8664943117

I was mislead yesterday. the books a million rep didn't explain anything about the offer other than it's free. so I said "sure", but I'm glad I read my receipts. On there it states ** Risk Free Offer *. It's risk free with automatic renewal. Call 1-800-961-8721 spoke with Candice and she said that it takes a week for the information to be in there system. So I cancel this mess before it gets started. Thanks to everyone for there posts, you all saved me big $$$.

James

On the subject of magazine subscriptions..i work t books a million and i must say i hate selling magazines. I agree it is kind of shady but i always make sure I tell the customer to cancel early if they do not want to be charged. The thing is that books amillion stores are rated based on card and magazine sales so we are forced to pressure you into subscribing or we minimum wage employees can be let go. so just chill about the magazines..next time just say no and leave. But by reading these posts it seems that it was not difficult to get your money back.

So I was just charged for these magazines, and like everyone else I used my bank card.  I was charged 2 separate overdraft fees.  If I call 1-866-494-3117 will they also refund the amount overdrafted or just the amount I was charged?

Thanks!!Even though lady was very rude got my way out.

This happened to me. When I checked out of a Books A Million in Mobile, Al. the cashier asked me if I wanted 3 free magazines. I said of course, then she preceded to tell me I could cancel after so long. I then said that I was not interested if I they continued sending me magazines. I told her NO several times. she assured me that I would not get any magazines. After a few months I started receiving magazines and didn't know why. I then got a bank statement where a magazine company had taken 82.00 dollars out of my account for 3 magazines. The People magazine was 58.50 alone. I called a telephone number on my statement and they told me books A Million had given them permission to take the money out of my account. I then went to book store and raised Hell! The manager told me that they were in a contract with the magazine company. I told them that I couldn't believe Books A Million could be involved in a scam like this. He told me that this was a corporate decision. I plan on calling the corporate office and will report them to the BBB.

This happened to me. When I checked out of a Books A Million in Mobile, Al. the cashier asked me if I wanted 3 free magazines. I said of course, then she preceded to tell me I could cancel after so long. I then said that I was not interested if I they continued sending me magazines. I told her NO several times. she assured me that I would not get any magazines. After a few months I started receiving magazines and didn't know why. I then got a bank statement where a magazine company had taken 82.00 dollars out of my account for 3 magazines. The People magazine was 58.50 alone. I called a telephone number on my statement and they told me books A Million had given them permission to take the money out of my account. I then went to book store and raised Hell! The manager told me that they were in a contract with the magazine company. I told them that I couldn't believe Books A Million could be involved in a scam like this. He told me that this was a corporate decision. I plan on calling the corporate office and will report them to the BBB.

This happened to me as well... I was under the impression that it would be totally free, as said, but it wasn't. I was charged almost immediately for National Geographic. However, I called 1 800 961 8721 and they cancelled the subscription and refunded my money without a problem.

This is absolutely ridiculous. If there were other book stores in my town I would gladly shop at those. I'm giving all of my business to Amazon now.

Hi there my name is Kelsey, I was wondering what number you called in order to be reimbursed? I called the number first listed but I was given an incorrect number to be reimbursed. Thanks so much for your time:)
-kelsey

I accepted the offer for 3 free magazines a few months ago. NOTHING was explained to me about the fact that I would eventually be charged and no info was given to me about how or who to contact to cancel after the free subscriptions ran out. I was subsequently charged and my account was over $100 negative. I called BAM and they gave me the PH# to the CS division of the Time Warner-based company in Maine. They cancelled my subscriptions and credited my account. They then told me they would send me free "courtesy" magazines for the trouble I had to go through. Well guess what, I found out today through my bank they they started taking out money again for the magazines they had supposedly cancelled. Not only that, they started sending magazines I never,ever asked for and started charging me for those too. I had to put a block on them and may have to change my checking account just to stop this BS! I've been a loyal BAM customer for years & can't believe they would be involved in this kind of scam. Very fraudulent & unscrupulous!!!!

I have worked with Books-A-Million for about a year now and I can provide some insight into this whole magazine scam. Everybody working there knows that it is a scam. However, we are all forced to do it because the company gives each store a mandatory quota of magazines that they have to meet. My store, for example, had a goal of 94 magazine subscriptions to make every week. It seems that everybody who signs up is unhappy with it but we have to continue to offer them because if we don't make our quota, we are seriously reprimanded. I don't know about other cashiers, but I try my best to sell the mags, but also make it clear that they will be charged if they don't cancel them. There are also incentives for employees to sell them, for every magazine a cashier sells, they get 50 cents. So, if the employee is like me and sells 40 magazines, they walk away with an extra $20 on their paycheck. So I can see how some employees will send them to you without your consent. Whenever someone signs up for the mags, they also have to sign a small contract that states that they understand that they will be billed. If you never signed the contract, call the store and unleash hell upon them. If you did sign it....lesson learned: always read the fine print before signing something.

I was the one posted on june 1st above. I never signed a contract with BAM. After, I called the 1-877 number the last time and they refunded all of the recent costs from what they took out of my checking account plus my $100 of overdraft fees. I then called them a second time later that day and emphatically requested they take my name out of the system and to NEVER, EVER send me anything again. All was quiet for a month until I went to deposit my check Tuesday and realized my checking acct. balance was out of whack compared to my records. I got a print-out from the bank and discovered more fees taken out for Consumer Reports Mag. which is another magazine sent that I never requested. My mother had gotten it from the mail and never told me about it. I ended up having to close out my checking acct. This is the 3rd time they have sent me magazines I never requested. Yes, I did raise hell with BAM plus I am going to report them and the TWX co. to the Better Business Bureau. I'm also considering going to the media.

My daughter's boyfriend used his card also but I'm her mother and I knew how to use the google.com so I got the numbers the day the 3rd month magazine arrived and got the phone #'s I needed and canceled all 3 magazines

This happened to me in Mobile Al as well. I said no at the checkout . Then 3 months later received a magazine in the mail with a different last name.Went online for the cooking light magazine entered info. on label and lo and behold my email is in their system. was told to call Synapse group inc. After calling their automated system I discovered that someone had ordered 3 other magazines which i have never received. I cancelled all the subscriptons. However many complaints have been made that this company will still charge you after the fact. So i also cancelled my debit card at my bank as well. Then i called corporate and filled a complaint. I think it is time for a law suit.

I purchased a book at Books A Million in Gadsden, AL for my Dad for Father's Day. I rarely go in a bookstore, however, they had the book I was looking for. That was June 19, 2011. On Sept 2nd, my debit card was charged 58.50 for magazine subscriptions! Thank goodness I had money in there to cover the debit. I never order magazines. I would never have signed anything agreeing to purchase any subscriptions. I spent over 2 days searching online to find a phone number to inquire about this unauthorized charge. So frustrating. I also called the Books A Million store in Gadsden and was told that if I had paid with cash or check, I would not have been offered the magazine subscription and that this was a corporate push on them and not a local decision. How crazy is this? I was never told at the time of purchase that I was signing up for magazines. Finding a phone number to get it canceled was a joke. The numbers are answered with automated service only. You can't get a live person! I continued to press the # sign so many times I was finally transferred to an actual live person. Her attitude was horrible. She acted like she hated her job. She told me she would credit my account within 72 hours. I surely hope so as I hope I don't have to spend any more time on this issue. I plan to call the corporate office at Books A Million, just to vent. I'm sure it won't change a thing for all the others that will be scammed like we were. I honestly believe that this magazine company is hoping that the consumers will not even notice the charge on their account. By the way, I live in Alabama and the magazines were going to California. What an administrative nightmare! I never plan to go back to Books A Million and I will start using cash for my purchases at retail stores. I hope BAM loses lots of money with their fraudulent actions!

I looked at my bank statement yesterday morning to see how much was in my account before paying a bill,and noticed a charge for $58.50 for peoples magazine. I do not subscribe to any magazines,thats why I have internet,and cable. I called my bank,and they told me that they have had several people call with this problem,and BAM is selling out peoples debit card numbers to Synapse Group Inc. I did not agree to any "free" offers or anything,because I know in reality,they aren't free. I just got off the phone with a lady at Synapse Group Inc. she was very nice,and understanding and said my money would be put back into my account within the next 72 business hours,however,she did tell me that BAM released my information,including my card information,and gave them permission to take funds out of my account. I will be reporting them to the BBB,and whoever else I can report them to.

I also shopped at the Books-A-Million in Gadsden,AL

This was my first time at BAM and I bought a book.  They are tricky when they say "You get 3 free magazines which one do you want?"

Anyways I did choose one without thinking and gave her my name and address.  I asked if I had to cancel and she said yes and circled the number and website that I could go on to cancel anytime.  After I left I decided I didn't want it.  I went to call and they couldn't find me..so when I got home I tried logging in and it couldn't find me either.

After a few days I called but the voice recording kept spelling my name wrong (again!) by the same letter so I just pressed yes to see what would happen.

I got it cancelled but I wanted to make sure so I went online and thought maybe if it went through under the wrong spelling then the girl at the register must of spelled my name wrong... which she did!

That's the only thing I'm pissed about is that I couldn't cancel because I couldn't find my account because she spelled my name wrong and there wasn't a number to call a real person to help me.

Just pay cash when you go to places like this. :)

I got the free sub. of people. I called and canceled before time ran out. 5 months later i have 3 charges on my account for magazines i never ordered. The number my bank gave me was all automated. Finally BAM gave me a number for a person(1-877-373-6866). These people are such criminals. They are suppose to refund the money for the charges that i never even authorized them to make. Only after i yelled for an hour and ruined my Saturday. I will never shop at Books A MIllion again. I also will nerver order another magazine, unless it is straight from the magazine itself.

I posted above on june 1st & Aug. 5th. I did end up having to close my checking account in August, 2011. All had been fine until recently. We started to receive all the mags. I had cancelled last year plus Sports Illustrated & Cosmo........about 6 magazines total. They then send us a bill through the mail for all of these. Basically, they couldn't get to my acct.# anymore so they went through the old-fashioned US mail service. My mother contacted the mag. company & they told us we had to pay for the subscriptions-this was after calling & cancelling 3 times last year plus having to close out my checking account. She told them it would be a cold day in hell before we paid them & that if they didn't stop sending the magazines & the bills, we would get a lawyer & report them & Books-A-Million to the BBB. I am considering going to the local media & newspaper if this does not stop. I have been a loyal Books-A-Million customer for years but this is dirty & fraudulent for them to participate in this. Believe me, if this doesn't stop, I will expose them & inform the public in my area. I have a relative who works for the newspaper so that shouldn't be a problem.

This is an update to my post on March 11. I went to get a print-out of my checking acct. activity at the bank Fri. & discovered that I had charges debited on my new checking acct. for Cosmo magazine. I went to speak to the BAM mgr. & she said that she had just fired 2 employees for making unauthorized uses of debit card numbers to sign customers up for magazines without their knowledge. I got the names of the 2 former employees, one of whom I discovered had checked me out in Feb. 2012, and went to file a police report.

As far as trying to cancel subscriptions, I"ve noticed a few posters comment that they had no problems with getting cancellations & having charges credited to their account. They say that the employee reps are very nice & helpful. That was my experience too at the moment I was making the phone call. They will lay low for about  a month or 2 after your supposed cancellation then they will start sending  more magazines & the process will start all over again with the amounts being debited out of your account. This happened to me 4 times last yr, which is the reason I had to eventually close out my checking account. They will pay lip service to a cancellation at the time you call but they never really cancel.