Strategic Media

I received a magazine in the mail which I did not order. I used the magazine label, which included a membership number, to look up the account. It was a 2-year subscription for $40 which I did not order, nor have I ever subscribed to any magazine! After sending the magazine company a heated email, they informed me that the membership was created by a 3rd Party agency called Strategic Media, LLC owned by Marti Shiff in Scarsdale, New York. The magazine company gave me the contact information for Strategic Media, LLC and told me that I had to contact them to cancel the account and inquire about billing! I have never heard of Strategic Media, nor did I ever give them permission to open a magazine subscription in my name for which I was billed $40! I researched the Better Business Bureau and saw that the company has numerous complaints for the same deceptive practices. Each time, the company owner responds by saying the subscriptions were free and the client was not billed! If that was true, why does my account show I was billed $40? If this happens to you, you should report it immediately, as they are probably receiving a kickback, or some other benefit, for signing up new clients for magazine memberships.

I began receiving MotorTrend magazine a few months ago and wrote to them to cancel the unwanted subscription. I never subscribed to any magazines and was concerned that this was some sort of fraud. But I never found any billing against any of my credit cards.

MotorTrend responded to my inquiry indicating that the subscription was placed by Strategic Media LLC.

My complaint, like so many others, is that Strategic Media seems to be engaged in an unfair business practice of setting up unsolicited magazine subscriptions to unsuspecting individual like me, for some business purpose intended for the benefit of Strategic Media LLC.

It may seem innocuous to pepper people's mailboxes with unsolicited magazines, but in practice it is a red flag suggesting some level of fraud is being perpetrated.

There should be a letter accompanying each magazine explaining that it is a free offering and telling the recipient who sent it and why.

I suspect Strategic Media gains some benefit from initiating these phantom magazine subscriptions. I know that it's taken hours from my life to inquire and address this monthly recurring problem in my mail box.

PLEASE STOP SENDING ME MAGAZINES. REMOVE

I have filed a complaint with the BBB - Better Business Bureau and another complaint with the Federal trade Commission. There appear to be many other's who have this same complaint against Strategic Media, LLC.