Newspaper Company taking money out of Bank Account

[BilylPeterson]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee

I order a 1 month subscription to "the Tennessean," a news paper for the Nashville area from a salesman at Walmart. I used a credit/debit card for the purchase (this I regret). I then decided I didn't want that subscription and called to cancel the same day. The company assured me I would not be charged, and they would immediately cancel my suspc. However I have been charged $23.00 a month for a total of $101.98, Starting back in July.

I have faxed proof to the company they have taken money from my bank account. They seem to just be giving me the run around and ignoring my issue. I called them several times. Also complicating matters is I no longer live in Nashville, but I am back in Michigan.

Questions: How would I go about taking a company to small claims court across sate lines?
Do I report them to the BBB or the Attorney general of Tennessee? It seem illegal to just take money out of someones account whenever you please. Or at least every poor business practice.

Any help or advice would be great.

 

[Zigner]

What did your bank say when you called to report the unauthorized transactions?

 

[Proserpina]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee

I order a 1 month subscription to "the Tennessean," a news paper for the Nashville area from a salesman at Walmart. I used a credit/debit card for the purchase (this I regret). I then decided I didn't want that subscription and called to cancel the same day. The company assured me I would not be charged, and they would immediately cancel my suspc. However I have been charged $23.00 a month for a total of $101.98, Starting back in July.

I have faxed proof to the company they have taken money from my bank account. They seem to just be giving me the run around and ignoring my issue. I called them several times. Also complicating matters is I no longer live in Nashville, but I am back in Michigan.

Questions: How would I go about taking a company to small claims court across sate lines?
Do I report them to the BBB or the Attorney general of Tennessee? It seem illegal to just take money out of someones account whenever you please. Or at least every poor business practice.

Any help or advice would be great.

Two things.

Do you have anything in writing?

And the BBB has no regulatory authority. They won't and can't do a darned thing.

 

[Antigone*]

What did your bank say when you called to report the unauthorized transactions?

Actually Zigner, depending on if he cancelled according to his agreement, those transactions may be authorized. Also, even if they are unauthorized he waiting far too long to dispute a few of those transactions. The bank will only take responsiblity for transactions going back two statement periods. Anything prior to that is on him. It is his duty and responsbility to know exactly what is happening in his account.

If the OP decides to sue this business he will have to travel back to Tennessee AND his costs to travel and lodging cannot be included in his claim against the newspaper, so it would be cheaper for him to just chalk it up as a stupid decision.

 

[swalsh411]

This is what can happen to people who don't pay attention to their bank account. I get a text every time there is any transaction on my account. Maybe your bank offers something similar. At the very least you should be looking at it online every other week or so.

 

[TheGeekess]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee

I order a 1 month subscription to "the Tennessean," a news paper for the Nashville area from a salesman at Walmart. I used a credit/debit card for the purchase (this I regret). I then decided I didn't want that subscription and called to cancel the same day. The company assured me I would not be charged, and they would immediately cancel my suspc. However I have been charged $23.00 a month for a total of $101.98, Starting back in July.

I have faxed proof to the company they have taken money from my bank account. They seem to just be giving me the run around and ignoring my issue. I called them several times. Also complicating matters is I no longer live in Nashville, but I am back in Michigan.

Questions: How would I go about taking a company to small claims court across sate lines?
Do I report them to the BBB or the Attorney general of Tennessee? It seem illegal to just take money out of someones account whenever you please. Or at least every poor business practice.

Any help or advice would be great.

Who did you call? The company you purchased your subscription through or the newspaper subscription office?

 

[swalsh411]

I might add, the newspaper unquestionably owes you the money back if they were not sending you the newspaper you were paying for.

 

[Antigone*]

I might add, the newspaper unquestionably owes you the money back if they were not sending you the newspaper you were paying for.

The OP said he moved. How on earth is the OP going to know if the paper was delivered or not?

 

[BilylPeterson]

What did your bank say when you called to report the unauthorized transactions?

My bank told me that their is nothing they can do other than cancle my debit card and make me a new one. (which I did).

They said once a merchant has access to your debit card they can charge anything they want. And there's little to stop them. I think we need some serious consumer protection legislation.

 

[BilylPeterson]

Two things.

Do you have anything in writing?

And the BBB has no regulatory authority. They won't and can't do a darned thing.

I have nothing in writing. I didn't think a "respectable" company would openly rip me off. I do have the bank statements showing the unauthorized withdraws, and proof I faxed them to their company.

 

[Antigone*]

My bank told me that their is nothing they can do other than cancle my debit card and make me a new one. (which I did).

They said once a merchant has access to your debit card they can charge anything they want. And there's little to stop them. I think we need some serious consumer protection legislation.

There are enough banking regulations already, Bilyl. I think we need people to learn how to think twice before giving over their banking information to total strangers. I also think people need to learn how to be more accountable when it comes to their money - you know, like look at your bank statement more than twice a year.

 

[BilylPeterson]

Actually Zigner, depending on if he cancelled according to his agreement, those transactions may be authorized. Also, even if they are unauthorized he waiting far too long to dispute a few of those transactions. The bank will only take responsiblity for transactions going back two statement periods. Anything prior to that is on him. It is his duty and responsbility to know exactly what is happening in his account.

If the OP decides to sue this business he will have to travel back to Tennessee AND his costs to travel and lodging cannot be included in his claim against the newspaper, so it would be cheaper for him to just chalk it up as a stupid decision.

This is the other issue. I DID despute the first 2 charges back in august, faxed them the transactions then too. I saw another charge later that month thinking it was them adding the money back to my account. (stupid on my part I know.)

But my bank statement always says deposit/withdraw for everything which is why I made the assumption the company had deposited the money back. Anyway That was well with the proper time frame to disupute.

 

[BilylPeterson]

There are enough banking regulations already, Bilyl. I think we need people to learn how to think twice before giving over their banking information to total strangers. I also think people need to learn how to be more accountable when it comes to their money - you know, like look at your bank statement more than twice a year.

Yes yes your right. I wasn't looking at my bank account because I was unemployed with no money going in or out of it. Also I had thought they had taken care of it.

It was foolish to give this person my card, I thought supporting local print news was a worthy cause. Show's what I know. I still don't see how it can be legal for them to take money after you cancel or whenever the damn well please.

 

[BilylPeterson]

Who did you call? The company you purchased your subscription through or the newspaper subscription office?

It's there customer service number. a 1800 number. I'm not sure if they outsource their CS or what the deal is. My understading is that "Ganett" is a company who owns many other companies incuding the "Tennessean Newspaper."

I am lost in ther burocracy of corparations and partnerships I think.

 

[BilylPeterson]

Actually Zigner, depending on if he cancelled according to his agreement, those transactions may be authorized. Also, even if they are unauthorized he waiting far too long to dispute a few of those transactions. The bank will only take responsiblity for transactions going back two statement periods. Anything prior to that is on him. It is his duty and responsbility to know exactly what is happening in his account.

If the OP decides to sue this business he will have to travel back to Tennessee AND his costs to travel and lodging cannot be included in his claim against the newspaper, so it would be cheaper for him to just chalk it up as a stupid decision.

Your telling me in the day and age, there is no wireless means to taking someone to small claims? I saw a guy appear via satellite for a hearing to set aside a conviction!

People move all the time, I can't belive there's no course for justice just because you moved out of the area.