Fake magazine debt is sadly a thriving subset of fraudulent debt collection. It doesn't matter if they think "they have a recording" to prove your liability. Federal law says you are still owed a prompt dunning letter and a chance to dispute the claim on paper. They can't just try to wrangle a bogus "settlement" without that due process.
Just over a year ago the FTC obliterated a different agency for hostile pursuit of magazine debts which it knew were bogus, handing the crooks a real bill for a record-bending $3.1 million.
Debt Collectors Settle with FTC, Agree to Stop Deceiving and Abusing Consumers
Consumers Were Subjected to Collection Efforts for Magazine Subscription Debts They Did Not Owe, FTC Alleges
http://ftc.gov/opa/2012/05/luebkenr.shtm
".... defendants allegedly collected on debts for magazine subscriptions despite the fact that the FTC had successfully sued the company that originally sold the magazine subscriptions for deceptive marketing. ...."
I would hope that you don't wait for a federal rescue and that you mount your own FDCPA lawsuit, assuming the creeps are domestic.
Official-type material on US federal collection law:
http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpajump.shtm
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/search ... bt%20Collection
This number called, asked for me, and identified themselves as "Rearders Choice Awards". They asked me if I got my rebate for magazines they had been sending me. I told them that they had the wrong address and that I didn't order any magazines. If they were sending them, they needed to cancel. They proceeded to tell me that they have been sending me 3 magazines and they want payment for it. They were magazines, I would not have ordered. I asked for a manager, who was very rude right off the bat. She said her name was Jessica and gave me an ID # 80886, she said they have a "recording" of my authorization to send the magazines back in 2011. What a load of crap. I asked for the address and she would not give it to me, she kept saying, "we'll send it to you, please provide us with your address". Her tone is extremely condosending and rude. I got no where - but didn't give any information as it's Very Rude, Very Frusterating! Don't fall for the line, "well, it was a long time ago, perhaps you don't remember" - I'll wait to see a collection letter, then I'll dispute it!
Don't try to provide your any information to this number. This number was trying to withdraw some amount from my bank account but the visa fraudulent prevention service saved me. Just ignore the call from this number.
I received a phone call from a woman at this company telling me that I had a subscription that was overdue and I owed her money today. I told her that I didn't order any magazines and that I didn't owe her anything. She said that she had my credit card number and my social security number and I told her that I didn't order anything and better not be charged for anything.
2011 - My wife fell into a free magazine trap. I called them and had everything cancelled and even paid a small penalty (I think $8) and thought the story was over. Fast forward - 2013 Got a call from 304-212-2272 on 7/5/2013. The girl asked me if I had been receiving the magazines. I was very surprised to hear that. I am not supposed to be getting any magazines. I told her to cancel everything as that's what was supposed to have happened a couple of years ago. She said she would call me in 10 minutes. No call until the morning of 7/8/2013 when I was on my way to work. Extremely rude lady on the other end. She told me the following: 1. they had a recording of my order from 2009 (wrong year) 2. I owed them $240 dollars, but if I was ready to pay immediately via credit card, she would settle for $35 (no joke) 3. If I did not pay, this would go to a collection agency and the bill would be $848.00. I also raised my voice and told her to send it to the collection agency and our attorneys would sort it out. She became louder and threatened to hang up and I hung up on her first. Later that day, noticed 4 missed calls from same number. I hope this helps someone deal with them better next time.
I have missed their calls. They have called 3 times this week and do not leave a message. After reading comment from various people from various sites concerning this number, I know its a scamming magazine company. In 2005 I fell for a scamming magazine company that told me I would get three free magazines for a year because I was a new credit card customer (I was). The call began to get fishy so I told them I did not want the magazines. The next day I got a call back and confirmed I did not want the magazines, they gave me a confirmation number. Fast forward to 2008, I get a letter stating I owe $800 some dollars for 3 years worth of magazines. I had not received any. I called and told my story, they said they looked up and listened to my recording of the day and said I was right and apologized; they were very nice about it and gave me a confirmation number in case I had the same problem again. Fast forward to 2009, I get another letter stating I owe money. I called constantly for a week and would get a what sounded like a person voicemail. Then one day a nice lady answered and said her company had overtaken the other that day. She gave me a confirmation number to that she had cleared up the "misunderstanding" and would send me a magazine as an apology; I told her I was too afraid to accept it and said no. I did get one year of that magazine for free. Now a scamming magazine company is calling again.