I just wanted to alert your attention to a new scam that is being perpetrated on ordinary citizens ...
By their local newspapers.
Yes, your local newspaper, the one you get delivered to your house each and every day, is trying to pull something, and we cannot let them get away with it.
I know that I didn't.
As you know, my family and I were away on vacation about two weeks ago, and we were gone for a total of eight days or so.
We get the local newspaper delivered to our home each morning, so as I always do, I put a stop on that, so I wouldn't have newspapers delivered while we were gone.
I have always done this, because why would I want a paper delivered when I wasn't home?
OK, fast forward to last Friday, when I received my bill for the month.
It looked rather high, especially since I had put a stop on the newspaper for eight days.
I called the newspaper, and spoke to a representative there.
I told her that the bill looked awfully high, especially when it was supposedly "short" eight days of newspapers.
She told me that yes, I had put a stop on the physical delivery of the newspaper, but since I have an Internet account with the newspaper, and, presumably, Internet access while away, I still had to pay for the newspaper while gone.
After scratching my head, I told the woman that there was no way I was going to pay for Internet access to the newspaper, because, quite frankly, I had no Internet access while gone.
I mean, we went to the Bahamas and Grand Turk, for goodness sake, we were in the water for days, and no, I had absolutely no Internet access while away.
And then I also told her that on the menu for stopping the paper, there is no way to let the paper know that I wanted not just a stop, but a complete stop, because I was not going to have Internet access while away.
I was pretty upset, as you can see.
After going back and forth on this for a few minutes, she finally agreed, and took off the charges I supposedly accrued while on vacation.
Look, this is a scam, clear and simple. And with a touch tone phone menu in use, they should provide the ability to tell the newspaper that you want a complete hold on your account while away, not just a physical newspaper delivery hold.
Sure, this only amounted to a few dollars of difference in my bill, but to not let the public know that a stop doesn't mean a full stop anymore is clearly wrong.
Don't let your local newspaper get away with this.
When you go on vacation, make sure a stop is a stop, and not what amounts to a partial stop.
I never had this problem before, so obviously, this is something new, at least with my newspaper.
Funny, even while I took vacations where my family and I were in the U.S., the newspaper was the last thing I wanted to read while away.
Now, even if I don't want to read the newspaper, they assume that I do, and that I will read it online.
That is just plain wrong.
Let them know about it.
There is no reason why you should be fleeced like this.
Black and white and red (yes, red) all over; that is what I was, and I am still incensed by this.
Don't let them get away with it!
Newsday? Guess you haven't read your terms of service. Says it right there, internet access is included in the cost of your subscription. When they confirm a vacation hold, they tell you that you will continue to enjoy their digital service while you are away. You expected them to know you were going someplace where you would choose not to have internet service? You chiseled them out of what, $7? $8? Because you don't know how to read the contract? Welcome to the 21st century, Luddite.
ReplyDeleteThe vacation hold is only for the physical paper, and that is not made clear via their phone service. Who says I ever even looked at the newspaper online? It should be made clear in the voice menu that a stop is only for the physical newspaper. It was not made clear there. I have been a subscriber to Newsday, personally, for probably about 30 years, and a reader since 1971. I have never had a problem with a stop before this year. Last year, the paper was stopped, period. Evidently, it is clear to me that they found that a lot of people read the paper electronically while away from home. I do not. Sure, they had no reason to know I was out of the country, but to not alert those putting stops on their service demonstrates to me that they are desperate for that extra cash, and will go to any extreme to get it. And only a lawyer of your level of intellect would read the terms of service. So there you have it, my felllow Luddite, always looking for an argument but not getting one from me. Why don't you learn to knit or cook or play backgammon or something? Your posts are useless wastes of my time, but post on if you like. Obviously, this topic was much more important to you than the post about gay marriage was, because I didn't hear a peep out of you about that.
ReplyDeleteLawyer? I don't know who you think I am. I'm not that person. And I don't know why you think I would comment on your idiotic position about gay marriage.
ReplyDeleteYou also don't know what a Luddite is, do you?
Email I got from the paper when I did a vacation hold:
ReplyDeleteDear valued Newsday home delivery subscriber,
"Thank you for being a Newsday subscriber. We will be happy to hold your delivery while you are away.
As you requested, your delivery will stop on [date]
We will restart delivery on [date]. Remember that you can visit Newsday.com from anywhere to stay current on news while you're away!"
I'm pretty sure they say the same thing when you do it by phone. You just didn't listen, did you?
I know who you are, because remember, I moderate this site. Telling you that "Remember that you can visit Newsday.com from anywhere to stay current on news while you're away!" is not telling you that you will be charged for the paper even if you stop the physical delivery of it. So stop the whining. Yes, and I know what a Luddite is. In your personal context, you are one because you abuse the current technology with your idiotic posts, which to me, is like abusing the new technology we have, which means you aren't using it for the right thing, only to satisfy your own ego. You have a right to post, but don't post such ridiculous nonsense.
ReplyDeleteIf you are not who I think you are, why do you use a pseudonym to cover up your identity? Be proud of who you are and what you believe in. You don't see me doing that; I am proud of what I have to say, and I don't care if people know who I am. But until I hear otherwise, you are who I say you are.
ReplyDelete