Cook's Illustrated Runs a Subscription Scam
Publications Looking for Revenue Are Not Immune to Underhanded Tactics to Fill Their Coffers
Let me say that again, TWENTY FOUR DOLLARS AND NINETY FIVE CENTS for a RAG I NEVER ORDERED. This is the latest tactic (i.e. racket) that ragazines have resorted to in order to build subscription rates. What they do is target the "elderly" which I am not. However, according to some mailing list somewhere, I am about 180 years old. Then they send these "targets" an invoice saying that they are past due. The elderly being the kind, trusting souls that they are, usually pay all bills without question, thinking that they actually owe the debt. Another underhanded tactic used by these same publishers is to send a bill every two to three months saying that their yearly bill is due. Once again, a certain percentage of the trusting (and somewhat forgetful) population, go ahead and pay the bill thinking that they actually owe another yearly payment. I had this experience with another monthly reader filled with digested material (I refuse to name the ragazine based on a higher moral standard, insert horse laugh here), when I confronted them, they actually "replied and denied" the charge. At least they answered the charge, I still canceled it.
Upon reading this "PAST DUE BILL", I immediately wrote a nasty e-mail to "Hamburger Helper" giving him until December the fourth to correct the situation and to apologize. Well, here it is the fifth of December and I have not heard from these chumps. So, I am asking all of you to cancel your scrip to "Cook's Illustrated." Or you could monitor your billings and make sure that they are not trying to scam you on your bill. I would also like to ask that those of you who have received past due notices for something you didn't order to let me know. While researching the company, I found that allot of consumers have filed complaints concerning this exact problem. They have unheard of subscription rates along with unheard of renewals. I wasn't surprised to find that they are a Boston Press Company owned publication based in Brookline, Mass. Thieves in a chef's hat. One point two million subscribers, I wonder how many were tricked or hustled or downright signed up at gunpoint?
As I looked over "Cook's Illustrated" website, I discovered that you cannot get past the home/default page of their site without taking a 14 day trial subscription. It also has the founder/editor's pic on the home page. I am sure that Christopher Kimball (who looks like the love child of Orville Redenbacher and a light bulb) has no idea what his "billing manager" is up to, of course he has plausible deniability. Of course cooking is such a popular pastime (and not a chore) that they have all the sales they need without resorting to underhanded tactics. I am sure that he is baking me an apology cake (or a pie anyway) as we speak. I am sure that their computer has been hacked for the sole purpose of breaking me financially by ordering one more ragazine than I can pay for.
I am also sure that Mr. Kimball and Mr. Cheesy Mack are planning their legal strategy as you read this. I have kinda slandered them here, I have at the least outed them as "fairy princesses without morals" Well, I can save them the trouble, I hear by bequeath all of my cookbooks to them both. Oh, that's right, I don't cook....i.e. I don't order cooking ragazines.....However, I will send the bill along with every other ounce of information to my attorney, unless I get monetary restitution before the first of January two thousand and ten. I am thinking that at a thousand dollars an hour, they have taken up at least ten hours of my time. Maybe they will think twice before they bill someone else illegally.......
The Contributor has no connection to nor was paid by the brand or product described in this content.
Published by zgrinch
Who is anyone, I would be better off having someone who knows me write this...however, since no one seems to be talking to me right now....I am just going to put my tin foil hat back on and go back to watchi... View profile
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7 Comments
Post a Commentgot the same letter. scumbags. complained to the FTC and BBB. Thanks for posting this.
I ordered the complete 10 years recipe books with a complementary 2010 recipe dvd for $30 from some offer. I made sure that I was only purchasing this special offer and that I wasn't signing for anything else. I visited their recipe website but you need to pay a monthly subscription so I didn't go any further. I received a parcel from them but didn't opened it and brought it back to the Post Office. I wrote on it, Refused - Unsolicited-
Future parcels will be refused". Today, I received my second notice for a due payment. I am sending back the notice with "Parcel was returned unopened to Post Office. Please do not send any more unsolicited material to my address. Thanks!"
It costs me a trip to the Post office and a stamp but I hope I won't hear more from this company. I found this way to do business underhanded and vile. I like the show but I hate their business practice!
file a complaint online:
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en
If you receive merchandise you did not order, you don't have to pay and it's considered a gift.
"Facts for Consumers, Unordered Merchandise, www.ftc.gov
Same problem here, along with countless others. I bought a book--just one--and was careful to retain the ad, the order form, and the confirmation email associated with the offer. No where in any was there a suggestion that I agree to a book subscription, so I was surprised when merchandise and bills started arriving unsolicited. I complained and, naturally, was told that I'd opted into a book series. Quoting their own stupid ads and order form back at them, I've angrily replied, challening "Amy," the rep, to prove me wrong. The yiatch has one more chance to make right before I send a flaming, FTC-name-dropping note back.
Cook's Illustrated"Henry Mack" threatened my credit rating... Interesting since I am NOT a customer and do not owe them anything. I even sent them the "cancel" invoice after a trial "hassle free".. I really didn't like the magazine, but they still tried to bully.
BEWARE
Before ordering anything from Cook's Illustrated/American Test Kitchens or using their "free website, do a Google search using "cook's illustrated/american test kitchen scam". There you will find a host of complaints outlining their illegal scheme of sending out unsolicited cookbooks. You can send them back post-free if unopened and marked "return to sender". Of course, you still have the hassle of taking them to the Post Office and they will still invoice you and send you letters threatening your credit rating. WHAT A SCAM!
I've had the same problem, I received a book I didn't order, didn't open it, and I returned it - marked it "return to sender, did not order". I have sincd gotten 5 bills for this, threw the first 3 away, the 4th bill I returned unopened to them, and wrote something nasty on the front. Have now gotten a 5th bill, so decided to search the internet to find out if anyone else had complaints. 2 years ago the same thing happened, I think I finally called or emailed them and threatened them, and finally got off their list (they kept sending books I didn't order). Where can I file a complaint to? Too bad - I really enjoyed the magazine but refuse to subscribe any longer. This is a scam.