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Guideposts

Guideposts review: Harassment 13

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6:14 pm EDT
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My grandmother died in June of this year, so we've been having any leftover mail she would have recieved forwarded to our home. She had a subscription to Guideposts magazine way back in '09 and she cancelled it around Feb of 2010. We never noticed how much she was getting hounded by this company until we started recieving her mail.

They send her a subscripton renewal letter sometimes twice a month. I have begun writing them letters to try and stop them from sending us anything and it's been no use; the letters keep coming. Today I wrote the fourth letter to them telling them to please quit contacting our home and explaining to them she is deceased. I got curious so I went on their website and used my grandmother's password to access her account information. They listed in her account "The Estate of" and then her name, so I know for a fact they know she is dead and still send out the letters anyways.

I tried to contact customer information on the website but got the runaround, finally found the page with a phone number to call; says underneath the listed number that a representative will get back to us in 2 working days. Looked through the crap in the envelope with the letter they sent and there is a little note they have started sending out to their customers stating basically "if you subscribe for another year of the magazine, then next year we'll quit sending renewal notices". What if I don't want to wait until next year?

Update by VeryAngryMT
Oct 13, 2011 6:27 pm EDT

Well the fact that on her account on the website, it has been changed over to The Estate of, would signify to me that they aren't getting the point and even though it has been expessed in the letters we do not want to do business with them, they keep pushing.

13 comments
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Angry in Ca.
Stockton, US
Aug 05, 2013 4:47 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Having a similar problem. Guideposts guarantees to cancel upon request. I have canceled 3 times and still receive the mag.

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DumboundedOne
Seattle, US
Aug 21, 2013 5:33 pm EDT

I have the same problem. My sister passed away from cancer over four years ago. Her mail is forwarded to me. Every other entity as stopped sending mail to her but Guideposts. I have repeatedly called, sent emails, filled out the customer request information on their website. Each time some nice person says they're very sorry and will remove my sister's name from their mailing lists. The last time I tried was last fall, (2012). I even filed a complaint with the BBB, but the mail keeps coming. Their mission overall is good, but they are not representing Christ well in this area.

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motherkeeper
US
Feb 25, 2014 12:51 pm EST

Having the same problem here from Guideposts "angels on Earth" division - a magazine my mother with dementia hasn't paid for and never received (excepting a "free" sample) yet we continue to get notice hounding us for payment for a subscription we are not receiving! Huh? I have tried to communicate on-line but to no avail. I mailed them a note but the dunning notices continue to arrive. I can't find a phone number anywhere. I believe this company produces a nice little magazine very appropriate for my mother, but they seem to make a living/profit by preying on the elderly and mentally infirm (while claiming to be praying for them!) I'm disgusted by the whole thing.

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JoyJoyJoy
US
Mar 24, 2016 8:00 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

My mother gets this magazine too. She enjoys it but since I have lived with her I notice that every month with the magazine they send a subscription notice. She paid for a year in Nov 2916 and every month she gets a notice that she needs to renew by April 2016. She is starting to have dementia so her memory is affected and she just assumes she needs to send another check. When I went through her records I can see that she has been sending more than one check to them each year and in one year she sent a $500 donation! This really makes me angry! There has to be a special place in hell for people who prey on the elderly in the name of Jesus!

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Guideposts
US
Apr 22, 2016 11:15 pm EDT

Guideposts invites any customer experiencing issues to contact Customer Service at [protected], Monday through Friday 8 am and 6 pm EST.

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Helena75
US
Sep 24, 2016 3:48 pm EDT

I am having the same problem. AUTOMATIC gift renewals that I did NOT intend to renew. I just got a bill. I will be calling the above number asap. This makes me doubt the VALUES of Guideposts.

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pillowhugger
Orlando, US
Sep 25, 2019 8:40 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I moved to my new place this past April and didn't start receiving solicitations from Guideposts until a couple of months ago. I am not religious at all and I do not appreciate being sent religious solicitations. I have contacted the foundation numerous times and even went to the website and opted out of receiving their mail. Nothing works.
I receive notifications from USPS via email with images of mail that is coming to my address and this morning I saw that Guideposts has once again sent me another piece of mail. I am furious.
This foundation has part of my name correct but they added another name in the middle that I've never heard of. No one by that name has ever lived at my address and I told them so.
I know I can just toss the mail in the trash but it's the principal of the thing. When I ask someone to stop bothering me I expect them to stop. These people are relentless.

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Cheryl Fashbaugh
Springfield, US
Nov 10, 2020 9:15 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have been subscribing to Guideposts for many years. I do not like their automatic renewal notices. I find the company wants to renew the magazine 3 or 4 months in advance. I am wondering if this is to make money for the magazine. i have to keep good track of when I renewed the magazine last year and not renew until its time to renew.

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Lance OConner
US
Jan 18, 2022 4:59 pm EST

This organization is a Scam. They are targeting the elderly. They sent a bill to my mother demanding payment. I contacted their customer service number after looking on the internet for their information since the "invoice" had no number on it to contact customer service which just shows that it is shady. I informed the service agent that I wanted proof my mother signed up for this with her written signature. Their response was, "We will mail that out to you within one to two weeks." instead, my mother paid them even after I told her, "Do not pay this." A week later they send another "Invoice" stating there is an outstanding balance. I contacted them again via phone at 4:30 PM EST on 1/18/2022 and no I was not nice about this. They will be refunding the payment once it reaches them. They will be cancelling the subscription and marking it paid in full. I also told them I would be taking this to the internet to allow everyone to know this company is a SCAM!

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Calesq
Gilroy, US
Sep 05, 2022 12:48 pm EDT

FyI Lance, I also reported as fraud to FTC since they actually charged my account for a "billing agreement" through PayPal. Info was acquired for a one time purchase long ago.

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Angelwings8500
DOVER, US
Mar 04, 2023 10:37 pm EST

I first want to say I love reading Mornings with Jesus, I was so impressed I wanted to subscribe to it and was looking forward to getting my March 2023 and April 2023 issue but was told even though I have been charged for a year my subscription will not start until May, I asked about getting this issue and was told there was nothing she could do

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Betsy Heimbuch
US
Oct 25, 2023 12:36 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I ordered some Christmas cards & they sent them in an envelope with no packing ALL arrived damaged. Guideposts customer service is a joke. They don't have one. In order to get a refund they required I send back the cards at MY expense. This is NOT a Christian company - don't be fooled.

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Amy N Davis
Amy N Davis
Columbus, US
Mar 17, 2024 11:32 pm EDT

I subscribed for the free stories and love reading inspiration from home . I logged in

and canceled old magazines, but we moved along with some family passing on. I bought a few for my family too . Thanks for praying for me though the years . I don't like church the usual way.

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