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nelles_gw

Possible Scam? (somewhat long)

nelles_gw
10 years ago

Don't know if this is a scam or not, but I wanted to let my friends know about something that happened to me a couple of days ago.

I received a call from a company called "American Readers", with a 727 area code.

I was told that since I was a preferred customer, I was being given the opportunity to renew my Readers Digest subscription at an amazing rate. Supposedly, the rates would be doubled next month, but if I renewed now, the discounted rate would be good for three years.

Since Readers Digest is one of the few magazines I subscribe to, I told the caller that I would be interested in renewing at the lower rate.

This is where things got interesting.

I was passed to a "customer service supervisor", who again reiterated that I, as a "preferred customer", was getting an amazing subscription price.

The renewal would be charged to the Visa card that was "on file", and started with the number "4". The supervisor would give me a minute to get my card.

The reference to my Visa got me to wondering as I almost NEVER use my Visa for anything.

When I came back on the phone with my Visa in hand, the supervisor asked for the card number. I said that I wasn't giving her the number, to which she replied that "they (American readers?) weren't allowed to keep the credit card number, and it was perfectly safe - I was protected by the bank that issued the Visa".

I again reiterated that I was not giving her my Visa number, and that I wanted a bill sent to me. The woman said I was sent a renewal notice 6 - 8 weeks ago, but I didn't respond to it.

As I said, Readers Digest is one of the very few magazines I subscribe to, to it would be unlikely that I would ignore a renewal notice.

When I told the woman this, and again said I would not give her my Visa number, she quickly thanked me and hung up.

All this got me to thinking, and I vaguely remembered writing a check to Readers Digest. So I went looking through my checkbook, and, lo and behold, I paid Readers Digest for a renewal LAST SEPTEMBER!!!!!!!!!!

Now, as I said, I don't know if this was a scam in an attempt to get my credit card information. But you never know!

REMEMBER, folks:

Don't give out ANY personal or credit card information on the phone to ANYONE who calls YOU!

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