Any legal beagles on here?

[Ronin13]

I have a little issue- I think I got scammed a few years back and now, after 3 years of absolutely nothing I'm getting calls from collections...

Here's the short version:
2008, while serving in the Army I get a solicited phone call from some magazine distributor asking if I wanted 4 subscriptions for 3 years for the price of 3. I asked them to send me info and I'd decide from there. Well a few weeks go by and nothing happens, then all of a sudden I'm getting magazines in the mail (like Wired and Rolling Stone- I don't fucking read Rolling Stone and their liberal garbage!). No talk of the total price, no info, nothing, just magazines. At the same time I'm leaving the country for a 12-month deployment, so I ask my mother to handle this, send the magazines back and ask them to stop. She sends letters to all parties involved, including the publishers and sends the magazines back asking them to cancel everything. No more magazines come. No more word, no more hassle. Problem gone right?

Wrong. Now, 3 years later I'm getting calls from collections people saying my outstanding balance of $700 something has been forwarded to collections and they'll let me settle for $314.00. WTF? I never received anything in writing, no bills, nothing, just fawking magazines! I called the company that started this whole thing and they have no information regarding my account (claiming because it's in collections everything has been sent to them)... so they have no info from me, nothing that proves I was a customer, and odds are they just tossed the letters my mom sent in my name (she had a power of attorney). I refuse to pay for something I didn't order, and stopped receiving. I got another call today from the collections people asking for at least a partial payment, and I told them I've been advised to pay nothing. She asked, "By who?" and I replied "My attorney." Of course I have not sought legal council, yet... what should I do here? I read up on this company and they have dozens of reports about scams and how many others tried to cancel and they were denied. Should I fork over some of my hard earned money and get a lawyer to fight this, or just let it go and see if it goes away?

[PSS]

I'd ask for proof that you ordered the mags. They have to have some record. No proof no payment.

[rondog]

I am not a lawyer, but my Beagles say tell them to pound sand. And also to demand proof that you ordered any damn thing.

[BPTactical]

I am not a lawyer, but my Beagles say tell them to pound sand. And also to demand proof that you ordered any damn thing.

These are the official "Beagles" in Legal Beagles. Don't eff with them. They are part of the firm of "Dewey Cheatm & Howe".
If the company cannot provide any documentation of you ordering the product you owe them nothing. If that is not good enough then the State AG in whatever state they are in should be of help.


Now tell the truth Ronin, you in fact did order the magazines.
High Times and Good Housekeeping




Good looking pups Ron

[Ronin13]

These are the official "Beagles" in Legal Beagles. Don't eff with them. They are part of the firm of "Dewey Cheatm & Howe".
If the company cannot provide any documentation of you ordering the product you owe them nothing. If that is not good enough then the State AG in whatever state they are in should be of help.


Now tell the truth Ronin, you in fact did order the magazines.
High Times and Good Housekeeping




Good looking pups Ron

I agree, those are good looking dogs.
And I asked for INFORMATION (some of these scam artists take that as proof of purchase)...

[OneGuy67]

I agree, those are good looking dogs.
And I asked for INFORMATION (some of these scam artists take that as proof of purchase)...

As part of a collection request, they are supposed to send you notice of the collection and you have 10 days in which to challenge the collection. You can challenge the collection by requesting they provide proof of the collection being your responsibility.

If they cannot, then you should not be responsible.

That being said, how much you want to spend on an attorney to fight this; how much damage has the collection done to your credit, if reported?

[Ronin13]

As part of a collection request, they are supposed to send you notice of the collection and you have 10 days in which to challenge the collection. You can challenge the collection by requesting they provide proof of the collection being your responsibility.

If they cannot, then you should not be responsible.

That being said, how much you want to spend on an attorney to fight this; how much damage has the collection done to your credit, if reported?

Well they never mailed me anything- no bills, no late notices, no collection notice, nothing. All I've gotten thus far, and it's only been recently, 3 years of silence, has been phone calls. I say the burden of proof falls on them. Until I see anything in writing that I owe anything to anyone (and I shouldn't since we sent all the magazines back and stopped receiving them) I'm going to treat this as a scam. I haven't noticed anything on my credit... yet. And think I'll hire a lawyer when/if they try to phuck with my credit.

[Colorado_Outback]

Call a lawyer and explain and then ask if it will be more than $314.00 to get it done..

[rondog]

Call a lawyer and explain and then ask if it will be more than $314.00 to get it done..

Probably cost that much just to call and ask!

[Byte Stryke]

I would also contact the big three and notify them of the false collections.