ComplaintsforThe News-Press

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed up for a promotional program that lasted six months - before the end of the promotional period I cancelled the program. They say they do not have any cancellation information for me but they would cancel the service as of April 2nd. I asked for a refund of the money charged $15 per month - I was told that if I had a print subscription they would refund but as this was a digital subscription they would not - I asked them to check my account as they would see that I had not once used the service over the last three months and that in all honesty had barely used it during the promotional period. The answer was no. I asked to speak to a manager - I was told that the manager refused to speak with me. I was completely shocked by this as I work in the service industry and this is not how a client should be treated.

  Business response

  04/04/2024

  The News Press understands and regrets the frustration experienced by this customer. Per our Term of Service: If at any time you decide to cancel your subscription, which you can do at any time,you may contact customer service. Payments are non-refundable, and there are no refunds or credits for the unused portion of a subscription that has been cancelled before the end of a billing cycle. We reserve the right, however, to issue refunds or credits at our sole discretion. If we issue a refund or credit in one instance, we are under no obligation to issue the same refund or credit in the future. We have been in contact with the customer and based on this one-off situation, we will issue the refund.The customer has been provided with our contact information if further assistance is needed. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Over 8 weeks ago I paid my subscription. So far not a single delivery of a newspaper. Inquiries go unanswered. They refuse to deliver and they will not refund my payment.

  Business response

  01/10/2024

  The Fort Myers News Press regrets this customer's poor experience.  We confirmed that we did receive payment from this subscriber, but their subscription was not started, in error.  We were unable to locate any attempts from the customer to contact us to discuss and resolve this matter and have reached out to them for more information.  We left 2 voicemails for the customer, providing direct contact information for them to reach us to discuss this matter.  As we have yet to hear back from this customer, we are refunding their payment, which they will receive via check within the next 2-3 weeks.  We hope to hear back from the customer and would be happy to offer a courtesy credit if they would be willing to restart their subscription.  

• Initial Complaint

  08/07/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I do not live in Ft Myers and I never have. I have never received even a single print copy of the News Press. I wouldnt want one, as I live 2 hours north in Sarasota county. I didnt order a subscription to the Ft Myers news press and honestly have never even heard of the publication. I was just charged $14.99 for who knows what? As a rule of thumb I always refuse to pay to read online articles. I can just as easily find the same information on another page, so Im 100% sure that I didnt sign up for this subscription. Sounds like the phished my information and are just charging haphazardly. I dispute and demand a full refund.

  Business response

  08/08/2023

  The News Press regrets the frustration experienced by this customer.  We cancelled this subscription on 8/8/23.  A full refund will be issued within the next 3-5 business days.  We were unable to spoke with the customer due to our number getting blocked but sent an email informing the customer of the cancelation and refund.  Direct contact information was provided in case further assistance is required.

• Initial Complaint

  12/01/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I signed up several years ago to have two copies of the New Press delivered every Sunday and Wednesday at $8.50 per month. When I log into my News Press account it shows the same information. But yet my debit card has been charged varying amounts over and above my subscription (ex. $30+ a month) for years. I have called about this issue to be told that it was for special editions of the paper, which made no sense to me besides Black Friday. Besides that I have had over 15 issues with deliveries being missed or damaged due to their lack of double bagging the paper due to inclement weather. The latest issue was recorded on my cameras when their driver decided to pull in my driveway and run over metal roofing panels that were on my property due to our new roof being installed. I called 3 or 4 times, each time asking for a district manager to return my call and tell me what was going to be done to fix the situation, all of these calls and messages went ignored. I called them about a month ago to tell them that I was extremely frustrated and disappointed with their lack of response to the situation and wanted to cancel my subscription immediately. The lady on the phone tried to convince me to stay, but I told her no. Then today as I am paying bills I find out my subscription is still in place, so I got on a chat with an agent and informed them of the situation and told them I wanted to make sure the cancellation went through and I would not be charged for December. This company has HORRIBLE customer service and will overcharge and avoid paying people, but yet try to convince them to stay!

  Business response

  12/05/2022

  The News Press regrets the frustration experienced by this customer. We have worked with the customer on billing and agreed to a ******* refund for these additional charges. We will address the carrier incident and handle any disciplinary action internally. The customers account has been stopped, and no future charges will occur. The customer has been provided with our direct contact information if further assistance is required. 

  Customer response

  12/05/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  10/31/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The News-Press continues to bill me. Last month II was billed twice (10/01/22 and 10/20/22). They have also continually said that my payment was declined-it was not. I see every month a debit from my checking account. I had called and spoken to someone in early August about the cancellation. I have emailed them with no response and have been on hold for several hours over the course of two months trying to get some sort of resolution to thew issue. **** have not responded to my emails, even when I told them that I was going to contact the BBB. I do not want to continue to pay for something that I do not use. I wish a refund for August, September and my two October payments as well as cancellation of my online subscription.

  Business response

  11/07/2022

  I have called this customer 3 times, and sent an email twice. Initial complaint is that she requested a stop on her DO account in August and it was not done. She also thinks she was billed twice in October, but she wasnt. One of the payments we took out at the end of September to cover September, and that payment originally kept declining. I have explained all of this via email as well. The account in question is still active.

   

  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  08/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had a subscription with News-Press that was due to run out. I did not want to renew so I called to cancel in June. I think around the 25th or 26th to close my account. I had the woman wipe out my credit card to make sure I wouldn't be charged. It didn't show on my account page except the expiration date which expired in 8/21 anyway. On July 31, 2022 I noticed I had been charged $59 by News-Press for a closed account. I called them on 8/1 and they said I'd get an email and they would refund my money. I went to the bank about why an expired card was used. I didn't get a satisfactory answer to that either. I never received an email. On Tuesday I called News-Press back. A lady confirmed my account was closed in June and e-accounts are never charged more that $39 so the $59 was curious. She said I would get an email within 30 minutes and be refunded immediately. It's now 8/2. No email, no refund. I tried using the chat feature and that was less help. I think there is something fraudulent going on that closed accounts are being accessed and charged even with expired cards that were supposed to be purged from the system. I want my $59 returned to my accountant and I don't want them to have any way of ever charging me again. Thank you, ********* *******

  Business response

  08/31/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2022/08/18) */ The New-Press regrets the frustration experienced by this subscriber. We've confirmed this subscription is cancelled and we've initiated a refund of the recent charge which will be returned to the customer's account within the next few business days. We emailed and left a voicemail for the customer informing them of the pending refund and providing direct contact information in case further assistance is required.

• Initial Complaint

  07/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My mother moved from ******** ******* ****** **** **** in February. I moved her News paper delivery to her new facility. I am paying monthly for this service. She has yet to receive even one newspaper. I have contacted News Press on numerous times and they assured me this would be taken care of. They continue to charge my credit card monthly and the credit card company will not deny the payment as I have not had any tangible response from the News Press. The only way I can stop this payment is to cancel my credit card. Does this seem fair? Address above is where my mother is (********* ********) Name and e-mail address belong to me. Please advise what I can do. I have received another charge this month. The Facility is ********** ****** ******. They are tired of me asking weekly if mother is receiving her paper. The answer is always NO.

  Business response

  08/23/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 17, 2022/08/23) */ The News Press regrets the frustration experienced by this customer. We have spoken with this customer. We acknowledge that we had the wrong address on the subscription. We agreed to stop the account and issue a full refund in the amount of $238.52. Direct contact information was provided in case further assistance is required.

• Initial Complaint

  01/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Two years ago, there was a promotion for the e-edition of the Fort Myers News Press for $5.00 for 1 year. I was told I would be charged $9.99 per year after the promotion, which I agreed to. January, 2021, I was charged $9.99, which I should have been charged, but this year, they charged me $29.04, which was not authorized by me. The billing department was closed on 1/1/2022 and 1/2/2022, so I called the News Press on 1/3/2022 to dispute the charges. They told me that the price has changed and $29.04 was the correct price. I was not notified of a price change. I told them to cancel my subscription and give me a refund. I received an e-mail stating that my 1/3/2022 that my subscription was canceled. When I called them, they told me that they will credit my credit card on file within a week. On 1/12/2022, I still had not received a credit on my credit card, so I called them back. This time when I called, they told me it takes 7-10 business days to process the refund. Today is the 11th business day and I still have not received a credit on my credit card. I called them today and they told me it is still being processed. I trusted them, so I used auto renew with my credit card, so I wouldn't forget to renew at $9.99 per year. I went to try and remove my credit card from my account and they have no way for me to remove my credit card online, only to change it.

  Business response

  08/25/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 18, 2022/08/25) */ The News Press regrets the frustration experienced by this customer. We did not issue a refund to this customer, so he disputed the charges through his bank and received the full refund. Direct contact information was provided in case further assistance is required.

• Initial Complaint

  11/11/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed up to have two copies of the New Press delivered every Sunday and Wednesday at $8.50 per month. When I log into my News Press account it shows the same information. But they keep charging my credit card varying amounts over and above my subscription. I checked my emails and found nothing from the News Press that would explain what they are charging.

  Business response

  08/23/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 17, 2022/08/23) */ The News Press regrets the frustration experienced by this customer. The customer has been provided with a detailed explanation of the billing history. We have refunded the requested amount of $180.00. Direct contact information was provided in case further assistance is required.

• Initial Complaint

  09/14/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Started with a 6 month trial for $1.00, after 6 months was up before I was to be billed $9.99 a month I called to cancel. Phone operations close very early, so decided to do a live chat. On live chat was told it was to late to cancel as I had already been billed (before bill date!?!) and promised a rate of $2.99 a month starting September 13 - was charged $9.99 on September 12. Called in and was told there was no way I was offered that amount and that I could just take a charge of $3.25 next month. I want to cancel and be refunded. I was charged more than promised before the payment date. Attaching screenshot from Aug. 12 showing quoted amount and billing date and credit card statement showing overcharge on wrong day.

  Business response

  08/25/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 17, 2022/08/25) */ The News Press regrets the frustration experienced by this customer. We have provided credit to cover 3 months of service, and lowered the rate moving forward to 83 cent per month. Direct contact information was provided in case further assistance is required. Consumer Response /* (2000, 19, 2022/08/26) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) Was told by agent that complaints had been forwarded to the wrong department and that's why they took so long to resolve- she was a very nice and honest lady-

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩