genji@ucbopal.CC.Berkeley.ARPA (01/04/84)
You seem to have had an easier than average experience getting that company (Columbia House Records) off your back. I usually have to phone a company as well as write a few letters to stop undue demands. Protesting notes written on returned invoices seem never to be read-- next month another invoice with more threats will arrive; and so forth. Some years ago i made about 40 phone calls to get American Express to erase some gratuitous charges. (I'd never spend all that time today.) AmEx then used a phony name like "L. Graham" who was supposed to be the customer's "personal representative". On one phone call, the AmEx worker said he would transfer the call to this L. Graham. I protested that there was no such person and he replied "It doesn't matter. You can talk with him anyway". --Genji
beau@sun.uucp (Beau James) (01/04/84)
[fix me!] U.S. Postal regulations state that unsolicited merchandise received in the mail is yours **free**. The recipient is under no (legal) obligation even to attempt to return the material. If you have not enrolled in one of these clubs and they send products along with requests for payment, try just keeping the product -- they usually get the hint very quickly.
mem@sii.UUCP (Mark Mallett) (01/05/84)
b Regarding getting unsolicited products in the mail along with a bill- In my case, Newsweek has hit twice. The first time, several years ago, I started getting condensed books (all non-fiction; biographies, philosophies, etc.). I liked this so I paid for it. It stopped coming just as suddenly as it started, after 2 or 3 years. The second time was more recent, Newsweek started sending me books from their "Wonders of Man" series. And a bill. They sent me two books, several "reminders", all of which I ignored. I surely do not feel inclined or obligated to respond in any way. If someone from Newsweek showed up and asked for the books back, I might consider it. Or not. Certainly no further effort is warranted. I might add that my subscription to Newsweek magazine, which I started in between the two happenings I just described, has been unaffected. Mark E. Mallett decvax!sii!mem
kurt@fluke.UUCP (Kurt Guntheroth) (01/06/84)
Re: Colombia Record Club surprise records in the mail
If you get unsolicited items in the mail, you are not legally bound to
return them. My suggestion to anybody who gets records, magazines, or
anything else in the mail is to just hold onto them. You are not liable to
pay for items you didn't request. You might negotiate eventually to return
the items, although you should not pay postage. You might also demand a
'service and handling charge' just like they do. This is all completely
within your rights.
Bricks are also nice presents. Don't send perishable items like garbage. I
think it's illegal.
Don't get mad, get even.
--
Kurt Guntheroth
John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc.
{uw-beaver,decvax!microsof,ucbvax!lbl-csam,allegra,ssc-vax}!fluke!kurtspoo@utcsrgv.UUCP (Suk Lee) (01/06/84)
I haven't gotten one of these, but I
might add that there are strict postal
rules governing these sort of shenanigans.
If you receive unsolicited packages,
you are in no way obligated to reply,
pay up, etc. If you keep the stuff,
it's too bad for the company that sent
it.
From the pooped paws of:
Suk Lee
..!{decvax,linus,allegra}!utzoo!utcsrgv!spoo