Newsmax Media review: Unauthorized subscription charge 61

I too have the same problem as stated by George Rietzel. I have notified Newsmax and the Franklin Report that I want a full refund. As of this date I have not received a reply. If I am not satisfied and a full refund is not forthcoming, I will take it to the State Attorney Generals Office in both Texas and Florida. Clyde Formby

I had the same experience. I just received a $49.00 charge on my credit card. I am contacting Newsmax to ask that my money be refunded.

Elizabeth Pearson, West Jordan, UT

Yet another... CANCEL IMMEDIATELY. I am filing a wire fraud report with the FBI. I want this $49 refunded immediately to my Visa card.

Brian A. Manlove
Keller TX
brian.manlove@verizon.net

Chris Ruddy, CEO of NewsMax, must be in financial trouble or maybe he is trying to win an Oscar for scamming.

I had the same experience with the book and the newsletters. By using the book as a loss-leader they obtain your credit card and then start billing wildly. I received that subscription notice for a tip sheet on gold stock. That was early in June. They were billing $99 on that one. They gave me an option to cancel it which I did the same day.

Next a $49 charge from them for the Franklin Report showed up on my Visa statement this week without any previous communications about a chance to cancel. I called them the same day, June 30, got a nice lady on the phone who said she was canceling it.

I called my bank to day to make sure the charge was credited. Not only was it still there, but on the same day that I spoke to her, they charged $99.00 for the gold news letter which I had canceled by mail a month earlier.

My Visa card is through the TD Canada Trust Bank. I got them on the phone. A young client service man called NewsMax while I waited on the line. He got them to promise to credit both charges. But he told me that he was holding on to their confirmation number and if they don't follow through they can bill all they want, they won't be paid.

I'm a U.S. citizen living in Toronto, Canada. NewsMax is in Florida. It makes it more difficult for me to follow up with the law from here but I hope Clyde Formby makes yards with the Attorney Generals of Florida and Texas and that Brian Manlove gets some co-operation from the FBI.

Ruddy has associated himself with a number of on air personalities from Fox News. Rupert Murdoch should be apprised that his boys are getting hooked up with a snake oil salesman and potential Ponzi. NewsMax needs to be put out of business. Andy Halmay a3n3d3y@yahoo.com

Same story here. I ordered a book and paid shipping of $4.95 through Newsmax. They almost immediately billed me $49.99 for a bogus subscription and subsequently billed me another $99.00. I've tried to get through on their Customer Service line but it is clogged with people having the same problem as me. This is fraud pure and simple. Newsmax central message seems to be that politicians are stealing. Appears to me that this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. I'm going to try and file a criminal complaint since the company is here in Florida.

To all readers:

Really great to hear I am not alone against Newsmax. I hope we can mount enough pressure to get them to pay us back.

The credit card companies are also at fault. They need to drop these scamsters or at least threaten to do so.

Tis Sunday. Their customer service is closed. They will hear from me again tomorrow before I complain to the Visa.

I hate it that any company that gets my number can abuse it by selling me stuff I don't want.

J. D.
California

I had the exact same experience. Ordered the "free" book and willingly paid the shipping cost. This was a month or two ago and suddenly now there's this $49 charge for a magazine subscription we didn't ask for! Chase Mastercard was not ready to reverse the charge, but gave me the Newsmax phone number and said I have to call them myself. And of course, they are not open weekends. Ugh. Please post success stories, if any... I'd like to know what you did to get your money back!

Has any of these cases been resolved? Did anyone get their money back? I am a student and Newsmax just charged my student mastercard account at school $49.00. Way back in August I made that card accessible to them by paying for a $4.95 shipping charge on a book that was supposed to be free. I never subscribed to anything from these people. I haven't even read the dang book! This is a scam. Please advise.

I ordered a free flashlight/radio and paid shipping, understanding that I would receive a trial subscription to a print magazine. I was also offered email notifications and newsletter subscriptions, which I declined. I set up a reminder to cancel the trial subscription ahead of time.
I began to not only receive the magazine, but print newsletters, and tons of emails. I logged into my account and it showed that I had declined the email subscriptions, but I was still getting them all. I emailed and wrote cancelling the magazine and requesting that all other subscriptions be cancelled as well. I continued to get the spam, and got charged for the subscription. I have contacted them multiple times to refund the money and stop the spam to no avail. The only response that I get is an automated response that they received my email.

I deal with Newsmax all the time and never had these problems. Of course they are not open all weekend! Duh! Most people that want something for free forget to read the part ..what they will get along with it, that is not a scam that is just YOU not paying attention to details. Yes, I have had to call a few times to get my money back...however they are a huge company and if you expect them to take care of you that very day and if you think YOU are the person calling them, then you have serious issues. You can call, or email give them a bout 5 days and most likely it will be done. I have had several memberships with them for the last 2 years and as long as you read the information before you click sumbit, then you would not think it was a scam. Start taking responsibility for your own mistakes. I do agree about the excessive emails, however if you call the main office i found that I was taken off those lists within about a week.

If Newsmax is being legitimate and acting with full integrity, then why does the offer only talk about the FREE BOOK for $4.95 and why do the $99.00 charges that will occur happily ever after only placed in the fine, fine print? I am good at telling if offers are scams, but they got me. And where is the number to call to cancel? How come they don't have a service website? I wrote please cancel on the unopened envelope and mailed back the overpriced reports for months and they have not honored this. They keep charging me. I am very grateful for websites like this one.

Been trying for 8 months to get off of their spam mail mailing list. Unsuscribe link does nothing, tried 27 times, phone calls have done nothing, called 4 times. I never have authorized accepting their spam, or anything else from them. Spam mail now seems to have turned to their cohorts trying to sell something. Aggravating people!

Newsmax MUST be investigated as they afe absolute scam artists! Our government got their nands in everything but can't stop these @x*#s.
I am willing to do whatever is needed to get them locked up.
Bill

I called them again 1-3-11. They assured me that their tech department would remove me from their list within 48 hours. I have since recieved 6 new spam messages from them up to and including today. I am going to call them daily at least once till I get off of their spam list. Their solution was to change my business email address, which I have had for over 20 years, and have not had a problem being removed from anyones list until now.

I've just noticed a Newsmax subscription debit on my Lloyds TSB statement. I cancelled Newsmax so long ago, I can't even remember when. At least 4 years ago. At my age (80+) and poor health, it's a major pain to track back and see how much Newsmax have wrongly charged me. I CAN'T EVEN FIND A NEWSMAX E-MAIL ADDRESS for SUBS COMPLAINTS. Can anyone help? Stan Kelly-Bootle, UK

I was in the same predicament as everyone else. I ordered an emergency radio from them, and agreed to a free, trial subscription to Newsmax, and the Franklin Prosperity Report. As soon as the radio arrived, I emailed them cancelling my subscription. A few months later, I returned their renewal letter marked "cancel". A few days ago, I noticed they charged my Mastercard $49. I immediately disputed the charge with Mastercard, giving the relevant facts and dates. Today, I received a call from Mastercard, saying the case was resolved, I would receive a credit on my next statement, AND they would monitor my account to insure Newsmax doesn't try the same scam again!

I have never ordered anything from Newsmax and would never do so. I have, as many here have indicated, repeatedly unsubscribed from their e-mail and even though it will indicate that you are unsubscribed, the e-mails keep on coming. I have repeated the process at least 30 times and each time it indicates that I was successful but now I have had to place a filter on all mail from the Newsmax dommain in order to keep it out of my Inbox.
And every day, there is a Newmax e-mail in my junk folder.

Yes, where are the contact phone number and emails? I see people indicating they called but they have not shred the contact information here. Where did you find that info? I have repeatedly attempted to find a direct customer service phone number and I have been unsuccessful.

When I see such a grouop of complaints and see only perhaps one posting defendind Newsmax in any way, I'd say there is a problem. So if you have the contact info- how about it? Share please cuz I see a lot of extememly upset people here.

Why I am getting all these charges from newsmax ($220.00) PLEASE STOP. I hope you do not blame anyone else for a badly wrong enterprise but yourself. Please Stop I am not interested in anymore of your books or commentaries. Discuss me. I did try but is not news worthy nor can you learn anything with it.

I too was billed the customary $49.00+. BUT, fortunately within 2 days of noting the charge on my account, I contacted someone at the number shown next to the charge on my on-line account. It read: "NMX*FRANKLN PROSPER [protected] FL" I dialed the 888# and spoke with Stephanie, lodging my complaint. She was very helpful and after speaking with her supervisor told me that my account would be credited with 2-3 weeks. Time will tell but at least for the moment I feel accomodated.

I was considering ordering the free book, but I decided to check into whether people were having trouble canceling the newsletter subscriptions. From what I have read here I will not agree to the free trial of the newsletters. Oddly enough if you want to just read the book "Aftershock" I believe Newsmax itself is selling it for $2.95. I do have to say to the above posters though, there was no "fine print". It says flat out $49 will be charged in 30 days and $99 in 90 days. The fraudulent part is that they say you can cancel no problem, but apparently you can't. I will not take my chances.

The same thing happened to me and they were able to resolve it. I would try to call their customer service department. (1.800.485.4350) I hope this helps!

Newsmax is not a reputable company. The unsuscribe feature does not work.
They should be put out of business!

As an employee of Newsmax Media, Inc. I’m very familiar with the Aftershock offer.

In fact, over 275, 000 people have taken us up on this unique opportunity over the last 18 months.

The various comments made above are simply not true or are highly inaccurate. In fact, Newsmax has been an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau since 2000 and continues to demonstrate an A+ rating. We make every attempt to satisfy a customer complaint in a timely fashion.

If you would like to resolve any of your customer service issues, please call [protected] [Monday through Friday 9 am to 5 pm ET] or email us at customerservice@newsmax.com.

As part of this offer, customers pay $4.95 (the cost of the shipping and handling) and get the New York Times bestselling Aftershock book (a listing price of $27.95). The offer makes it clear to the customer that they get the free book and materials in exchange for agreeing to a trial subscription to 3 investment advisory letters.

There is no obligation to subscribe to any of the 3 newsletters and there is no penalty for canceling our newsletters before the trial period ends. There is an automatic renewal on these subscriptions if a person does not cancel them out.

And that is why one month before the trial period expires to each newsletter, we send the customer a renewal notice by US postal mail.

When a customer receives the renewal notice they can simply write “cancel” on the renewal letter and return it.

We really try to keep it simple.

In fact, all of this is disclosed on the order page located here: https://www.newsmaxstore.com/nm_mag/aftershock_2.cfm

And even if a person for some reason misses the renewal notice, we are happy to send a full refund of the unused portion of their subscription at any time.

Additionally, after a person orders they receive a confirmation website notice and email regarding our cancellation and renewal policies. This email includes all of our contact information.

And when the customer receives their book in the mail, an insert repeats how the trial subscription works and their right to cancel.

So we disclose our renewal policies on the order page, confirmation website, confirmation email, the Aftershock package you receive in the mail, and with renewal notices for each newsletter one month before the trial period expire.

We hope customers who take the free book will try out the newsletters for the trial period. We ask this in good faith in exchange for us sending the $28 book. However, if the customer doesn’t want to renew subscriptions, the book is theirs to keep at no additional cost.

The complaints above also claim we send out emails without permission. This is not accurate. We include a link to unsubscribe from any emails we send, which is in the email for easy use.

Also a customer may unsubscribe by calling our emailing our Customer Service Department. Our contact information is also included at the bottom of every email. And we strictly adhere to our Privacy Policy of NOT sharing your contact information with anyone.

Our Privacy Policy can be reviewed here:
http://www.moneynews.com/Privacy/

We would greatly appreciate the opportunity to resolve any issues you may have to your satisfaction and hope to hear from you soon.

Again, our phone number is [protected] and our email address is customerservice@newsmax.com

I have just had the same experience with Newsmax as described by several others here, so the "trial subscription" scam is still going on. I called the [protected] number listed on my statement, and after several tries got to speak to an actual person. I was pretty irate about the whole thing when I spoke to the rep (Marilyn) and I cannot say my attitude or manner was friendly, but she said she was removing the $49 charge from my account "as we speak." Sometimes it pays to just go ahead and get angry about this sort of thing when making the complaint. I will check my account and if the refund doesn't show up within a couple of days I'll call the credit card number and request the charge be removed. My experience is that credit card companies are good about this as long as your complaint is legitimate.

One more thing: when the Newsmax employee above says that " over 275, 000 people have taken us up on this unique opportunity over the last 18 months" -- I wonder how many of those people just don't check their credit card statements and so don't know they've paid the $49 or more. Lots of people, maybe even a majority, just never bother checking their statements. Some scams appear to bank on this. Several times over the years I've noticed my account charged (usually some small amount) by some company I've never heard of and certainly never did business with. In every such case I've simply called the credit card company and had the charge removed, and never heard anything more about it -- a sure sign the charge was nothing but an attempt at theft in the first place, an attempt that probably works much if not most of the time.

This book offer by Newsmax is not the same sort of theft, but is still a sleazy way to do business no matter how you look at it. I certainly wasn't aware when I ordered the "free book" (the $4.95 is for shipping) that once Newsmax had my credit card number they would go ahead and charge me for "reports" I didn't want and never ordered. The term "free trial" DOES NOT imply that you'll be automatically charged unless you mail back (at your own expense) the order form specifically saying you DON'T want the subscription. I have seen many free trials before, but never one like this.

To the newsmax employee, I had the same thing happen with the book aftershock. I wrote cancel on every invoice sent to me and newsmax still charged my credit card $99.00. I've used that little unscribe on emails numerous of times. I get the little notice that tells me I'll be removed. But, I still get the emails. Thank goodness for the spam filter, that's where they all go now. I am absolutely livid about the charge on my credit card and I'm going to do whatever I have to do in order to get it back. If it means contacting an attorney, even if I have to pay more for the attorney than what I'm being charged. Newsmax has to be stopped.

I have filed a fraud report with my credit card company

DEAR NEWSMAx/MEDIA EMPLOYEE:(POSTING 8/30/2011)
YOU MUST BE THE SAME EMPLOYEE THAT "ACCIDENTLY" HUNG UP ON ME WHEN I TRIED TO CALL TO GET YOU PEOPLE TO STOP ANY FURTHUR CHARGES AGAINST MY CREDIT CARD. BTW YOUR INVOICES SHOULD OFFER THAT OPTION!
YOU MUST BE REALLY BUSY DOING YOUR "CUSTOMER SUPPORT" JOB, BECAUSE WHEN I CALLED BACK I GOT AN ANSWERING MACHINE.
IN MY OPINION YOUR PRACTICES DO HINGE ON THE EDGE OF CONSUMER FRAUD.
"ROTO SIGNING OF CREDIT CARD AUTHORIZATIONS" IS THAT EVEN LEGAL?
IF PEOPLE REALLY LIKE YOUR NEWSLETTERS ETC. THEN THEY WILL TELL YOU AND CONTINUE YOUR SERVICES.
BUT THOSE OF US THAT DON'T LIKE YOUR SERVICES SHOULD BE ALLOWED THE SAME COURTESY(LOOK UP THE DEFINITION) OF STOPPING YOUR SERVICES!
IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I AND SO MANY OTHERS ON THIS FORUM HAVE THEN DO WHAT I DID AND FILE A COMPLAINT WITH FLORIDA STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
IT'S A SHAME THAT IN TODAY'S ECONOMY YOU STILL HAVE THE BOTTOM FEEDERS SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF HARDWORKING AMERICANS.

Yes I'm yelling because they obviously can't hear people tell them No More! Plus big print because they can't read people telling them No More!

File complaint with Florida State Attorney's Office and State Attorney's Office in your home state.

Company information for complaint form is:

NEWSMEDIA
560 VILLAGE BLVD. STE 120
WEST PALM BEACH FL, [protected]
Phone number: [protected]

Maybe if enough people do that something will done about this company's practices.

The statement dated Aug 31, 2011 by Newsmax has a bald faced lie: It states that :"There is no obligation to subscribe to any of the 3 newsletters and there is no penalty for cancelling our newsletters before the trial period ends" . A notice came with the Aftershock book which clearly states (in bold print): "Please be aware that if you received a bonus gift item and if you choose to cancel your trial subscription before you receive our renewal notice, you will be charged full retail value of your bonus item. This policy is in place so that you can FULLY enjoy your FREE trial subscriptions". I found this rather chilling - the admonition that I had to wait and look at all three issues of the trial subscription, or else- so I made sure to mark cancel on the invoice when it arrived and mailed it back the same day. Guess what? My account was charged $49 anyway. These people are either hugely incompetent or crooks. If I didn't have to pay more postage I would send their stupid book back. Have refused the newsletters they have sent since then and will pursue some of the other suggestions by other writers. By the way, was not able to get through by phone when I tried.

Well, I never signed up for the three month trial. I purchased a small paperback and as part of the deal I had to take what appeared to be a survey. It asked me to select the magazines I am interested in. I picked two that did look interesting but I did not know I was signing up for a trial.

Three months later however I became fully aware when my credit card was charged twice. The woman on the phone (both times) had no concern, no remorse for what had happened and in fact acted like this happens all the time.

Two weeks later and I am still waiting for a refund! Also I NEVER got any of these so called trial subscriptions!

I wanted a book reporting on economic profiling as they saw it. I did not want any attached subscription. Just been onto my building society - having received a Franklin letter about billing me next month - at a "favourable" amount. I was rather phased by this. So I rang my building society in the UK (at present in Spain). They can't even stop the syphoning off. They will now have to change my card. From 2011 to October 2012 Newsmax have syphoned of 169.30 GBP I think this is criminal extortion. I had already intimated to Newsmax many months back that I as not interested - like water off a duck's back. Appalling! I tried cancelling via internet. Can'tg do it because I can't get past the limited 10 digit phone number requirement - they do not give enough space to record a European number. Really is criminal.

FULLY AGREE
They are still doing this in 2013. Not direct dial number so ppl outside the US cant contact them, email contact form does not go though since the postcode is not accepted nor the phone numbers from outside the US.
I have cancelled my credit card and requested my bank get my money refunded.
Hope someone else can learn from "our" collective mistakes. I did not discover this until I tried to find a direct dial number to contact the company and discovered this website. I will also be writing to the US Embassy here in NZ.
Rip off artists. Have also emailed the author of the report I stupidly subscribed to to tell them that NEWSMAX are sullying his name.

Did anyone actually find the book's information helpful in obtaining the benefits they advertise?

Aside from the scam activity - did anyone find the book useful in obtaining benefits after 50?

I cannot cancel The Franklin Prosperity Report membership. Did Newsmax, but I have not received any of the reports for the $1.97 and I sure do not want them to take any more money out of my personal account. Please cancel my accounts with the email address of old_wise1@hotmail.com NOW!

I noticed that the only positive comment here is from Maria34. I wonder if she works for NewsMax?

I read NewsMax's offer and was considering ordering one newsletter for $1.49. Glad I checked online for other comments. I now know I will not order. Thanks for reporting your experiences

I do not want the franklin prosperity report membership. I would like my 47.95 that you took out my checking account and do not charge me the 99.00 dollars .

I just finished reading "I know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou and in one of her chapters, she details the con artists she met as a teenager who were friends of her family and there was never a truer statement than this.

"IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CON A PERSON WHO ISN'T LOOKING TO GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING"

So I hope everyone enjoyed their "free" radio" because these con artists reeled you in like fish on a line.

I do feel sorry for you guys, I went through the same thing with "free" makeup"

There is no free ride when you give up your credit card information! BUYER beware!

I've been getting the "Heart Health Report" from them which gets automatically renewed each year. Today I wanted their free offer of Dr Crandall's book Fix It for the heart (having recently had a heart attack) I could only get it by ordering the health report that I am already getting. As I'm in the UK, it isn't easy to phone. This means I'm paying twice for something and the above emails about not being able to cancel have concerned me. I wonder too why such an eminent Cardiologist needs to use this form of advertising. I would really appreciate any comments on my problem.
Joannamolloy10@yahoo.co.uk