ComplaintsforBlue Dolphin Group

• Initial Complaint

  03/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Received a GQ subscription that I did not sign up for. Called GQ, and they told me the I was signed up for the subscription through a 3rd party Blue Dolphin Mags. I requested to cancel the susbcription and asked if i was going to get a bill for a subscription I did not sign up for. GQ told me They had no answers as far as billing, and they could not cancel the subscription due to Blue Dolphin subscribing for me. Had to google how to get in touch with Blue Dolphin Mags to cancel. The only way to contact was to email them which I haven’t heard back. I absolutely did not sign up for this mag in any way. I say no to EVERY offer. What they are doing is illegal.

  Business response

  03/30/2022

  The customer was receiving GQ magazine due to accepting a complimentary offer through an email or online offer. In some instances as a customer appreciation, some online companies/stores will offer a free magazine subscription. It could also happen by answering a simple online survey question or product review.
  
  We did not collect any payment information and there are no hidden costs or other obligations associated with this order. The order ******** - GQ was cancelled as requested via email on March 28th, 2022. Publishers print address labels in advance, so the customer may receive 1-3 issues before delivery stops. 
  
  Our customer service team can be contacted by phone (877-202-9589) or via email ([email protected]). Our hours of operation are 9:00am to 5:00pm, EST.  The customer contacted our customer service center on Saturday, March 26th, 2022, and we replied with the above information on Tuesday, March 29th, 2022. We apologize for any inconvenience the customer may have experienced in receiving this subscription.

• Initial Complaint

  03/28/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The blue dolphin magazine company charged my account $113.85. I didn't sign up for a magazine subscription from them. I haven't even heard of it until I saw this on my account and looked up the site. I dont want this subscription. I dont even read magazines. This may have come from an accidental acceptance of a free subscription offer a few months ago. But its not something I sought out because I dont need or want this service

  Business response

  04/01/2022

  This customer originally subscribed to 6 magazines at the trial offer price of $2.00 each on June 26, 2021. All of our trial offers include automatic renewal terms. The terms of the offers are provided on the ordering page prior to checkout, as well as in the confirmation email sent to the customer after their purchase is complete. More information is also available on our website and help pages, easily accessible at: support.bluedolphin-magazines.com.

  The customer's orders came up for renewal in February and a renewal notice email for each individual subscription was sent to the customer’s email address on file: ********************** on 02/20/2022.  A link in these emails allows customers to cancel before any charges are processed. The customer did not contact our customer service department until Sunday, 3/27, and was provided with the following information:
  
  Hello,
  
  Thank you for your inquiry.  
  
  We have cancelled the renewal orders ******** Variety, ******** Conde Nast Traveler, ******** Bon Appetit, ******** Cosmopolitan and ******** Travel + Leisure. You will continue to receive any remaining issues of your original orders until their expiration date, located on the address label.  These orders we still pending as the charges were declined (per insufficient funds) by the bank or credit card issuer. 
  Your original orders were placed in June/2021. The terms of the offer, including auto-renewal, appeared on the ordering page as well as in the confirmation email sent when the order was placed. Since publishers print labels in advance, the renewal occurs in advance to ensure the customer does not miss an issue between their current order and their renewal. Renewal notification emails for each title were sent to [email protected] on 02/20/2022. The email allows the customer to cancel prior to charges.  Please note that sometimes these emails may end up in the junk or spam folder. If you have a gmail account, these emails may end up in the promotions folder. 
  
  Please let us know if know if you have additional questions. Thank you.
  
  Sincerely,  
  ****** **
  Blue Dolphin Customer Service

  
  We apologize for any inconvenience the customer may have experienced, but the renewal orders have now been cancelled. There is no refund to be issued as the charges were not completed successfully.

• Initial Complaint

  03/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a magazine subscription for Entertainment magazine, 22 issues, from Blue Dolphin Magazines. Upon signing up for these magazines to be delivered, I was informed that Entertainment magazine is canceled and no longer in print. I contacted Entertainment magazine to find out about how to obtain a refund and they advised me to contact Blue Dolphin Magazines for the refund. I contacted Blue Dolphin Magazines and advise them that they sold me a subscription to a canceled magazine and that I would not be receiving any of the 22 issues that I paid for. I asked for a refund or a substitution for a magazine that is currently in print and was told to contact Entertainment magazine. I again contacted Entertainment magazine and advise them that Blue Dolphin was not assisting me in any way and they rejected my email stating Blue Dolphin magazine is responsible for my refund and/ or substitutions. Blue Dolphin magazine has refused to refund me my subscription money or provide a subscription to a active magazine. They sold me a subscription under false pretenses, knowing that Entertainment was going to be cancelled and kept my funds. This is fraud.

  Business response

  03/22/2022

  This customer's order originated as the purchase of a magazine voucher through a school/organizational fundraiser. Once the fundraiser is complete, the funds are distributed to the school - we do not receive any payment information directly from customers. This customer received their voucher and redeemed it through BlueDolphin magazines. Our company then fulfilled the order, as requested, for Entertainment Weekly magazine. As we are the fulfillment agency and do not own or publish any magazines, we are unaware of any publication changes until notified by the publisher. When magazines cease publication, the publisher automatically substitutes any subscribers with remaining issues to another title.
  
  We have contacted the publisher on the customer's behalf and have been informed that the remaining issues will be substituted with People magazine. The customer will receive all remaining issues of the original order. The customer was provided the following response to her inquiry:
  
  Monday 04:33 pm 
  Hello *******, 
  Thank you for your response.
   Please know that we are not the publisher of the magazine, our agency processes and submits orders to the different Publishers. We are not aware of a magazine publication status beforehand, as we do not take part in any decisions. In the case of a magazine ceasing publication, the publisher automatically replaces it with another title of their selection. This is part of the Publisher’s terms and conditions, and we must adhere.
   The remaining issues of your subscription to Entertainment Weekly will be substituted or transferred to People magazine. Since you currently have a subscription to this magazine, it will be combined, and the expiration date will be extended.
   Also, the order ******** Entertainment Weekly was placed via a school fundraiser to support a local school or student.  We do not have any credit card or payment information on file and the funds have been distributed to the school.
   We understand the frustration and truly apologize for this unforeseen situation. We do appreciate your patience.
   Sincerely,  
  ****** **
  Blue Dolphin Customer Service

• Initial Complaint

  02/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Out of the blue, I received a copy of ** Magazine welcoming me to this subscription. I am a female who has no interest in **, sports or any of the content that is in **. When I called to cancel it, and find out how I got the subscription, I found that Blue Dolphine Group subscribed me. This is criminal and a scam. Thankfully, ** canceled the subscription, but who knows how many other magazines they will subscribe me to. I don't read magazines. Everything I do is online and certainly does not involve such superficial content.

  Business response

  02/25/2022

  The title in question is a complimentary subscription accepted through an email or online offer. In some instances, as a customer appreciation, some online companies/stores will offer a free magazine subscription. It could also happen by answering a simple online survey question or submitting product reviews.
  
  There was no payment collected and no hidden costs or other obligations associated with this offer. The order (******** **) has been cancelled as requested. Since publishers print labels in advance, the customer may receive 1-2 more issues before delivery stops.
  
  We have also submitted a request to remove all personal information from our database. The customer contacted us on 2/22/22 and was responded to with the requested information on 2/24/22.

  Customer response

  03/01/2022

  (The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)
  I accept this, but 1) I want the company not to so this again. 2) Ask themselves, what am I going to do with a subscription to ** Magazine?

• Initial Complaint

  02/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Like other complaints here, I began receiving magazines I did not request or subscribe to. I was told from the magazine that these were from Blue Dolphin. I've never accessed their site and when I requested they cancel and explain how they got my address, I got an auto-generated email asking me to click a link and create an account. This 'business' seems, at the very least, an aggravation if not outright scam. I've never been to their website and I've never signed up for magazines with them. I feel an email requesting they stop should be sufficient and I should not have to create an 'account' with them. I've requested no further contact with them so creating an account seems...counter to that process.

  Business response

  02/22/2022

  The customer was receiving complimentary magazines that were accepted through an email or online offer. In some instances, as a customer appreciation some online companies/stores will offer a free magazine subscription. It could also happen by answering a simple online survey question or product review.
  
  We did not collect any payment information and there are no hidden costs or other obligations associated.
  
  These orders have been cancelled as requested (******** ******), (******** ************* ******), and (***************** ************). The publishers print address labels in advance, so the customer will receive 1-3 additional issues before delivery stops.
  
  The customer contacted our customer service center on Thursday, February 17th and was responded to the following day with all applicable/requested information.

• Initial Complaint

  02/13/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I received a copy of Allure magazine that I never ordered. When I called Allure magazine they told me they couldn't do anything about it because a 3rd party company called Blue Dolphin placed the order through them. They had only an email no phone number for Blue Dolphin. I have emailed them and don't know what if I'm being billed as of yet but didn't order out agrees to any trial of this magazine. Allure magazine shows account # **********.

  Business response

  02/15/2022

  This was a complimentary subscription accepted through an email or online offer. We did not collect any payment information and there are no hidden costs, automatic renewals or other obligations associated with this offer.
  
  The order has been cancelled as requested. Since publishers print labels in advance, the customer may receive 1-2 more issues before delivery stops. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

  Customer response

  02/15/2022

  Issue had been resolved for cancellation however I still never ordered the magazine

• Initial Complaint

  02/09/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  To BBB: We received an unsolicited magazine, "Wine Spectator." I phoned Wine Spectator. They said that this subscription was ordered by a third party, called "Blue Dolphin M 2 Media Group." We did NOT ever order this magazine, nor any other magazine or product. from this company or any other company. We did NOT authorize this magazine to be ordered. Please resolve this. Thank you. *** ***** ***** 

  Business response

  02/14/2022

  This is a complimentary subscription accepted through an email or online offer. In some instances, as a customer appreciation, some online companies/stores will offer a free magazine subscription. It could also happen by answering a simple online survey question. We did not collect any payment information and there are no hidden costs.
  
  The order has been cancelled as requested. Due to publishers labeling issues in advance, 1-2 additional copies may arrive before delivery ceases. We apologize for any inconvenience the subscription may have caused.

  Customer response

  02/15/2022

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

• Initial Complaint

  02/05/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I've been charged for mags I did not order , there are charges on my credit card bill totaling 26.95 , I've not received any magazines from them , and I didnt order any , I'm on disability check and barely making it already , I cant afford paying for things I didnt order . I sent u a copy of my credit card bill which shows the fraudulent charges , all where dated 1/6/22. Thanks so much , *****

  Business response

  02/08/2022

  According to the bank statement provided by the customer, there is only one charge that is from Blue Dolphin, which totals $4.99.
  
  Our records indicate that the customer placed two orders on 1/6/2022. The orders are for Cosmopolitan (********) and American Farmhouse Style (********) - the orders were placed with the email address: **********************
  
  We are able to cancel these subscriptions; however, as these orders were placed via $2 promotional offers, they are non-refundable if cancelled. All Blue Dolphin charges are designated with "********" next to the charge. The customer will need to contact their bank directly for the source of the other charges.

• Initial Complaint

  01/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I just received a magazine from GQ, I called GQ to find out why and they said it was from "Blue Dolphins" magazine service... I didn't order it. I don't want it. My desired outcome; is for blue dolphin to STOP sending any magazines!

  Business response

  01/26/2022

  This order (********) was a complimentary subscription accepted through an email or online offer. We did not collect any payment information and there are no hidden costs, automatic renewals or other obligations associated with this offer.
  
  This order has been cancelled as requested. Since publishers print labels in advance, the customer may receive 1-2 more issues before delivery stops. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

  Customer response

  01/31/2022

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

• Initial Complaint

  01/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I'm receiving GQ magazines that I didn't order and I'm being told this company signed me up without my knowledge or consent. This needs to be cancelled immediately and I will not be responsible for any charges whatsoever.

  Business response

  01/18/2022

  The GQ magazine was a complimentary subscription accepted through an email or online offer. We did not collect any payment information and there are no hidden costs, automatic renewals or other obligations associated with this offer.
  
  This order has been cancelled as requested. Since publishers print labels in advance, the customer may receive 1-2 more issues before delivery stops. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

*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. ↩