A quick warning to anyone and everyone who has a magazine subscription. Beware of fraudulent magazine subscription notices.
I just received a fictitious mailing from "National Magazine Services, Inc." asking me to renew my magazine subscription for 4 years. At first glance, I took it as a legitimate renewal invoice as my subscription is actually up for renewal and, as we all know, sometimes magazines will outsource their billing to a third party.
Luckily for me, I also received a renewal notice from the real company yesterday. Once I compared the two invoices, I also noticed that the magazine name was incorrect. You would think I would have caught that first but the magazine recently went through a name change. It was originally called MacAddict and is now called MacLife.
Another tell-tale sign was that the invoice requested checks or money orders should be made payable to "National Magazine Services, Inc." instead of the magazine company.
Here's the fraudulent company information.
National Magazine Services, Inc.
PO Box 98
Elmsford, NY 10523
1-888-687-7622
UPDATE
Just received another notice in the mail to renew my subscription. Only this time the notice was from;
Magazine Distribution Services, Inc.
1350 E Flamingo Rd.,
Suite 138 #749
Las Vegas, NV 89119
Suite 138 #749 ?
I'm guessing that's a rented mailbox.
Oh wait, look at this, a satellite photo of their location. And look, it's a strip mall with a UPS Store. Hmmm?
So I ask you, would a large magazine distribution service really use a PO Box? I think not. Can you say SCAM?
My next question is, if I can figure this out AND pinpoint their location with just a few clicks, then why can't the FBI or other law enforcement agency do the same thing and shut these low-lifes down?
Grab some RSS love.
5 Responses to “Fake Magazine Renewal Subscription Notice From National Magazine Services”
1 ASHLEY 16 December 2008 @ 10:15 pm
MY SISTER JUST GOT SCAMMED BY THESE PEOPLE
THEY CHARGED HER CREDIT CARD TODAY
DON’T PAY THESE JERKS
THEY SAID THEY WOULD REPORT HER AND SEND HER TO COLLECTIONS
AND ASKED HER FOR HER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
WHY DO YOU NEED THAT TO SELL MAGAZINES
WHEN WE CALLED BACK AND THREATENED LEGAL ACTION, THEY SAID THAT WE WOULD NOT BE FORWARDED TO COLLECTIONS
SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THESE GUYS, DO NOT PAY THEM ANYTHING
I REPORTED THEM TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU
2 Sam 17 March 2009 @ 6:43 am
I just received a notice from the National Magazine Servies, Inc to renew/new my order for “US News & World Report. I never have read that magazine over the counter so why would I have ordered the magazine at all. Also why would I be a new reader.
3 Gail 20 April 2009 @ 8:00 pm
I too recently received a notice from the Nat’l Magazine Service. The prices just didn’t seem right to I went the the magazine website. First of all, my subscription doesn’t run out until October. The Nat’l Mag Svc gave me until April 27 to take advantage of these great rates. Their rates for a 2 year renewal were DOUBLE! Why are these crooks still out there?
4 Russ 2 June 2009 @ 7:43 pm
I just got a renewal for National Geographic from these crooks. The 3 year renewal made me look closer. The form looks almost exactly like the National Geographic renewal notice. I bet a check made out to National Geographic would be cashed!
5 imci 21 February 2010 @ 3:47 pm
The obvious answer is “Because they are inept, incompetent, and imprisoning them are not on or at the top of their agenda”.
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