I received a call today from this number claiming to be from CONSUMER PERIODICAL SERVICES, and it was my lucky day: advertisers were going to pay for 6 magazine subscriptions! I merely had to pay shipping each month. I love magazines, so at first I was like...okay well might as well. They guy was a smooth talker, but a little monotone. He commented and even flirted with me a little talking about his children (he could hear mine.) He asked me, at first notice, what seemed like standard questions. Age of kids. Income. How do I pay my bills...wait...what? Huh...odd, I thought. He gave me all his information, but didn't take mine. I was in the midst of a nap, so I really didn't care or even think about it. His name was JOSH, I believe.
Then 2 seconds later someone called back explaining Josh was new and asking how he treated me. Now he was a fast talker. When he started talking a little more in depth about billing I questioned him about it being sent in the mail. Oh no, you see...the lack of paper billing is what makes this offer so cheap! (But I thought Josh said it was advertisers buying the magazines in hope you purchase products?) Anyway, he wanted to verify the order by recording it and asked my address. I rattled it off. By this time I already knew what was going down, and I was tired and didn't want to deal with it. But I actually was amused, so I played along.
I told him firmly that I'm not stupid, and I might consider it after looking at their website. I also asked why I couldn't pay online (Not a secure site. Ha...my 4 year old could've made a better site!!) I informed him that I was not able to make a payment today, but was quickly reassured that they could post date it and make sure it didn't come out right away. I asked if they could call me back, but apparently it was against company policy. (LMAO!!!!) So while I was talking to this guy whom by the way REALLY, REALLY thought he had me. I looked up the site he reffered me to THE BBB OF CHICAGO. Well, that was alright. They had some reports of billing (like 12...but come on now how is a company that's been in business for over 25 years only going to have 12 complaints? Fishy in itself...) I also went to some other sites, and while there was nothing about this business in particular the game all sounded the same. He got annoyed and didn't like me searching on other websites that he didn't refer me too. I kept letting him know that these days to be safe was the best way, and he'd agree begrudgingly.
Aanywho, all in all I played their little game and eventually hung up on them after I get annoyed with this CON MAN.
The company has little information out there about them. They ARE accredited by the BBB, but I learned later that the BBB is a non-profit organization and takes donations from the business it reports. CPS Inc head quarters is in was also mapped out to be in a HIGH-END, RESIDENTIAL neighborhood in Hanover Park near Chicago. The phone number that called me was 314-843-7102 coming from St. Louis, MO. I also mapped that out, and tried calling it back. The number is no longer in service, and it litterally was in a what looked like a rough area of St. Louis in between 2 gas stations.