Collection agency??

[Hatterasguy]

Ok here is the story. About 6 months ago I sent a free sample issue offer into a mag called Powerboat Reports. So I got the issue and really didn't like it, I figured I wouldn't subscribe. Anyway they sent me a bill for a 1 year subscription and started sending me the mag! wtf I emailed them several times telling them to stop and eventually they stopped sending me the mag but they still kept trying to get money out of me! I think it was $45 for the year. Now I get a letter from this NSA collection agency trying to get $15 out of me for the mag.

My queston is this if I ignore these idiots will this affect my FICO score? If so I'll just pay.

Can I just call the mag and tell them to drop it?

This is such a waste of time.

[djugurba]

make copies of all correspondence. You should have written and mailed a letter to cancel, unless they permit email cancellation. Write a letter to NSA disputing the debt and indicate why. Reference the copies of the correspondence you'll include with the letter. Make sure all dates, times, and conditions of the trial are spelled out clearly.
Send that package to both the mag. and the collection agency via certified mail. Your state probably has a time period in which they are required to respond, which you should know and inform them of in your letter. Be sure to include your expected resolution, which should be a cancellation of your subscription and elimination of all records of your debt. You should request a statement to that fact in case the thing ends up on your credit report later. Make sure you get statements from the mag AND the collection agency.
These things suck, but you can win if you do everything correctly.

[Hatterasguy]

Can't I just pay it an make it go away? Its only $15. I don't want it to harm my Fico over something so stupid.

[djugurba]

If a collection agency has it, it's probably already been reported. You've got some work to do to get it off of your credit reports.
You can pay it, but it will appear as 'settled' for quite some time. not sure what impact it has on your score, however

[cmac2012]

There's been a bit of publicity about these kinds of tactics from magazine peddlers in the last few years. I'll bet if you do a search you can come up with some info.

I dunno, you've got a point, $15 isn't much to make a problem go away but I know that kind of shYte burns me. I don't go for the free offers any more cuz I've had some problems like that too.

Hell, I've got more 'n I can read now.

Once a collection agency has the accout you have 30 days to dispute or pay the bill. Fist and foremost make sure that it does not hit your credit report........if it is on your credit report get a lawyer....I'm serious a hit on a credit report will prove to be very costly.