ComplaintsforThe Spokesman Review

• Initial Complaint

  11/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We were receiving the Spokesman Review paper at our house. We decided not to continue the paper. The Spokesman Review mailed us a bill to continue the paper, we didn't respond because we no longer wished to receive the paper. We had no idea we owed them $16.75 or we would have called them and disputed it. So a few days ago we got a letter from A.R.M. **************** a debt collector for the $16.75, the first we new about the debt. Since we did not know about this debt I am concerned about it being attached to the credit bureau's and affecting our credit rating.

  Business response

  11/21/2022

  Good Afternoon,

   

  I have reviewed your account and the balance due is $16.75. As started in our terms of service listed on each renewal notice, our website, and sent via email, all subscriptions automatically continue unless otherwise requested to cancel. "Continuous Subscription  Your subscription will continue until we are notified to stop. You can cancel at any time at myaccount.spokesman.com or by calling ************* at **************. Subscribers will be notified of any rate changes in advance."

  Terms of service can be viewed on our website here: https://www.spokesman.com/customer-service/terms/.

   

  Please let me know if I may assist further,

   

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

   

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was recently a private contractor (on a ****) for The Spokesman Review. I had put in my 1 month notice and 5 days before my 2 month was up I had to stop working for them as I started working for my new job. The Spokesman sent me a letter stating that they were taking my check in its entirety due to my quitting 5 days early. I have been told by many people that is not legal and I am seeking guidance and help in how to get my check from them please.

  Business response

  06/21/2022

  The individual below was a **** Independent Contractor and did submit a 30 days notice to Terminate His Contract. The Company is not withholding any payments due. The former Contractor Breached His Contractual Obligations and was charged for liquidated damages. He currently owes $605.60 to the company and if not paid could be submitted over for collections. 
  
  Thank you.
  
  
  
  
  Kolby ******
  Circulation Manager
  t: ************
  e: [email protected]
  
  
  
  Spokesman-Review 
  Central Distribution Center
  5316 ***********************************************************************************

• Initial Complaint

  01/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  In Oct of 2020, I purchased a one-year online subscription from the Spokesman Review. This past October I received notice from the Review that the 'auto renew' on my subscription did not go through. The 'auto renew' did not go through because my bank had sent notice that multiple credit card numbers had been compromised and sent us a new card. Anyway, I chose not to renew my subscription. In November, I got notice from a collection agency in ********** that they were collecting on the ****** I had to the Spokesman Review. I want to know how the Review can send a **** to collections for services not rendered or provided? I called the review to ask about this and was told "sorry", we can't do anything. (They did confirm that my account was sent to collections) This is nothing short of extortion. I had to pay the collection company (it was only $26) to keep this from impacting my credit score. Even after I paid this extortion money, I still do not have access to the online material. What can be done about this?***************************

  Business response

  01/07/2022

  Good afternoon, *****,
  
  Thank you for your messageI am happy to help!

  
  Our newspaper subscriptions whether it is for digital delivery or physical delivery, automatically continue until we are notified by the account holder to the stop the account. This is outlined on your renewal notice as well in our terms of service. The amount that ARM collected on our behalf was for the digital service provided from 7/27/2021 through 10/5/2021. Your ****** was stopped as of 10/5/2021 as no payment was received and your grace ****** for payment expired.

  
  While ARM does work to collect balances, they do not report to any credit bureaus so there is no impact to your credit.

  
  We would be happy to start a subscription for you and grant ****** to our digital productsyou can do so by calling ************.Tell us why here...

  Customer response

  01/10/2022

   
  Complaint: 16427084
  
  I am rejecting this response because: is my believe this is extortion. I paid the extortion fee to your collection agency and I still do not have access to the paper. Give me access to the paper that Ive already paid for for the requisite time and may this be considered notification to end my subscription immediately upon its expiration date.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  10/03/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We have not received our paper for the past couple of delivery days, we have called in multiple times and been assured we would get our paper. We even called their circulation manager and he did not contact us back. We have asked for the paper to be delivered to our patio. We only get the Wednesday and Sunday paper, they assured us today that we would have our paper by 11 today and we do not have our paper. We voiced our concern that we would not get our paper and they would be closed for the day. They promised that the carrier was just running late and guaranteed our paper would be delivered. They have also cut or subscriptions short in the past by 2 to 3 weeks, we put the date down for renewal and they always tell us it is a different day then we were told.

  Business response

  10/04/2021

  Good afternoon, *****. We apologize for the delivery and billing issues you have experienced. We have placed a permanent note on your account stating that your apartment is facing north to help ensure that whoever is delivering your paper will deliver to the correct apartment. We have also contacted the District Manager in charge of delivery for your area, as well as the Home Delivery Manager that oversees all of delivery, as well as making sure you were not charged for the missing deliveries.
  
  Regarding the billing discrepancies, all print subscriptions may include up to 4 premium issues per year. For each premium issue, your account will be charged an additional $1.50 in the billing period when the section is published. This will result in shortening the length of the billing period. Upcoming Premium issues are announced with ads in The Spokesman-Review. Previous premium issues have resulted in shortening the length of your paid subscription. You are opted out of being charged any premium issues this year, and your most recent $26 payment made on 9/13/21 paid your subscription from 9/12/21 to 3/13/22, and with the credits we have given due to delivery issues, your renewal date has been extended from 3/13/22 to 3/27/22, and you will not be charged premium issues this year. We will send out an email and a letter next year once our first premium issue of 2022 is ready to print please contact us so we can opt you out for that year.

• Initial Complaint

  10/01/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I don't get why I got trun over too ****** solution for ***** since I had no I idea I had a **** coming from the ******* review since you have too pay upfront for there paper I was waiting until my paper runs out that I payed for got the renew slip 3 times or more too resign up and that was it and never got the **** from them or email from them call nothing until I got home and saw this letter in the mail I think it full of s*** they treat there customers that way one you think be like if you forget too pay your power **** they turn you off so I paid the a.r.m solution **** I did not know how long this would take to get fix when I call the ******* review they told me they have no record of send me a **** your web page did not like my email so it ********************* so you have it thanks for the help *********************** do they have the right too do this too me

  Business response

  10/05/2021

  Good afternoon,

   

  I apologize for the confusion regarding balance on your newspaper delivery account. Our newspaper subscriptions do continue unless otherwise told to stop the account. You can find this outlined in our terms of service on each renewal notice we send as well as here: https://www.spokesman.com/customer-service/terms/

  I have requested our accounting department refund the $10.41 on your account. 

   

  Please let me know if I can assist further,

  ***************************** ********** **************** and NIE Manager
  ************ |[email protected]
  The Spokesman-Review
  www.spokesman.com

• Initial Complaint

  08/31/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  The Spokesman Review continues to litter on my property with their pinch newspaper. I do not subscribe to any service they have and this continues to happen sporadically despite multiple contacts with the company. I pay for my waste management service. I pay based on the size of my garbage can and having to use my garbage can for their garbage means removal of their garbage is at my expense.

  Business response

  09/02/2021

  Upon receiving this complaint I reviewed our complaint records for this address and discovered that there have not been any complaints logged prior to 09/01/2021. This complaint has alerted us to the fact that the resident does not wish to receive the Pinch publication, so I’ve relayed their address to the District Manager that oversees this delivery route so we can stop delivery immediately.

  Katie B******
  Assistant Home Delivery Manager
  The Spokesman-Review
  [email protected]
  O: 509-459-5111
  C: 509-828-7485

  Business response

  09/17/2021

  This complaint has alerted us to the fact that the resident does not wish to receive the Pinch publication, so I’ve relayed their address to the District Manager that oversees this delivery route so we can stop delivery immediately.

  Customer response

  09/17/2021

  
  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,
  
  ******** *******

*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. ↩