ComplaintsforOmaha World-Herald Company

• Initial Complaint

  09/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My company debit card was charged $24.62 on 9/22/23 from *** ***** ******. We never use this debit card and stays in a locked box for emergency only. I have no idea what this is for, but is an unauthorized purchase.

  

  Business response

  10/06/2023

  The customer (well not our customer) in this complaint stated that she was the victim of fraud as charges with other companies were made using this card.

  We have refunded the charges.

  

  Business response

  10/10/2023

  From the BUSINESS:

  Sent 10/6/2023 1:43:41 PM

  The customer (well not our customer) in this complaint stated that she was the victim of fraud as charges with other companies were made using this card.

  We have refunded the charges.

• Initial Complaint

  07/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On June 17, 2023 I was charged $251.88 for a year’s renewal of an Omaha World Herald online subscription. I’m not sure how this was even possible: I have an updated credit card with a new address, expiration date, and security code. I received no warning about this upcoming charge, unlike the messages I receive from every other annual subscription and in fact from all my regular auto-pay monthly bills. Not doing so is profoundly unprofessional and an obvious ploy to prevent cancellations. I can in no way afford to renew my subscription. In fact, because of this charge, I had to borrow money in order to pay my rent. I have not used any WH services since this renewal was posted. I spoke with Customer Service soon after after. After having my call dropped several times, ascertaining that it was impossible to speak with anyone in Omaha about this, and being asked repeatedly to confirm my address (which has changed and which I would not disclose), I was lied to on two occasions by different agents. Finally, the call center supervisor agreed to cancel my subscription and refund the full $251.88 renewal amount. I actually asked that he state again that this was happening. I was assured that I would receive an expedited refund in 7-10 business days. Four weeks later, I have received no refund. So, once again, I was lied to by the call center to whom the World Herald has outsourced its subscription customer service. It’s clear that the representative was just trying to get me off the phone. I deserve the refund that I was explicitly promised. A journalistic organization that aims to uphold high ethical standards in its core business needs to extend this ethical stance to its business operations as well.

  

  Business response

  07/21/2023

  I apologize that this was not properly handled by our call center agents.

  I will follow-up with our accounting to make sure that the refund processes and will reach out to you directly as soon as I have more information.

  Thanks,

  *****

  Customer response

  07/21/2023

  
  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

  06/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  June 9, 2023 Original invoice date 7-28-2022, invoice ********, account *******, billed to * * * *********** **** * * * has never placed an order with *** ***********. This invoice should have gone to **** ****** **** ******* ***** ******* **. Please clear * * * account at *** *********** and repair my credit rating.

  

  Business response

  07/11/2023

  I am writing of the total balance due as of today in the amount of $206.35. We have never turned this to a collection agency or reported it to credit bureaus so there should be no credit rating to repair. Please let me know if you have any further questions. I can be reached direct via my cell phone ************ ** ** ***** *********************

• Initial Complaint

  05/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The Omaha World Herald charged my credit card $***** on May 09, 2023 without me signing up for a subscription or giving them any of my information. When I first seen this charge I tried to logon to the Omaha World Herald to see if there actually was an account setup and when I attempted this the message came back that there was no account with my email address in their system but when I talked to a representative he read back to me my address, phone number etc and said that I have an account. I advised I did not sign up for a subscription, my husband pays for a yearly subscription so there would be absolutely no reason I would pay again for a subscription we already have. He advised that he removed my credit card information from the account and advised it would be 2 to 3 weeks for a refund. Why should I have to carry this balance on my credit card when I had nothing to do with them charging me for a subscription. Out and out FRAUD. Good thing I check my credit card transactions daily. **** * *****....

  

  Business response

  05/19/2023

  Your subscription has been stopped.  A refund will be issued in 7 to 10 business days.

  I apologize and was waiting for a response from the email I sent you on 5/10 prior to responding.

  Thanks

• Initial Complaint

  03/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My parents pay hundreds of dollars ** ****** **** for their paper and they can’t even get it on Sunday for which they paid. They don’t get it until Monday afternoon. This is so wrong. You are taking advantage of people and their money and subscription. How wrong. I’m contacting channel *,* and *. **** ** ***********

  

  Business response

  03/27/2023

  I have left a phone message with my contact information.

  I need the subscriber's information in order to assess this situation.

  Thanks,

  Bryan

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

• Initial Complaint

  03/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Per billing invoice from July 2022 I paid for a 2 week subscription. Then in February 2022 I receive a renewal notice saying my subscription expires on 3/3/23. I called to inquire why my subscription was up in March when it was paid for through July 2023. I was told there was a price increase in August of 2022 and some fuel charges applied to my account so that's why my renewal term was shortened. This is an unfair business practice. We entered into an agreement in July 2022 that I would receive 52 weeks of the newspaper delivered to my house for $******. If the business has a change in pricing after that date, it should not apply to my account until my account is up for renewal, and at that time I can decide if I want to continue at the new price. The back of the renewal notice says they reserve the right to change the price at the next renewal period. They changed it after I paid. This goes against their terms of service.

  

  Business response

  03/17/2023

  I left a message for the Mr. **** regarding his account.  I have placed a credit on the account and can restart it until the full term is satisfied or a full refund will be processed 4 to 6 weeks from the cancelation on 3/9/2023.

  Thanks,

  Bryan

  Customer response

  03/24/2023

  
  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,
  
  Jeremey ****

• Initial Complaint

  02/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On April 20, 2022 I paid the World-Herald $****** for a 1-year subscription to the online newspaper. As of yesterday, I no longer could access the newspaper. I called the World-Herald today and was told that my subscription had expired. I explained that it should not expire for two more months and that I had not received any new bill or statement concerning my subscription. I was told that due to a "surcharge" my subscription expired yesterday. I said that one could raise the rate for a renewal but that mid-subscription did not sound legal and that I was due the full year paid for. No satisfaction and when I asked to speak to a supervisor I was told that I had no recourse. I was also told that subscriptions now cost $*** a year. (I did not ask if that was a guaranteed 12 months!) The resolution I seek is the remaining two months of the annual subscription I paid for in April. Thank you for any help.

  

  Business response

  03/02/2023

  I apologize that the information you received was not correct and clear.

  Your subscription rate adjusted in January (our subscription terms can be found on billing statements, notification letters, and at omaha.com/terms) and this affected your expiration date.

  I have issued credit to extend your subscription through April.

  Customer response

  03/03/2023

  
  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,
  
  Wayne ********

• Initial Complaint

  02/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  we received our latest bill today. 02/09/2023. they continue to increase their billing. last year they charged $*** for 3 months, then $*** for 8 weeks. now they want $*** for 8 weeks. ** *** ******* ** * ***** ******. we can't keep up with all of their increases. we have been loyal customers for ** years . we rely on them for our news information. we know of people who only pay $*** for a year . safe to say they are gouging us. will glady pay the $*** per year rate.

  

  Business response

  02/20/2023

  Mr. ********,
  
  Our subscriber rates, like other subscription based services (cell phone, cable, satellite, etc.) start at lower rates and move up over time to more sustainable rates. As stores like ********, ******, ******, and other former retail advertisers have closed or no longer advertise, less and less of the cost of a subscription is underwritten by advertising.
  
  I can reduce your rate to $** for an 8 week subscription.
  
  Thanks,
  Bryan
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have attempted to cancel my subscription several times. I did actually speak with a Customer Service Representative on 4 different occasions, and they assured me every time they have canceled my subscription and will issue a refund. Unfortunately, I am still getting charged. Today January 25, 2023, I spoke with a representative again and they put me on an extended hold after I expressed my frustrations over being charged again. They indicated I have never called and canceled my service, but I had on multiple occasions. This representative then placed me on hold to research a question I had asked, and then proceeded to hang up on me. During this conversation, before I was disconnected, they assured me my subscription was canceled. After being disconnected I called back and received a different customer representative. When speaking with this new representative literally 5 minutes after being hung up on, they said there was not a record of me calling and canceling my subscription. .The second representative I spoke to today assured me again they canceled my subscription and I would receive an email confirming the change. Unfortunately, I still have not received a confirmation of my account being canceled. I have been charged in October and January for a subscription I canceled well over 6 months ago. Please help I have tried all the channels provided to cancel my subscription and continue to be unsuccessful. Thank you for your time and assistance

  

  Business response

  01/26/2023

  I reached out to Ms. **** via phone to discuss our issue, verify that her account is stopped, and answer any lingering questions that she had.
  
  

  Customer response

  01/27/2023

  (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/08/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My siblings & I bought a subscription to the Sunday Omaha World Herald Las year. ***************************************************** We have had continual trouble of he paper not being delivered and have called numerous times. Each time being promised it issue will be taken care of and extension of missing papers to the end of subsription. We even changed the deliver address to our brothers home address hoping this would help but it has not. For the last 4 weeks, the paper was delivered again. We requested a refund, but they assured us the issue would be resolved. The subscription is in the name of Robert ****** (originally address was ****************, ****************, but we changed to my brother's address of ****************, ****************. Please assist us in getting a refund for the entire subscription since nothing but trouble with deliveries.

  

  Business response

  02/02/2023

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2023/01/09) */ I will have our team issue a credit to the account, stop the subscription, and a refund will be issued 7 to 10 business days after the subscription stops this Sunday. Consumer Response /* (2000, 7, 2023/01/09) */ (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.) Yes we will be happy with refund. However we did not receive papers multi weeks. In fact, the last 4 weeks and many through out our since beginning of out subscription. Will those mutki missing papers be included in refund? We would expect a full subscription refund for all the issues we encountered. Thank you

*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. ↩