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CB Department Stores Bealls deceitful tactics to sign customers up for unwanted magazine subscriptions
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Bealls review: deceitful tactics to sign customers up for unwanted magazine subscriptions 14

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5:49 am EDT
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I counted at least 10 people who have posted to either, goodys, peebles or bealls facebook page to complain, (As I have) , about those magazine subscriptions the sales associates are sneaking into customer shopping bags at stage, goodys, peebles, palais royal and bealls stores throughout the united states.
My story began around january 2012 when I found charges on my checking account from several magazine subscription companies in new york and california. We were receiving magazines since around october of 2011, but no one knew where these were coming from and we didn’t receive any bill. There was nothing from goodys to tell us where these magazines were coming from.
I saw on our online checking account statement, the name of the magazine subscription company. I called them and found out it was through goodys that they got our debit card number. We did not agree in anyway to this transaction. One example is we were getting forbes magazine and I have never read forbes nor did I ever intend on reading it. This is proof that the sales associate signed us up for magazine subscriptions without our permission.
If I hadn’t spotted these transactions we would have suffered from magazine subscription costs, insufficient fund costs, and would have been penalized hundreds of dollars.
One single mother complained about this very problem on your facebook page. She suffered a lost of funds because she didn’t know how to stop it.
Other people posted that sale associates were fired for not participating in this magazine subscription scheme. Other customers posted they were given no choice and told by the sales associate they had to choose some magazines.
I am in support of those customers who hate the magazine subscription offers. What a stupid marketing ploy. Save the magazine subscriptions for the school fundraisers where they belong. I no longer go to goody's to shop for merchandise. I happen to know that the associates are forced to ask everyone or they get disciplined. The associates are embarrassed to ask the same people, 2 or 3 times a week, but they have too. Too much pressure for underpaid, overworked, sales associates.
I hope I find a way to elevate this information to the proper authorities to get it stopped. You can’t be allow to deceive customers, giving out their personal financial information to magazine subscription companies, not knowing what they will do with it.

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14 comments
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Dixie Dobbins
, US
Oct 02, 2017 1:39 pm EDT

I have already contacted an attorney about a Class Action lawsuit. Today I disovered over $800 worth of magazine charges on my card the past year alone! Please anyone who has been charged Illegally, contact me through my email at this address. DixieChickPhoto@yahoo.com Ive already contacted a good Attorney and this is wrong. Please email your name and info if you want to report this. Thank you, Ive had 2 meetings with the attorneya nd they've taken my statements videod me and are getting this togetehr now. Thanks! D

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Pinky Hertel
, US
Feb 28, 2016 11:34 am EST

Very unhappy with the magazine thing: deceitful. But not the Stage employee, she explained it was three month trial. But trying to cancel was deceitful by the third party. Called the toll free number on the statement next the charge. WARNING - the magazine pushers try to trick you again - they do not list choices for you to choose. They make each option like it's you last. Pick the wrong one and you can't go back.
For those calling, say NO to the first offer (continue at discounted rate); say NO the the second offer (cancel future magazines and no more charges), then the third option is YES (cancel future and refund all money)! The phone prompts are misleading - good luck. I did it wrong and got screwed.
PS - I like the way this website asks you to check your spelling before posting - life lesson! Love Pinky

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Lawrenceburg, TN
, US
Oct 16, 2015 12:45 pm EDT

I too was a counter manager for Estée Lauder. I loved helping people but hated the pressure the management put on us to push credit cards and magazines! Yes we would be written up and fired if we didn't get enough to please management! They are not considered about making customers happy, just ripping them off.
I no longer work for them because Stage Stores as a whole is a terrible company with no appreciation for good staff or customers!

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Philippians2:14
, US
Sep 15, 2015 6:46 pm EDT

To the person above: it was supposed to be hilarious. If you read the scripture it says "do everything without grumbling and complaining". I thought it was ironic considering the name of this site. My job isn't to scam and deceive people. We do have to get credits and mags, but I don't force it on people. For the less fortunate, credit cards are helpful, especially around Christmas! And you would be surprised at how many walk up and ask to apply. I've also had people come back and try the magazines again. If you were scammed into it by an associate, I'm sorry. My point was that not all associates are the same way :) our store doesn't ask for all that just to check someone out. Also, saying I'm a shameful representation of the Bible was a little judgemental considering you don't know me. :)

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ScamsGalore
, US
Sep 10, 2015 6:26 pm EDT

Absolutely hilarious that the previous commenter uses a Bible verse as their username "philippians2:14", meanwhile being perfectly ok with scamming and deceiving people out of their money. Typical.. You are a shameful representation of that book.

Stage stores absolutely REQUIRE the quota from employees or they are written up and eventually fired, for not selling MAGAZINES and CREDIT CARDS at the register of a department store. Perhaps this is why they are closing so many stores? Perhaps this is why many refuse to shop there anymore? I certainly will shop at almost any other store (even Walmart) because at least wallyworld doesn't try to scam me out of my money with at register bs sales, and harvest my data for selling also (Stage wanted a phone number, my first and last name, an email, and my address before they would even scan my items!) and with 10 people standing behind me in line waiting, the woman at Goodys insisted she was not allowed by corporate to skip any info acquisition and just check me out! How ridiculous.

These practices absolutely are predatory and scummy, especially when used against elderly and younger people who may not be as experienced in how dangerous it is to give out information, or how to easily file complaints with their bank about the fraudulent charges that will no doubt be coming on their accounts soon, after this company refuses to cancel their magazines at the 3 month mark.. a problem most people experience with these types of "free" program scams. Just stay away from Stage period. There are better options.

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Philippians2:14
, US
Aug 18, 2015 7:08 pm EDT

I am an associate at Goodys. I'm not sure how other stores do it, but we make sure that the customer knows that the magazines are free for THREE MONTHS. We also show them the number, and even circle it or highlight it for them. I also make sure I mention that it can be canceled online. The associates at our store even show an example of the $10 they will receive in the mail so as they don't accidently throw it away. Not all associates are "out to get you" just because we have a quota. Many associates have actually taken part in the magazine offer themselves (including me!) and enjoy it. Even after all we can do to remind people, the ones to complain are the ones that don't remember, and get charged. When you choose the magazines you have to "sign and agree". This is where it gives you the information and tells you plainly that after your three month free trial, you will be charged for your selections. I have met many people who actually chose to keep the magazines because they have enjoyed them. It is not the responsibility of Stage Stores to refresh people's memory. If you believe that you will not remember-DON'T SIGN. If you do remember, you will enjoy three FREE issues for three months. You can also do it up to four times per year and still receive a coupon each time. You wrote your complaint as if the associates are being mistreated by having a "quota" . I enjoy my job. Although we don't get paid per magazine, we do receive a commission per opened account. Remember that you are a responsible adult, and have the power to say "No". And if you are not a responsible adult, you have no business "signing and agreeing" to anything, do you? ;) Again, I'm not sure how other stage store associates present our magazine offer, but I ask that you don't let one bad experience make you presume that all of Stage Stores' employees would treat you the same way.

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Bob Sharp
, US
Aug 15, 2015 3:09 pm EDT

The problem is the employees are given quotas for new Credit Card applications and magazine subscriptions. They are told "do whatever it takes" to meet your goal. If they don't meet their goals, they are written up and a reprimand put in their permanent employee file. They are given a list of sales lines to convince the customer to take the "free 3 month subscription" but are told not to tell them they must cancel before the 3 months are up or they will be charged. It's in very small print on the signature pad, but the customers never read that and Bealls knows it. I know this because my wife is an assistant manager (not for long). Even the store manager is graded on how many CC apps and magazine subscriptions are pushed through.

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Corinnebb
, US
Jan 31, 2015 9:24 am EST

the number is [protected]

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erica89
Wichita Falls, US
Jun 16, 2014 2:10 pm EDT

What is the phone number to call? I have tried to find out where it is at so I can cancel this!

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Lvaughn
Ledbetter, US
May 28, 2014 6:15 pm EDT

I called before the first three months was up to change the payment method on my account and when my subscription began after the 90 days they still processed the card used in the store for a purchase made. I did not appreciate this because it caused an overdraft on our account. Will not fall for this again.

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flagtrgrl1976
Starke, US
Mar 30, 2014 9:33 pm EDT

https://www.magcustomerservice.com/wss/home

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Beth A. Burger
Lebanon, US
Jan 11, 2014 6:53 pm EST

If Goody's and their ploy to entice elderly and others to get 3 months of 3 magazines for free is not taken off my account, I
will complain to the Attorney General for this is a scam. I have called and called and they tell me that they will cancel those
magazines, but I am still receiving them. When I call I get an operator who transfers me over to the Magazine Department, but
they always, always disconnect. How disgusting. I will not pay for something that should have warned me when the three months were
up and even after calls, they still want money. Shame on these businesses.

Beth A. Burger

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M. S. Johnson
Mt. Pleasent, US
Jun 17, 2013 8:43 pm EDT

I have been trying to cancel my magazine subscriptions for a while and now have been charged on My card again! They will not take off the charge even though I called two numbers and went into the store! They claim that there is no record of my trying to cancel so they can charge for extending the subscriptions that I never wanted in the first place. Please do yourself a favor and be sure to get your credit card canceled with this company as soon as possible or they will continue to charge you.

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Dixie Dobbins
, US
Oct 02, 2017 1:50 pm EDT

im organizing a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. THIS IS SLEAZY! Shame on them! email me at DixieChickphoto@Yahoo.com

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