I had subscribed to Reminisce and Reminisce Extra magazines for several years. From what I understand is these 2 publications were acquired by Reader's Digest who was sold themselves to Trusted Media Brands. TMB decided to stop publishing the 2 magazines with the Dec 2022/January 2023 issues and I notification was sent with both magazines. For Reminisce they wanted to send you the Reader's Digest for the remainder of your subscription and for Reminisce Extra they wanted to send you Taste of Home magazine. They also gave you the option of a refund check which is what I requested to their customer service e-mail addresses. I received the 2 refund checks dated 11/30/22 & 12/29/22 for $4.73 & $4.28 respectively.
When I took each check to my Chase Bank branch to be cashed, both were bogus as there was no money released into the accounts to pay out the monies to the customers. Exploded with anger would pretty much cover my feellings at those moments. I contacted the customer service depts. by phone and pretty much went on the rampage. They told me "oh yes we are aware of the problem and after you return the checks you were sent, we will send you another check for each at our earliest convenience." That should have been a red flag right there when they said at our earliest convenience. I told them once I had the second refund checks that would be the end of any continued business with them.
As you can guess no substitute refund checks were ever sent. Instead I ended up being sent the Reader's Digest magazine and Taste of Home magazine instead and then they had the gall to let me know there were only 3 and 2 issues remaining on the Reader's Digest and Taste of Home magazines and to send my renewal for the subscriptions to these magazines. Magazines that I would never read or want to subscribe to. When I sent them a follow-up e-mail on 1/16/23, I told them the following:
Now that it is obvious that your company lies as a matter of policy to its customers, I am going to file a complaint with as many places as I can to expose your crooked and corrupt organization and how you are a perfect example of everything that is wrong with American business today........no morality or ethics of any kind. Thank you for nothing!!
For me it was never about the money to be refunded, it was the principle that don't lie and say you will be sent refund checks when all along you were going to send the customers magazines they did not want and all that ever mattered to Trusted Media Brands was the cheapest way for them to resolve what to do about the remaining issues of the discontinued magazines. Totally unethical from every perspective. I'm sure they found it amusing to think of how many people would take those checks to their bank and would be rejected for NO FUNDS. I think having the Reader's Digest magazine which has been published for decades is even in this discussion is beyond the pale. A complete embarrassment given their reputation in the publishing business.
It's too late for me but I'm putting this report out to warn others to be wary of ordering any magazine published under Trusted Media Brands because they can't be trusted and they will screw everyone over eventually. I truly despise them for leaving such a bad taste in my mouth.
Trusted Media Brands Reviews
I had subscribed to Reminisce and Reminisce Extra magazines for several years. From what I understand is these 2 publications were acquired by Reader's Digest who was sold themselves to Trusted Media Brands. TMB decided to stop publishing the 2 magazines with the Dec 2022/January 2023 issues and I notification was sent with both magazines. For Reminisce they wanted to send you the Reader's Digest for the remainder of your subscription and for Reminisce Extra they wanted to send you Taste of Home magazine. They also gave you the option of a refund check which is what I requested to their customer service e-mail addresses. I received the 2 refund checks dated 11/30/22 & 12/29/22 for $4.73 & $4.28 respectively.
When I took each check to my Chase Bank branch to be cashed, both were bogus as there was no money released into the accounts to pay out the monies to the customers. Exploded with anger would pretty much cover my feellings at those moments. I contacted the customer service depts. by phone and pretty much went on the rampage. They told me "oh yes we are aware of the problem and after you return the checks you were sent, we will send you another check for each at our earliest convenience." That should have been a red flag right there when they said at our earliest convenience. I told them once I had the second refund checks that would be the end of any continued business with them.
As you can guess no substitute refund checks were ever sent. Instead I ended up being sent the Reader's Digest magazine and Taste of Home magazine instead and then they had the gall to let me know there were only 3 and 2 issues remaining on the Reader's Digest and Taste of Home magazines and to send my renewal for the subscriptions to these magazines. Magazines that I would never read or want to subscribe to. When I sent them a follow-up e-mail on 1/16/23, I told them the following:
Now that it is obvious that your company lies as a matter of policy to its customers, I am going to file a complaint with as many places as I can to expose your crooked and corrupt organization and how you are a perfect example of everything that is wrong with American business today........no morality or ethics of any kind. Thank you for nothing!!
For me it was never about the money to be refunded, it was the principle that don't lie and say you will be sent refund checks when all along you were going to send the customers magazines they did not want and all that ever mattered to Trusted Media Brands was the cheapest way for them to resolve what to do about the remaining issues of the discontinued magazines. Totally unethical from every perspective. I'm sure they found it amusing to think of how many people would take those checks to their bank and would be rejected for NO FUNDS. I think having the Reader's Digest magazine which has been published for decades is even in this discussion is beyond the pale. A complete embarrassment given their reputation in the publishing business.
It's too late for me but I'm putting this report out to warn others to be wary of ordering any magazine published under Trusted Media Brands because they can't be trusted and they will screw everyone over eventually. I truly despise them for leaving such a bad taste in my mouth.