What number did you use to call... I cant find one!

The magazine you subscribed to gave, or sold, them the information from your Credit Card. That is why You have to cancel the card or get a new number.

You must get a new credit card number, and close the account of the old one -
They got to you through the standard magazine sales scam that all mags participate in.
I bought a 1 year Gift from Utne Reader - they auto renewed me. When I complained I was told I hadn't subscribed through them at all.

Your dealing with a lot of dishonesty!  YOUR Credit Card Information has been sold to Synapse Group.
Get a couple of debit cards, or prepaid credit cards - then don't fund or renew except for what you want.

Essentially the Magazine Subscription scam works like this:
1. You subscribe to a Magazine, giving all the necessary financial data to the Magazine
2. Without your knowledge or approval - your purchase is transferred to some company the magazine later uses to as a Front.
3. The Holding Company of the Front Company has several Front Companies that shield it from visibility.
4. The holding company receives the Credit information of Customers for the many many magazines its Fronts shield.
5. At the end of the original subscription the Holding Company renews the subscription through a Front Company that is, usually, differently named than the one originally listed on the Customer's card statement. ( different name, different phone.)
6. The Customer's calls/contacts the magazine
7. The Magazine denies anything was ever purchased through them, and refers the customer to a snail-mail address and telephone number of a Front company ( in my case the renewing Front company was differently named than the original Front..)
8. The Customer googles the  phone number and finds nothing but a Page in the name of a Front Company that jumps to the Holding company after 60 seconds.
9. The Customer then googles the phone number from the original statement and finds it does not go to the Magazine; rather, to a Front company.

At this point you have to realize Your CreditCard information has been compromised and is in the hands of strangers who just used that information to defraud you. ( I moved to a new address during the life of the original subscription, the Front company has my new address. So, I am positive the Magazine gave my financial information away to strangers.)

10. The Customer immediately should contact the Security number for his/her Credit Card and: Cancel the Card, Dispute the Transaction, get a new Card.

My card has both a Phone security contact and an e-mail type messaging - they are different, and the Dispute part should be made through both contact points.

I quickly received my replacement card with new number - my old card is useless now.  

The account information given by the magazine representative was false/useless. I found information indicating Magazine Customer Service had an account in my name, at my current address - www.magcustomerservice.com Their Billing Inquiry page leads to an online statement. It will appear to list only the subscription charge - You have to click on REFUNDS to verify it is 'pending'.  DO NOT PROCEED THROUGH THE  "Cancel" ROUTINE MORE THAN ONCE. You can make repeated Billing Inquiries, but I believe doing a cancellation again, will cause the original Cancel to be thrown out and replaced - thus delaying Refunds.

In the end - The Credit Card companies, or the government would have to act to do anything to stop this.

----------------------- Letter from Utne Magazine -------------------------------
Hello Sam:
Thank you for contacting Utne Reader. Our records show that M-------?s subscription to Utne Reader was
renewed on December 09, 2013, by an agency NewSub Magazine Services, LLC.
The order number is #xxxxxxx.
The group payment number is #xxxxxxx.
Her account#xxxxxxxxx reflects this information.
Her Utne Reader subscription is not on auto-renewal with us.
The only thing I am able to do is to stop issues from going out, but I am not able to refund any money, as it is
thru an agency.
I do sincerely apologize to you and any inconvenience you have experienced.I do sympathize with you and the frustration. Below is the contact information you will need to cancel the Utne
Reader subscription.
NewSub Magazine Services, LLC
Four High Ridge Park
Stamford, CT 06905
Phone) 203-595-8255
I do hope this is helpful and I wish you well. Please advise us on stopping continuing issues.
Warm regards;
Pamela A Bockover
Ogden Publications | Customer Care Specialist
Phone 1.800.678.5779 Fax 785.274.4305 customerservice@ogdenpubs.com
M-F 7:00 AM ? 6:00 PM and Saturday 8:00 AM ? 12:00 PM CST
Publishers of:
Mother Earth News | Mother Earth Living | Utne Reader | GRIT | Farm Collector | Capper's | Gas Engine
Magazine | Motorcycle Classics
--------------------------------------------------Notice the claim that I subscribed through an "agency" ----------------------------
The following are the leads provided me via my AT&T, and from the various shield sites, presumed, operated
by Utne Reader. I have never placed an order for anything from ?NewSub Magazine Services? nor have I
knowingly ever ordered anything from ?VAnss magazine Service Center @ 800-920-3667? ( see: http://
tinyurl.com/ltsze33 )
01/05(2013) TWX*U2001J*UTNEREAD 800-920-3667 CT $36.00
Customer Sales and Service ph.- 1-800-736-8863 ( https://www.utne.com/subscriptions/home.aspx )
Ogden Publications ph.-1.800.678.5779
NewSub Magazine Services, LLC ph - (877) 856-6317 ( website jumps to Synapse Group after 1 minute )
NewSub Magazine Services, LLC ph - 203-595-8255 ( see Pamela A Bockover, exhibit A., below )
01-05-2014 TWX*UTNEREAD 877-856-4533 CT $ 42.00 ( www.magcustomerservice.com )

This IS FRAUD - none of us have renewed nor originally subscribed, through the Entity ( Synapse Group ) placing a charge on our Credit Card Account.

I shopped in September at the Avenue and was offered a trial of 3 magazines. I initially said no because I didn't want to have to remember to call and cancel. The salesgirl told me they call and cancel for their customers now and assured me they had a system in place to make sure it gets cancelled. Well.... SURPRISE!! I got 2 charges on my debit card for magazine subscriptions. I am very upset.
I should have known better because they push credit card apps, even when you just applied for one recently, and say they'll give you the promotional discount even if not approved (you are only supposed to get the discount if approved). Their manager will be hearing from me.

Pressing "0" helps and it takes you t a live agent, where u can cancel the service. This is Ridiculous service, taking out money without any service, you cancel here also

https://www.magcustomerservice.com/wss/home.do#top

Same here, I just noticed a charge for $42 for Readers Digest on my credit card I called to cancel, but the automated recording said that I was just going to get back around $38.  I want a complete refund since I did NOT authorize the charge and I can go to R.D. website and get a subscription for 1/2 that price!  I'm going to call the number on the statement tomorrow and if no one answers I'm going to call my credit card company and dispute the charge. No notice was ever sent about a renewal and I would have NEVER renewed at that price!

I was also charged for 2 magazines.  I remember a lady at Goody's dept. store telling me I qualified for 3 free months of 3 magazines.  I told her I was not interested, yet started getting 3 magazines anyway:  All you, County Living, & Cosmo.  Today I had a charge for Cosmo show up on my card.  I called the number listed on this site (none was on my bank acct) - 877-856-4530.  The automated system could not find me so I finally pressed 0 and spoke to an operator named "Bill Nye" (the science guy?).  Anyway, he finally found my acct & cancelled all three subscriptions and promised to refund all of the charges within 72 hours.

My wife and I bought something off the internet and part of the deal was this very low price on magazines of your choice. They made it seem like the magazines was part of the sale so we felt obligated to sign up in order to receive the item we really wanted. Well 3 years later the magazines keep coming with no bill ever sent to reorder or cancel. Called the credit card co. to have them block it and they put me through to the actual company that had been auto billing. Instead of talking to a representative i talked with a f%&*#@% machine and had to repeat the process for the 4 magazines I wanted to cancel. It reminds me of Comcast, $99.00 for triple play for a year, then the price almost doubles after that. What a rip off. They probably make plenty of money at the $99.00 rate and then gouge the public after that and we as Americans put up with it. I am sick of robo calls, auto billing, crappy TV and over advertised internet. It is all becoming annoying.

I don't know if I received a call from this number, but I saw a charge on my account from TWX*Cosmo for 17.50 that I never authorized. They had a phone number in the charge and I called it, of course it was all automated. I asked to explain the charge and she told me I ordered cosmopolitan through books a million in august. No, books a million offered me a free trial subscription to cosmo. I said sure, that'll save me money on an issue or two. I never received a single magazine. Then I just noticed the charge today, they charged me October 15th. I called and cancelled it, she asked if I wanted to receive the magazines I paid for and I said no. So the automated woman told me I'll be getting a full refund in 1-2 business days. If I don't, there will be hell to pay.

I ordered Time Magazine a year ago and never received the issues. I figured that they simply had forgotten about me. Just last week I was debited 51.00 for a renewal and called this number. The person was very helpful and understanding and told me that they would refund my account within 72 hours and cancel my subscription.

This is the SECOND time this number has been on my bank statement after "cancelling" the subscription for magazines from Hearst Communications, the head company for Cosmo, 17, Men's Health, etc.

Charged my credit card $34 - never received a phone call or other contact - how did they get my card #?

I was charged 57 dollars which I have no idea what is about.

I got charge my bank account$ 38 and $ 27 for magazine subscription which I DID NOT subscribe.  There is no way to talk to a live person. Only automated recording.  It's a scam and they should be prosecuted

I have a $57.00 charge on my credit card for Entertainment Weekly.  I did sign up for this magazine a year ago and this company billed my account today without my knowledge or permission.  I called the telephone number on my credit card statement (877-856-4530) and after hitting 0 (zero) many times was finally transferred to customer service where I spoke with Megan.  She said she cancelled the subscription and I would receive a full refund within 72 business hours.  I will check my account Thursday morning and if no refund has been made I will dispute this charge with my bank and also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.  Unbelievable that they charge people (LOTS of people) without their knowledge or permission.

I just got a bill for $42 charged to my credit card which did not have my authorization.  My daughter called and gave them hell threatening to post their devious practice on Facebook.  The Manager who she demanded to talk to immediately agreed to cancelling the $42 charge.  We'll see what happens next month.  I told them they can keep the Reader's Digest magazines because I'll never read them again.

Thanks!  I went to that website to cancel...hopefully I'll see my refund.

A company at this phone number charged my debit card without authorization for $42.

same story, BS 49$ charge for atlantic magazine that i paid 12$ for last year.   never received notice of a renewal, nor did i choose this when ordering it the first time.

Posted a $38.00 charge to my checking account.

Same thing happened to my dad yesterday when he was checking out his bank account info. What do I do?

I ordered Maxim magazine in 12/10 for a gift., the price paid was $14.97.  I got a charge on my bank statement for $32.00 on 12/11, which indicates that it is a renewal.  I did not authorize this renewal, and Maxim will not credit me to my bank statement because they said it's not their fault.  BEWARE and dispute the charges through your card!

Same thing happened to me two days ago. There is a pending $32 charge called the bogus automated number where they do list press 1 for this press 2 for that and they all were to extend the subscription that you don't even know how they got your info. I thought it may have been because they hacked into zappos and got everyone's info. I am letting my bank fight this one.

Visit:

https://www.magcustomerservice.com

to cancel the subscription.  It takes 2-3 billing cycles before getting the credit to your bank account

Do not go through the automated garbage, talk to a representative.  Continue to say REPRESENTATIVE or OPERATOR.  They will give you a line of BS which is typical of these types of companies.  The guy offered to refund me $43 of the $52 charged.  Not going to happen!  So I told him I would dispute the charge with my credit card company.  Amazinly he decided to refund the $52.  Do not let these scammers rip you off.  I would love to know how they got my credit card number in the first place and they wouldn't tell me.

Update from my post this weekend. I did get my money back--mostly.  Got a credit of $38.18 out of the original charge of $42. Did this happen to anyone else?

Did notice when calling after hours that it only rang once then stopped.

Got charged $102 for an automatic renew subscription that I didn't give my permission for... (And it was for US Weekly. Who would ever pay that much for US Weekly?!) Yes, the automated phone is a pain in the a**, but the quickest way is to either press 0 for an operator (see above replies) or input your credit card info. (I say this only because I have a very long last name, and I tried everything before the credit card and none of it worked.) The final menu lists a bunch of deals that they're offering you, but if you wait it out and keep saying no, they do refund you. I caught it about a month too late, but they offered me a $92.00 refund.

Hope this helps!

A lot of people same as me!
For me, unautorized $51 and $57 transaction occured on my bank account.It's BOA. any other BOA users here?
If so, we should report BOA this...

I wrote a review earlier here thinking this charge was made on my card w/o my permission from a MAGAZINE that I currently receive, but in fact this is a FRAUDULENT company making charges on people cards w/o them knowing!!! I got charge $26.00 and I did NOT approve it! BEWARE OF THESE PEOPLE, I have NO IDEA how the obtained my debit card number but i am PISSED and am having to take this up with my back. I HOPE THESE JERKS GET CAUGHT AND ARRESTED BECAUSE THIS IS JUST WRONG!!!!!!

Magazine subscription that was 'free' as part of doing survey. Knew there had to be a catch. At the end of the year, was charged $42 with the 1-877-856-4530 phone # attached. Ridiculous for a one-year subscription. The cover price for Readers Digest for a year is $39.90.

When cancelling on the automated line, they then offered me a year's worth for $15--which is still not a good deal according to the Readers Digest Website. They offer a two-year subscription for $15. Half the price. So cancel the subscription and go the magazine website if you want to keep the subscription.

Now I am just waiting to make sure I get my $ back.