BBB Warning: Magazine Sales Scams Go Door-to-Door

Many of these companies employ young adults who are looking to earn money over the summer. These crews are sent to communities to knock on doors and sell magazines—sometimes without appropriate licensing. These young people are taught how to close the sale by using high pressure tactics and emotional sales pitches. For example, they may explain that they are working to get their lives back on track, raising money on behalf of a charity or for a school trip, or even selling subscriptions to support troops in Iraq. These emotion-based sales pitches are effective, but not usually true.

“Complaints filed against door-to-door, magazine sales companies allege that the sales representatives used high-pressure and misleading sales tactics and that magazines orders were not fulfilled on a timely basis, if at all,” said BBB president Tom Bartholomy.

In this area, the Better Business Bureau has received a total of 286 complaints filed against two magazine companies owned by James and Lourdes Davis of Charlotte - Trinity Public Relations in Charlotte, N.C. and Seedtime Publications in Rock Hill, S.C.  Of the 286 complaints, 161 were filed against Trinity Public Relations and 125 were filed against Seedtime Publications.

James and Lourdes Davis originally operated Trinity Public Relations in Tampa, FL from 2003 until 2005.  Then, the Davis’s moved to Charlotte, N.C. and re-opened Trinity Public Relations where they racked up 161 complaints with the BBB in less than two years.

Complainants report not receiving the subscriptions they paid for and some complainants allege that the sales reps used high pressure sales tactics. A Concord woman was physically threatened by a Trinity Public Relations sales rep who became angry when she wouldn’t buy a magazine.  The woman was so afraid that she called the police. At nine months pregnant, she went into labor from the frightening ordeal and had her baby a few hours later.

In 2007, N.C.’s Attorney General secured a Consent Order in Wake County Superior Court against Trinity Public Relations and James and Lourdes Davis that permanently prevented them from owning, managing, participating in or operating any business in N.C. that offers or sells magazines.

Shortly after being barred from doing business in N.C. in 2007, James and Lourdes Davis changed their magazine sales company name to Seedtime Publications and began using a rented mailbox in Rock Hill, S.C. as their business address, although they still lived in Charlotte. Soon, the BBB began receiving complaints about Seedtime Publications – 125 complaints in 2007 and 2008.  Most complainants had not received the magazines they ordered and could not get their money refunded.

Attempts to contact Seedtime Publications or James and Lourdes Davis have not been successful and they are believed to be out of business – for now, at least.  However, there are dozens of other door-to-door magazine sales companies that will be sending out troops of sales people all over the country this summer.  A few with F ratings from the BBB include:

• Omni Horizons, Inc. - Michigan City, IN - has received 122 complaints from consumers in 17 states.
• True Visions, Inc. – Chesapeake, VA - has received 82 complaints from 13 states.
• Greater Image, Inc. – Memphis, TN - has received 71 complaints from 16 states.
• Fresh Start Opportunities – Seattle, WA - has received 66 complaints from seven states.
  

“Customers are not the only victims of this scam,” Bartholomy added. The young salespeople are also being taken advantage of and forced to work long hours, endure substandard living conditions, and have their wages withheld from them.”

The BBB offers the following advice to avoid getting scammed by door-to-door magazine sales.

• Check businesses out at www.bbb.org before making a purchase.
• Don’t be pressured into buying on the spot. Take time to make thoughtful purchases.
• Remember that the Federal Trade Commission’s Three-Day Cooling-Off Rule gives you three days to cancel purchases over $25 that are made in your home or at a location that is not the seller’s permanent place of business.
• If you are a victim of fraudulent magazine sales or any other scam, file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org or local law enforcement.

For more information, please visit www.bbb.org.  You can also call the BBB at 1-877-317-7236 toll-free in N.C. and S.C.

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