HandyMan Club of America / Scout.com review: unauthorized subscription charge 43

Several months ago I received a free issue of Handyman magazine with a request to purchase a subscription. I sent in the subscription after writing on it that I am not interested in joining this club or receiving the magazine. Today, 9/10/07, I received a notice from a collection agency stating I owe this company $29 for a 2 year subscription that I did not authorize. This company is fraudulent and should be criminally investigated.

HCoA stated that "If you're unhappy with the Club at any time during your first year of membership, just let us know. Upon your request, you'll get a FULL 100% REFUND of your dues paid.

I was unhappy and I let them know, they stopped my subscription but after 6 months no refund.

I never wanted to be a member of the Handyman Club, although I received a gift subscription to what I believe is the magazine. They bullied me into renewing last year, and then sent me a vaguely threatening invoice marked "past due." I called the 800 # to cancel, but the message told me to go on the website, which I had to "join" to access. It's a run-around!

I keep receiving bills in the mail from the "handyman club of america", even after I have written them telling them to cancel all of everything. Now I have been informed that they have turned my so-called bill over to a collection agency.When they first started out it was a 12.00 yearly membership, I paid for one year, then canceled, now they claim I owe them 346.00 dollars.

Fraud and cheating!

Here is a note for everyone NEVER JOIN ANYTHING THAT SAYS CLUB OF AMERICA they're all sister clubs with the same scam i'm 13 in the cooking club of America i'm probably doomed to a life time of harassment.

but if you live in CT you might be able to sue with Brignole and bush Attourney J. Xavier Pryor

he's won many cases and he's also my dad they have a website www.brignole.com

Good Luck mabye you can just open a new checking account?

This organization sent a book even when asked to stop. The book was returned at my cost. This organization sent a bill anyway. I have written to the Executive Director 3 times and yet I continued to be billed. When you call the only number available they tell you they can't accept the call and to try again tomorrow. It is always try again tomorrow.

These

I received a past due notice from this company threatening to report me to a collection agency. The problem is this company has not rendered any service of benefit to me of any kind. Also their letter of so called"official notification" does not contain one single phone number or web site address to respond to them. I sent them all their literature back through the post office, dated and initialed by me as refused, according to postal regulations.

Beware!

Thank you,
Best regards,
Charles Hatch

I returned an overpriced book as a club member over 6 months ago. I used the return label they provided and even today I continue to receive late notices despite letters, and numerous calls that never get through. I have since tried to cancel membership in this chicken poop club but still get the bills for what has been properly returned.

I ordered and paid for Superfoods RX, I have send one letter to Bottom Line with a copy of my check. The only reply is another letter from a different department, first was from their billing manager and the next from a customer rep.

I have experienced the same threatening treatment from this club. I returned the book per their instructions and have replied to their repeated billing with the same information - I do not have the book - it was sent to them and they now have me in their collection department. These types of tactics sour consumers and certainly doesn't help their public image. Frustrating!

EVQ

I agree totally. I returned their calender the day I got it. I got a letter saying I needed to returned it. My dues were paid in full via credit card 3 months ago. I just received one of their 'Threatening " letters.

Why don't they list their personal phone numbers, so we can call them directly? Spineless wannabes. They can kiss my ###ing ###. Not getting a cent from me. Besides, the drill they sent me died in the first week I had it. Go ahead, cancel my membership. Besides, where's my stuff I'm supposed to get for paying my dues?

I have received a "COLLECTIONS REFERRAL NOTICE " RESENTLY FOR NONPAYMENT. I did make my payment and they have cashed my check after review of my bank records and I still received this notice. I can not find a phone number either so i emailed a copy of the canceled check to the attention of M.Pope "Office of the Treasurer" to try to get this issue resolved. I have not received any new feedback from them to date. I am hoping they do the right thing. I thought this magizine was owned by The Readers Digest group! It is a ssad day!

The same thing happened to me. The first book they sent I really liked and I payed for it. The second they sent, not so much. So I returned it, and cancelled my entire membership. Now they are billing me saying that I'm seriously delinquent (90 days) and must pay or be reported to a collection agency- even though I've sent about 5 letters stating that I already sent the darn book back, and I no longer wish to be a member.

At first I was sent a magazine to examine and if I liked I would become member. I decided not to join and They kept sending ,magazine and have since . Now I receive a letter that I am over 3months over due and that they are turn me into the nationwide licensed collection agency and jeopardize my credit. I did contact them that I did not want membership.

My husband was interested in joining the club for the low price of 12.00 for one year. When the bill came it was for 24.00 and 2 years, which was not what he signed up for. Now the company is threatening to turn him over to collections. We still are refusing to pay for a product that was not ordered.

I joined the Handyman Club of America on a Lifetime membership a few years ago, then decidied to cancel. I contacted them several times, telling them to cancel the membership, but they continued to send me bills. Now, they are sending a collection agency after me, claining I owe them $359.00.

These people just don't seem to be taking "Cancel my membership" for an answer.

If anyone knows how to get in touch with this company could you let me know. We just recieved a notice from collection for $350. from this company. Unreal.

I have been locked out of the club more times than I liked They keep changing the web site without notice. No matter what password I have recieved none work. I am a life time member.

joined the Handyman Club of America on a Lifetime membership this year, then decidied to cancel. I contacted them several times, telling them to cancel the membership, but they continued to send me letter, i dont know what i have to do for cancel my membership.

I joined the Handyman Club of America. I was assured that I would receive a 3 year membership, $40 in gas rebates; a first product test; a gift of 7 in 1 tool set; a 4 in 1 tape measure. I paid them by check when I joined. I then received a bill from them for my membership. To date I have not received any of the products or services they promised and I am wondering if this a scam operation.

An unsolited mailing arrived regarding a collection agency for a member ship I never subscribed to for Handyman Club of America. I have never heard of them and never subscribed to such a thing.

I am infuriated that I am unable to contact them via phone, internet or mail other than the P.O. Box to submit payment. I am sending a letter in the payment envelope regarding this fraudulent subscription.

This shows what kind of world we have turned into with stolen identities and not to mention, lack of personal customer service.

I recieved a threating letter from K. Pope, stating you were turning me over to a collection agency, GOOD LUCK,
I did not ask to become a member of your club and refuse to pay for this stupid bill.I will continue to through your letters & magazines in the trash!
So stop wasting you paper And time.

A NOT SO HAPPY NON-MEMBER Jesse Ward

I SIGN UP FOR PRODUCTTESTING AND I DONT HERE FROM ANYONE FOR OVER 7 mouths I CALL AND GET A RUNAROUND WHY AND TRY TO GET IN THE WEBSIT FOR THE PAST 3mos. and always get unauthorized membership why. Icall and get nowere they say there websit is down for the past 3 MOS. WHY. I FEEL LIKE MY LIFEMEMBER SHIP IS A WAST OF TIME AND MY MONEY . I PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR WHAT .NOT TO GET THE RUNAROUND.

attn: robert masters i returned the book tools and techniques and im stell get bills for it and i sent it back over 8 weeks ago or more i tried calling them on the phone and just got a bussy signal. what can i do my number is [protected] ?

This company has many affiliate companies with different names (about 40) The have had so many complaints at the Better Business Bureau that should they tag your credit with an unfavorable report, they usually will remove it immeidately they have received so many hits on these people. Another one is Creative Home Arts Club. You sign up for $24.00, then they say they want you for a life time member and are issuing you a $24.00 credit which will be applied to this lifetime membership. Sounds great, no other monies involved until you get a "late notice" saying you missed a payment and balance is $386.00 for this life time membership. They are all scam artists and just keep your paperwork and canceled checks should you need them. Also, you can notify the states attorney in your state "like file a complaint" and they have to follow up on it since it falls also under the Federal Trades Commssion and I believe this could be "interstate fraud".. Good luck, always keep your paperwork and if it sounds too good to be true..it probably is. They are ###!

I signed up and paid for a life membership. They have sent the magazines and a couple of little rubber items to "test" but after 4 years, nothing. They really are a pain in tush!

I became a Life Member. Total waste of money. The items I received were for the most part (one exception, a bit set) low quality (especially the router). All I have received since for my big-$$ membership fee is an unsolicited overpriced calendar and a bill. The calendar had nothing to do with any handyman issue. I returned it.

Has anyone complained to a state or federal agency. This is a fraud, not just a poorly managed club.

Totally agree with you. I've been a life member since 1999 and have yet to receive a single item for evaluation. Made the mistake of signing up for master life membership. It's been over a week since they've processed by first payment and still do not have access to the Masterlife member area of the website.

haven't received my introduction kit.looking foward to see what the handyman club of america has to offer and what it's all about.

I purchased a lifetime membership with Handyman Club of America. They said I would be able to test products and keep the product. I have yet to receive a single product to test.. Instead, I get junk mail from all kinds of "CLUBS" wanting me to join, everything from gardening, fishing, and other handyman clubs. It is apparent that Handyman Club of America sold my information. This is NOT what I joined for.

J. Linderman

i know of some one who operates a llc and he is not licesed to do so in michigan.he also dodges taxes and has since 2003.he has a handy man service in holland mi and does work in saugatuck mi and douglas mi and fennvilli mi and zeeland mi.he is not as experienced as he saids he is. and he is a cheat, and a theif and cant bre trusted either. ans has stolen from cleints. and gone thier homes when they are not around looking for money, his company name is iron sharpens iron handy mandservice ll. and his name is frank trejo.

Just received a "second reminder" for an invoice that states we are late for our payment to the Handyman Club of America...a club that not only did we never join but this is the same company and the same problem we had a few years back. Took forever to track down contact information to straighten it out. I told them at the time that I never wanted anything sent to us again.

I w ant to cancel this subscription that i never signed up for.

My husband joined the club for a lifetime membership in May of 2008. But I lost my job and his wasn't working too well either. So we called to let them know our situation. They said we weren't the first to have to let our membership go. Now we are being put into collections for the 335.00 membership fees. We cancelled in 2009. I don't feel I should pay it because we cancelled after paying on some of it.

I keep receiving collection notices from rmcb stating that I owe
$335.00 to handyman club of America for membership from 2007. I canceled the membership during the so-called trial period and have NOT received anything from handyman club since the cancellation. This is not a valid debt and I do not feel I am responsible to pay for something that I canceled during the trial period.

I joined handyman club of America, 1st gift not received item 0004 35 pocket bucket organizer
0005 bonus $10, 00 saving certificate 0007 exclusive acess to full web site
0008 aditional product testing privilages, it seems that if you don't buy the books sent unordered you get nothing. Member #[protected], I wrote aletter but did receive an answer. Donld Humphreys 12524 Village Lane
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73170
Phone [protected] or [protected]

I cancel membership and when threy called I said I not afford it.
The first time they bill me was for Two Years.
Now they bill me for One Year.

I was billed with a statement sent to me for a 12 months membership unauthorized without me knowing.
No number on the statement where I could contact them, but only a "Pay online" web address where they ask
for my check account # or credit card # (method of payment so to speak). My Billing/Reference # on the statement is : LMTG9803.

This is the second time that I have sent in a letter to Handyman Club of America, indicating that we sent the book back on the 9th of Mar. and we still keep getting a bill in the mail to pay for the book, which we did not ask to have sent to us in the first place. The reference # is [protected]. If this does not stop, I will not longer renew my subscription to handyman. Please see to it that no more bills are sent.

I wish not to be apart of this scam of an organization as well. They have not held up to there part of the bargain. The tools they say are so great are actually junk. If they will not let someone go because they are not satisfied with there so called services then that really says what kind of people we are dealing with. ROBERT EATON