I am a college student, and being a college student I have no money, all the money I have goes toward paying the costs of college. I also don't make any money for I am a full time student about to graduate and enter Law School. The problems with Family Readers Club or FRC, began in May 2009.
On May 14, 2009 I recieved a telephone call from an FRC Representative saying they recieved my information from my credit card company and wanted to congradulate me on how I was always on time and never missed a payment. The FRC representative wanted to reward me by offering a free magazine subscription, 4 to be exact. They first needed me to confirm my credit card number and then asked me a series of questions. These questions included what type of magazines I liked, what I normally read, and what I do. After these questions the representative explained that she was going to ask the same questions, but this time record me. In the middle of the recording I go a bad vibe from the representative so I asked the women to stop the recording and told her I would ask my mother to see if this was in my best interests, then said I would call back, and hung up. I never did call back.
About 3 weeks later I started recieveing 3 to 4 phone calls a day, 7 days a week, some in the early morning and some late at night. The number that was calling me was listed as "Unknown Number" in my phone, so naturally I didn't pick up the call, until one day I was tired of the calls and decided to see who it was. When I answered the phone call the new representative said that my account has been paid yet and that it was being sent to collections. Now from what I know collections on anything don't usually start until after 3 months of delinquency. This was a red flag. I told the person no nad hung up. The representative wanted me to give a post-dated check over the phone. Are you serious?! If i didn't have the funds they could just cash it and a bad check would occur and I would go to jail. Throughout many phone calls they would never listen to what I had to say, so of course I would get mad and cuse and whatever, but they were threatening to ruin my credit and would force legal action against me.
On July 12, 2009, Corey Fisher called me. He was really nice, I was tired of getting the phone calls, so he told me he could reduce my payment to $29.95. In stupidity I agreed and did a check over the phone for $29.95. I even wrote done the check in my check book so I would have a receit. On July 15, 2009. I noticed my account had been over drafted by FRC but for $39.95!!! What a minute I only authorized $29.95. Corey Fisher had lied to me and took more money than I authorized. I called the company and they said that only the accounting department could fix it, the representative told me the offices were open and transfered me to the accounting department. When I was transfered, I got a voice box that said the accounting department was closed. Of course FRC doesn't want to deal with me, what a surprise.
I got wise over the past several weeks and recorded the conversation between FRC and Me so I would have a recorded copy. In calls since they took money out that wasn't their's, FRC representatives have been extremely combative, calling me a liar and a cheat. They would even chang up on me and not let me speak. They are on edge now and their stories are beginning to unravel, every representative has a different story now. They always say the have a recording of me but can never seem to produce it, instead the give me other numbers to call, and those departments seemed to be closed a lot.
It should also be noted that I have never recieved a notice, a bill, or even magazines from FRC. Also FRC has continually said they would give me to an outside company to take me to court, I have seen no action and they continue to make threats.
When the overwithdrawal occured I went to my back, closed the account, opened a new one, put a fraud alert on the company, and changed my credit card number. FRC called me again as I was writing this post and wondered why the payment had be suspended. I told Justin, the FRC representative that FRC took money I did not authorize. He told me they have a recording that I actually did authorize $39.95 and not $29.95, a factual lie. I told him the reasons I shut the accounts down, Justin then angrily told me that my bank and credit card company must be suing me for a breach of contract, and yes I have all of his antics and reverse stories recorded on my own personal voice recorder. He was so irate since I froze the payment, that he went on an angry tirade from about 5 minutes and then hung up. This is where it stands now. I have done extensive research online about this company and I am organinzing all the information into a file.
I would like to ask anyone who has had problems with this company to contact me with any information that will get everyone's money back and maybe even join in a class-action lawsuit.
email me at
[email protected], title the message with Fraud at FRC also you may contact me at 770-317-5964.
A few things to know about FRC:
1) They are not accedited by the BBB and have 141 complaints against them since last year alone.
2) If you google the address and look at the satellite image of it, the FRC business is nothing more than a small offcie or even a house out in rural Norfolk, New York
3) They are very hesitant to give you their last names when you ask for it
4) I have read only to posts about FRC claiming they are a good company. One even said the people who have had problems with FRC are deliquents because FRC has over 1, 000, 000 customers across the United States.
5) Now it should be noted that FRC began in 2006, so if it has 1, 000, 000 customers then they would have had to call at least 3, 000, 000 people asking them if they want service, so in three years around 2739.726 calls a day. I will give them the benefit fo the doubt and say they get 1 out of every 3 people they call to supposedly to sign up. But remember each conversation lasts between 10 and 20 minutes, and they run this type of telemarketing business out of a small building that is hard to see on google earth or any web map service.
6) They have a website that looks as if a high school drop-out put it together. The overwhelming majority of legitimate companies offer a pay-online service, FRC doesn't.
7) Frc doesn't list the CEOs of the so-called large company on the website, so apparently no one is responsible.
I hope the information I have provided can all of whom has been defrauded and abused by Family Readers Club.
Thank You,
Thomas
Atlanta, GA
