust them with my credit card numbers

lilpup · October-01-09, 08:27 PM

Some of those store-based subscription solicitors are third party hires. I used to know a guy who did that. His pay was commission based.

**1KielsonDrive** · October-02-09, 12:08 AM

Another scam from a major corporation. You just can't trust corporations in any way. It's unfortunate because who do we do business with that isn't a corporation?

**Bobl** · October-05-09, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Bobl

An acquaintance signed up for a promotional subscription, at reduced charges, at a kiosk at the Jazz Festival. A Kroger card was included, as part of the promo.
Bill arrived the other day, with a signup date of August 6, 2009. The Jazz Festival took place in September!
She was told that the debit for the reduced rate trial subscription would be made in thirty days. Wrong. Her account was debited weeks ago.
Beware!

It gets worse. Her account was debited for $36.00. She had been told that she had a thirty day grace period, where she could cancel. No dice.
Called today, and "succeeded" in getting a refund of half, and cancellation of the subscription.
Ripped off by a dishonest business. A business that makes money by reporting "facts". Their product will never be purchased by either one of us again.
Beware, people...

**reddog289** · October-06-09, 01:43 AM

Thanks for reminding me about this. I just paid my credit card with the Freep on it.I have had no problems with billing and when I told them I was thinking of canceling I got a $10.00 Meijer card.
After doing the math yeah I do save 25 cents a month and if my rate does not go up I will behead of the game due to the price increase. But if it goes up. That will be the end.
I have a problem of getting rid of things I don't need, and for what its worth, I delivered the Freep,and have read it daily until the daily delivery stopped. Hate to say it when a source of formally "trusted information" becomes a nuicance. Well it might be time for one to cut down on the clutter "newspapers".

**Meddle** · October-06-09, 03:01 AM

As I recall, newstand price is .75 daily and 2.00 Sunday which would make the total $28.25 for October.

How can they possibly do home delivery for $6.50/month?

**buildingsofdetroit** · October-06-09, 01:31 PM

Coulda been that the guy was not a newspaper employee and one of these scammers:

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/21216418/detail.html
Fake Paper Worker Approaches Homes

Police Warn Canton Residents

POSTED: Tuesday, October 6, 2009
UPDATED: 2:15 pm EDT October 6, 2009
CANTON, Mich. -- Canton residents are on alert after a man posing as a worker from the Free Press newspaper approaches them and asked them for money.Police said the man walked up to at least two homes in the area of Ridge Street and Cherry Hill Road and told the residents they needed to write him a check to renew their paper subscription.The man, who was described as a white male with a darker complexion, appears to be targeting homes with the Free Press box in front of their home, police said.Police warn residents once you write a check, the man would have important information so ask for identification first.The Free Press said they have not sent anyone door-to-door to renew subscriptions.If someone approachs your home and claims to be with the paper, call Canton police immediately.

**shovelhead** · October-06-09, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

As I recall, newstand price is .75 daily and 2.00 Sunday which would make the total $28.25 for October.

How can they possibly do home delivery for $6.50/month?

It was Sunday only. The reason I canceled the paper was the Thursday paper was useless in my opinion, Friday was so-so, I really missed Saturday's paper and the convenience of not having to go out to the store on Sunday morning at 6 A.M. And the electronic format was poor IMO.

When I canceled the paper the first time was when they changed the print schedule. A couple of weeks later, they phoned and offered a low "teaser" rate to get me to re-up. I resubscribed for a short time, then decided not to continue.

The best part was after I paid the "final" billing, I received a new billing, Now understand this was a couple of weeks later. And no papers since the cancellation date were received.
I called in, and was told that this was sent in case I wanted the paper again!

So, with this circus act going on, never again will I subscribe to the Detroit papers. I'll buy them at the news stand.

**reddog289** · October-08-09, 01:39 AM

I have been tempted at times this week to buy a paper, Good thing I don't look at the paper rack in the gas station. I myself have not renewed a couple of magazine subs either and will call to get rid of a few.
Wonder what we will use to line the trash barrels at work when I do quit the Freep.

**East Detroit** · October-08-09, 06:08 AM

So, you didn't really want the paper... you just wanted to get the free groceries and then turn around and cancel the subscription?

I guess there were two scams colliding.

Lorax · October-08-09, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by 1KielsonDrive

Another scam from a major corporation. You just can't trust corporations in any way. It's unfortunate because who do we do business with that isn't a corporation?

Truer words were never spoken.

Here in Florida there are dozens of scams to bilk money out of just about everyone, especially the elderly.

My favorites are the "BromoCleanse" pills that don't work, but they try and sell you magazine subscriptions while setting up payment. They really aren't selling BromoCleanse, it's lousy magazine subscriptions- but what they really want is your personal information, and it's cheaper to try and get it willingly from you, than buying it from a larger corporation that trades in your personal info, like credit reporting agencies, utilities, and your employer.

Always remember you're only a consumer, you have no value beyond that.

My remedy is to stop spending, and get free stuff wherever possible.

A friend's father takes it one step further by going to "free bufffet breakfasts" at places that try and sell you time shares. You have to sit in a room with hard-selling salespeople, watch a video, then, after breakfast, are corralled into putting deposits down on lousy time share scams.

All he does is plead poverty and leaves.

Not something I'd go through for a free buffet breakfast, but for retirees, it's catching on.