Cooking Club of America / Scout.com review: cooking club of america is a scam! 165

I seem to have similar complaints about getting unsolicited merchandise. I just called and tried to get a number for their executive offices and couldn't. They refused even put me through to an executive. I figure if I have to waste my time maybe I could waste theirs as well. If someone has another number other then the 888 number I would appreciate having it. Maybe if ever one called they might get the message. Also I wonder if Betsy Wray, the Executive Director is a real person.

I am just informing you again that I canceled my prescription to the magazine. I canceled several months ago. I received notice that you are contacting a collection agency. I don't know what else I must do to inform you of my cancellation. Karen

I never signed up to become a member, Never received anything from them, and yet they kept sending me bills for $24.00 membership fee. I attempted to tell them that I did not order by sending the bill with a note saying cancel as I never ordered. This was to no avail. Today I received a collection agency bill from them. I bet it is also on my credit. This is bullying and scamming in the first degree. Next, I am calling the BBB. Any suggestions, I would really like to hear them.

I received advice from the local Postmaster, who said that you can return unordered materials by marking the package "Refused, Return to Sender." I would suggest that the material not be opened. You can tell by the address who has sent the item.

If you want more assistance, I would suggest contacting your Representative and Senator in Congress and complain to them about the company.

If you are 50 or older and not a member of AARP, consider joining. They do have a way of making themselves heard and do warn their members about shoddy or illegal business practices.

I was going to join & pay for it online, but the link they give, my security system pops up & says the page is possibly not safe so I decided to research them & I am so glad that I did! Don't start on their trial membership at all! Cooking Club of America is a SCAM!

The Cooking club is a bunch of thieves.

You guys have me concerned about this cooking club now. I joined in Feb 2007 and have since received an invitation to become a life member. I have also received a few test products and a few free gifts for previewing cookbooks, with the option to purchase them or send them back. I love to cook and joined the club to learn and network with other people that enjoying cooking and learning as well. Usually I am so great about researching everything 'fully' before I invest any time or money into it, but this was something that I did not actively pursue with this project. I'll keep my eyes and ears open and if anything does not appear as it should, I will definitely be withdrawing my membership. Keep me in your thoughts please, and I'm sorry you all had horrible experiences with the club.

I joined the club in the Spring of this year ('07). Since that time, I've not been sent 1 product to test - not 1. I have received, however, multiple offers to become a lifetime member and thier cookbooks to review for free. The first I kept and paid for, the second, I promptly returned (on 8/14) and indicated that I wanted no other cookbooks to reivew. Thankfully, I returned the book by a traceable method because I received no fewer than 5 bills from them - in a span of 3 months. I did not receive another cookbook however, so somehow they got that message (hmmmmm!). Finally, I sent a copy of the delivery confirmation along with a note stating that I am cancelling my membership - effective immediately - and wish to receive no additioanl correspondence, materials or products. Just last week, I received a post card stating "we've received the returned cookbook please disregard any additional invoices." They are just selling their magazines - the cost of printing is paid by advertising, of cousre - and books. Why don't they just call it what it is?

It all sounds like a repeat. I have the same problem. Money money money is all they want. I do not understand how they keep getting away with this. This morning, I tried to log in to cca,, and had forgot my membership #, GUESS WHAT!I not in system but I sure still get their bills.

I have been a member of the cooking club for 5 years and I have not had any problems. I enjoybeing a member. One thing that I love is testing new products.

I subscribed to what I thought was a cooking magazine more for my granddaughter expressing an interest in the culinary arts at the time than for myself. As soon as I understood that this was some kind of "consumer scam" I cancelled the subscription. Some years later I am now receiving collection notices for $300 for an "unpaid membership". I would advise others to do as I am in the process of doing- report them to your state attorney general's office as a scam! It would also be good to report it to AARP but check to see if you have a Bureau of Consumer Protection as we do in PA or a similar agency under your District Attorney's office. Also most Better Business Bureau's handle such complaints and report them nationally. Don't tolerate credit collection calls or letters from them!

I just received their letter inviting me to join the cooking Club of America and after reading everything thought it was too good to be true. So, I went on-line to see if I could find out whether or not they are legitimate. After Googling their name I saw a link which stated, "complaints." After reading all of these comments, I could see that my suspicions were correct!

Needless to say I have thrown away their letter inviting me to join!

THANK YOU!
Terry Oakes

I joined CCA about three years ago, and though I only paid for the original subscription, I continued to get crap from them. Oh, the magazines stopped after a year, but unsolicited cookbooks kept coming, and at the high price of $24.99! Well, I am a procrastinator, I admit it, and the books piled up with the intent of me returning them (they were still in the unopened packaging). Of course, I never did return them and finally realized I needed to pay my bill to get it current, and cancel the account so I wouldn't get any more books. But first I had to find their damn phone number! The 800 number on the packing slips was for a fax machine, and there were no other phone numbers readily available on their web site. I finally found it (after half an hour of relentless searching-- it's [protected] b.t.w.) and I called to cancel. Of course the girl talked me out of it saying, no need to cancel, they would simply stop sending me books. Well, several months go by and I assume that my membership has finally lapsed and I am free. Not so fast. I got some porcelain picnic basket with a bill asking for $15.95 or the prompt return of the item: I turned my head up toward the sky, lifted my hands and cried, "Why God, why?" I guess when I had said to stop sending me books, I should have been more clear-- "stop sending me CRAP!" Aside from being irritated, I became curious. how long had I had this account? Was it still active? Had I unknowingly been paying annual dues? I immediately logged onto their web site with my membership number--yep still active. I checked my account history--nope, I hadn't payed any annual fees other than the first one, which should have expired my account two years ago. Then everything started to make sense; I was a schmuck, and this was a total scam! This time I would not let stupid porcelain figures pile up, so with new determination I re-searched their web-sight for that elusive phone number. I knew it was there, I had found it once before, I just couldn't remember where. After another half an hour of searching I finally found it, and called (again, that number is [protected]). I have just canceled my account (about ten minutes before the writing of this). They guy pleasantly tried to talk me into not canceling and suggested having a stop put on anything being sent to me. I would not be tricked this time, and I said, as nicely as possible, no... no... no... and again, no. To everything he had to say, I simply responded no. He says my account is closed. We'll see--wish me luck! Oh, and by the way, I finally did open the cook books since they were mine, bought and paid for (all five of them!). All crap, save for on on bread making. I was hoping to use them as Christmas gifts or something, but they were so amateurish, they were barely good enough to take to Good Will.

This is a legitamate company trying to do business. It is no different from Southern Living, or any of those other magazines. I have been a life member for 4 years and a regular member for 2 years before that. I enjoy the cook ware, and all the other stuff that I got with the Life Member. They also apply all regular dues that were paid in previously toward the Life Member fees. You have got to sign up to get the testing products and to preview the cookbooks and all that stuff. If you don't sign up for all that CRAP, YOU WILL NOT GET IT.. It is as simple as that. It sounds good in the letters and pamplets and it appeals to everyone wanting something for nothing, and then they get upset when things don't go like they think they should. Take off your cry baby panties, and find something else to cry about.

Angela you are stupid, this is a scam trying to get people to "forcibly buy" CRAP, and yes it is crap that you are getting for your lifetime membership (which probably cost you upwards of $300). You are just trying to defend yourself because you made a bad decision, so stop trying to convince people to buy into this scam. If it is a legitimate company trying to do business then they would be upfront and honest about their fees and services. So to reiterate my message, do not do business with this alleged “legitimate company” and invest your funds into something worthwhile like: a valid cooking club or class or quality cooking products.

Thanks for your time and effort.

Thank goodness I did not join their life membership. I received their 1st six cooking books and then I cancelled my membership.
Since then I have received at least 8 books. I did not open them and I sent them back, marked refused and cancel. I also wrote on each box, do not send anymore. I keep getting them. I keep sending them back. This is getting annoying and aggrivating.

When I tried to go to their website to cancel AGAIN, it states that it is being maintenanced. I have also received several late payments on books that I have sent back. I send these back with a notice on them that the book was returned and that I had cancelled this. DO NOT SEND ANYMORE! I am growing very tired of this. Stay away from this, it is too hard to cancel.

never recieved multi-purpose grater

I tried to e-mail my request to refund my money of $12 and the e-mail address did not go through.

Thank you all for the warning. I almost sent in the reply card...what's $12 a year, right?! Well, I have just shredded it and won't be joining. By the way CCA, thanks for the pasta measurer/bowl scraper and recipe cards, they will be used, but I will not be joining.

I just got a bill from the CCA.. =(
I have no idea how to cancel... I joined their club a few weeks ago thinking I can get something for free, without any harm. For being so darn curious, I guess I will be stuck with bills & harassment from the company! I want to cancel, but I don't know how? Will they cancel my account? How come such sort of business can stay alive, without getting caught?!?! I just don't get it... Sigh, I can't sleep.. My parents will murder me... Please tell me, should I call them? e-mail them? Mail them? I need to cancel A.S.A.P.! Can anyone help with the letter I should send them? I can't even think of anything.. I'm going to a volleyball game tomorrow, and this won't let me have a minute of sleep! Ugh, sigh...

I am so glad I looked this company up before sending the reply card. I appreciate everyones' comments and complaints. They are very helpful. I thought it sounded too good to be true. I enjoy cooking and thought it would be fun to test cooking products.

I am so glad I read all of the comments posted before I joined. I was about to send my reply notice back, but I decided to do some research first. I am pleased that I did. I will not be joining.
Thanks!

Well, call me a sucker, but about 10 years ago I jumped into it, lock, stock, and barrel. I went for the lifetime membership, too. I received the best cookware I've ever had (cooks well, easy to use, easy to clean), and considering what it costs for something like Emeril's cookware, I believe I got a good deal. I've been using this cookware for more than a few years and have absolutely no complaints about it.

That said, I haven't received a test product in a very long time. The last one they sent was a coupon for something I could not find in my area at all. They were cooperative about that (tried to locate stores within 100 miles or so that I was willing to drive to, eventually understood I couldn't return the review). I haven't tested anything since then, but they haven't bugged me, either. I still get their magazine. Sorry all you folks had such a bad experience. Maybe I was just lucky.

I just got a bill, and it was already past due!

My membership number is [protected]. Please cancel my membership immediately. Thank you.
Hugh Gonzalez

I got a bill from the Cooking Club of America, but never ordered any merchandise. After reading the many complaints about this company, I'm afraid that they are going to send me to a collection ageny and ruin my good credit! I'm going to return any merchandise I might receive, as advised by a person who previously compained. I can't believe a company can send a "Dues Invoice" for something never ordered!
Martha Stout
Illinois

I'm glad I checked here, also. What alerted me was the inaccurate sentence structure on the outside of the envelope. "Will you do us a favor and test cooking products?" What professional company would send out a mailing like that?

I am so happy I decided to see what others had to say about ccoa before I joined. After reading what has happened to others, I will not be joining either! So many scams out there you have to watch out for, it is a good thing people communicate to save alot of us worry and money. It does seem too good to be true. I did join the national gardening assn. of america, they are true to the word, as far as I had found out, I did recieve many items to try and got to keep, met many people too.Did any one have a problem with them? Thanks again!

Do you have the 888 number to call and cancel? I subscribed last year and I received the lifetime membership letter and I really want to cancel, but I don´t see any 888 on their website.
Thanks

I agree there a scam. I to joined them never received my free gifts
even though they said I would I have called twice.
The same company also owns north American fishing club and the handy man club

I joined as a life member a couple of years ago - I decided that even if it is a scam, it was worth it for the cookware. I do enjoy the cookware, love the magazine, and have received several "free gifts" and a couple of items for testing. What I dislike is that they send books with high prices and I am truly awful at remembering to send them back. I am fully paid on my "life membership" and I think they may try to charge me forever for all of the products they keep sending that I don't want.

I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU DO NOT BELEIVE IN COOKING CLUB OF AMERICA CAUSE YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO GET THRU TO THEM BUT THERE IS A NUMBER YOU CAN GET THRU TO THEM IT IS [protected]

The wonders of the internet. I too received this material and was concerned about sending it out. I was going to this morning but I wanted to contact the company first because I had some questions.

I wasn't sure of their email address so I just typed in the company name and WOW!

I really appreciate you all making comments. This material has now been shredded and is in the garbage including the key chain and magnetic picture frame.

memberservices@CookingClub.com

HERE IS THEIR E MAIL ADDRESS!

I received one free magazine from Cooking Club of America...I have not sent in any money...would you all suggest sending the bill back with "cancel" on it or just tearing it up and ignoring them? I don't want to get involved with them!

i have been a member for a number of years and to this date i have not had a problem with cooking club of America they have lived up to everthing .

I have had the same thing happen to me . They sent me a notice saying they were going to send me items and magazines and I sent them a letter saying no thank you then. They sent me a bill for $ 24.00 and keep saying i better pay it. They never sent me anything to try they just keep sending me bills.

Send book back and the post service didn't recieve it.

I do not like this company. I did business with them 6/8 years ago. They kept sending me cook books I did not order. I than send never again. I do not need you and you do not need me. So do not contact me EVER.
Under stood.
It must be pretty tough; you leave NO PHONE NUMBER. Can't take the HEAT.