For some reason I received two books from Mens Health magazine a couple weeks back. The letter with it says i can preview the material and if i want to keep it after a couple weeks to pay $50.

I got the invoice last week and do not want to pay for this shit. Also, I think its bullshit that I have to pay shipping to send back the books i did not order in the first place. Have any of you guys had this happen before?

If they send me a box with shipping paid i'll be more than happy to send them book or a collections guy knocks on my door i'll throw the books at him.

1/11/2009 9:02:57 PM

http://www.consumerist.com

if someone sends you something unsolicited, it is yours to keep. now whether or not you want to put up with the potential headache is up to you.

1/11/2009 9:06:15 PM

Quote :

"DO NOT WANT"

1/11/2009 9:06:42 PM

nah, they will just flag your credit and move on

too lazy to get to your door

1/11/2009 9:12:22 PM

flag my credit for what

i never gave the book company my credit card info and i never requested this shit.

for all they know i never even received the package

1/11/2009 9:19:01 PM

exactly

they are looking for stupid people

1/11/2009 9:42:18 PM

I too have this problem. Preview for 21 days? What type of shit is that and clearly someone else has already sent these books back.

1/11/2009 9:51:18 PM

call them, let them know you didn't order and have them send you a prepaid box. they'll tell you to keep it.

1/11/2009 9:57:00 PM

Quote :

"nah, they will just flag your credit and move on"

No, they won't.

1/11/2009 10:11:15 PM

1)Pull out sharpie pen
2)Write "Return To Sender"
3)Place in mailbox
...
4)Profit???

1/11/2009 10:27:49 PM

^that would probably only work for unopened packages or mail. I'm assuming he opened these.

1/12/2009 12:58:03 AM

Do you have a subscription to Men's Health? I would make sure you haven't unknowingly agreed to participate in programs like these.

1/12/2009 2:13:53 AM

If someone reports some wrong shit on your credit, you can sue them for some punitive amount that makes it worth it to sue.

1/12/2009 2:26:44 AM

i have a subscription to womens health and i got the same shit from rodale books

here is what i did

went to rodalebooks.com or whatever their site is, i had to make an account, went to the contact us tab and found the part that says return books

you put in your account number and it'll bring up a pre-paid label in pdf form. throw everything into a box, slap on the return label and toss it in the mail

and i am totally with you, i hate getting bullshit in the mail i dont even want, nor did i have an opportunity to decline and have to waste my own time figuring out how to send it back, but thats how you do it. i did it last week to the shit they sent me

1/12/2009 11:42:18 AM

^ I can't believe you people actually bother to send the shit back. Throw it in the trash durr...

1/12/2009 11:55:09 AM

Quote :

"^ I can't believe you people actually bother to send the shit back. Throw it in the trash recycling bin plz durr..."

[Edited on January 12, 2009 at 11:59 AM. Reason : d]

1/12/2009 11:58:28 AM

Anytime I get unsolicited stuff like that and it has a pre-paid envelope or whatever to send it back in, I collect junk mail for about a week and a bunch of random other (bonus if it is heavy) things, stuff it in the envelope until it will barely close, then send it back.

1/12/2009 12:04:12 PM

Quote :

"^ I can't believe you people actually bother to send the shit back. Throw it in the trash durr..."

If he does that, then he'll get charged the cost of the books. Durr...

1/12/2009 12:27:13 PM

Quote :

"If he does that, then he'll get charged the cost of the books. Durr..."

So?

1/12/2009 12:29:00 PM

They can charge all they want, wtf are they gonna do if you don't pay?

I wish I had the adressess to some of you people. I'd send a box of feces and a couple of invoices soon after.

OMFG YOU BETTER PAY IT OR IT WILL GO ON YOUR CREDIT!!!11

1/12/2009 12:33:39 PM

Quote :

"I wish I had the adressess to some of you people. I'd send a box of feces and a couple of invoices soon after. OMFG YOU BETTER PAY IT OR IT WILL GO ON YOUR CREDIT!!!11"

lol

1/12/2009 12:35:52 PM

^ Hah, I was about to suggest the exact same thing. Do you people not realize that if you actually had to pay for this shit then you wouldn't see QVC anymore... they would just mail all their trash to you and demand payment. Only morons ship shit back that they didn't order.

1/12/2009 1:27:03 PM

Just wanted to chime in with some solid evidence that you don't have to pay for the books or return them.

Quote :

"Unordered Merchandise ...You respond to an advertisement offering a free "trial" pair of pantyhose. To your surprise, you receive four pair with a bill. ...You receive a pocket knife that you never ordered. Despite your objections, the company continues to send you notices demanding payment and threatening your credit rating. What do you do when you receive merchandise that you didn’t order? According to the Federal Trade Commission, you don’t have to pay for it. Federal laws prohibit mailing unordered merchandise to consumers and then demanding payment. Here are some questions and answers about dealing with unordered merchandise. Q. Am I obligated to return or pay for merchandise I never ordered? A. No. If you receive merchandise that you didn’t order, you have a legal right to keep it as a free gift. Q. Must I notify the seller if I keep unordered merchandise without paying for it? A. You have no legal obligation to notify the seller. However, it is a good idea to write a letter to the company stating that you didn’t order the item and, therefore, you have a legal right to keep it for free. This may discourage the seller from sending you bills or dunning notices, or it may help clear up an honest error. Send your letter by certified mail. Keep the return receipt and a copy of the letter for your records. You may need it later. Q. What should I do if the unordered merchandise I received was the result of an honest shipping error? A. Write the seller and offer to return the merchandise, provided the seller pays for postage and handling. Give the seller a specific and reasonable amount of time (say 30 days) to pick up the merchandise or arrange to have it returned at no expense to you. Tell the seller that you reserve the right to keep the merchandise or dispose of it after the specified time has passed. Q. Is there any merchandise that may be sent legally without my consent? A. Yes. You may receive samples that are clearly marked free, and merchandise from charitable organizations asking for contributions. You may keep such shipments as free gifts. Q. Is there any way to protect myself from shippers of unordered merchandise? A. When you participate in sweepstakes or order goods advertised as "free," "trial," or "unusually low priced," be cautious. Read all the fine print to determine if you are joining a "club," with regular purchasing or notification obligations.Keep a copy of the advertisement or catalog that led you to place the order, too. This may make it easier to contact the company if a problem arises. Q. Where can I go for help in dealing with unordered merchandise problems? A. Always start by trying to resolve your dispute with the company. If this doesn’t work, contact your state or local consumer protection office, local U.S. Postal Inspector, or the Better Business Bureau in your area for help. The Direct Marketing Association, 6 East 43rd Street, New York, New York 10017, also may be able to help you."

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro15.shtm

1/12/2009 1:42:08 PM

message_topic.aspx?topic=554672

1/12/2009 2:53:21 PM

you know its completely possible that as a result of opting into a magazine subscription there is some fine print saying that you also opt into some stupid book program and that they will bill you etc.

i dont have time to read fine print. i grabbed an empty box out of my garage on my way to work, i printed the shipping label at work (took me 5 min to find) and my admin mailed it

the 5min hassle in my life is better than a slew of stupid invoices and threats, even if they have no basis. i dont have time to send certified letters and keep files and bring them up later. eff that

1/12/2009 4:46:45 PM

Call them.

1/12/2009 5:12:24 PM