The Absolute Gall

I have before me a letter from Reader’s Digest telling me that I owe them money and it is now past due.

I have subscribed to this magazine in the past. I did not renew my subscription. I did not renew my subscription because I no longer wanted to receive the magazine. My subscription ran out last fall and the folks at Reader’s Digest are very, very distressed.

They have sent me offers at least twice a month. I can get this magazine delivered to my home for this or that low price. I can get the magazine not only delivered to my home, but get a guest subscription for any friend of mine. I have not succumbed to the pressure to renew.

Then this galling letter which states:

To Patti,
RE: MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION RENEWAL AMOUNT OVERDUE: $22.98

URGENT NOTIFICATION OF OVERDUE ACCOUNT

Our records show your account now overdue.

Urgent, please pay without further delay.

To pay today, please send payment immediately with your bill in the reply envelope provided.

Yours sincerely,
Michael J. Leist

I am unsure how one can have an overdue bill when one never had a bill to start with. I did not renew my subscription as Reader’s Digest well knows because they stopped sending me the magazine. This is some horrid scam to get me to renew because they think they can get my money by sending me a bill rather than all the other renewal notices they have issued.

I do not want to renew. And now I know to never subscribe in the first place. I hope that anyone reading this will now know that Reader’s Digest has perpetrated this dunning scam. I understand that the print industry is in trouble because they haven’t figured out a way to make the Internet pay.

I used to intermittently subscribe to this magazine. Now I know that I will never do so again. I should also look at other publications that are related to it so I know what else I have to beware of. This is untenable.

PS I just called the magazine and they automatically renew for you and send you bills unless ... I guess you have to call their special 800 number to get rid of them. They will erase my "bill" and unrenew my not renewed subscription. How very helpful.