Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  09/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I recently started handling my mom's checking account and noticed that $39.75 was being taken out every 3 months. My mom did not have any idea about it. It just said "Magazines". I kept asking her each time and she didn't know what it was for and did not order any magazines. So I went to check and find out these people are scammers. They somehow got my mother's account number from some fake subscriptions and the winning of money. My mom is 90 years old and did not subscribe to anything. I am ************* these people and tell the bank to stop any further withdrawals.

  Business response

  10/11/2024

  Thank you for contacting the BBB regarding your mothers subscription to our magazine. We take these matters very seriously and are committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity as a publication company.
  Since your mother subscribed, she has received a total of 16 issues of our magazine, with renewal notices sent every 12 months to the address she provided. We understand your concerns; however, until your call to our ************************ on October 1st, we had not received any prior communication or returned magazines from either you or your mother. If we had, we would have promptly canceled her subscription and issued a refund.
  During your call, we successfully canceled your mothers subscription and removed her name from our mailing list. We also offered to provide copies of her subscription order form, original payment information, and verification of her signature approving the future charges, but you chose not to accept this.
  We have thousands of satisfied customers who actively participate in our monthly contests and drawings, and we regret that your mother was unable to take advantage of these offerings.We wish you and your mother all the best. Please let us know how we can further assist you. Sincerly, Mountain View Publishing

• Initial Complaint

  02/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Unauthorized payment was deducted from my account and I would like a refund of $14.75

  Business response

  03/04/2024

  Thank you for contacting us through our local BBB office regarding the unauthorized payment deducted from your account. We understand your concern and have thoroughly investigated the matter. Upon review, we found that the payment of $14.75 was actually authorized following your initial purchase of *************** through our online ordering system. We'd like to assure you that you have an account with us where you can monitor and manage your subscription, including the ability to start or stop it at any time. However, we value your satisfaction and have promptly cancelled your subscription as per your request. Additionally, we have refunded the initial payment to your account.
  Should you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.Kind Regards, MVP

• Initial Complaint

  08/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I recently took over my 86 year old mothers finances as her deteriorating health conditions do not allow her to perform these functions anymore. While going over her banking statement I noticed that she has been charged ***** every three months for quite sometime now when I questioned her about this charge she claimed to know nothing about it and stated that she never gave anyone permission to charge her account. The bank statement listed these charges as ACH DEBIT, MVP************* PURCHASE when I googled the number to search for the company name I found quite a few complaints from others with this same issue, so now knowing that this was a magazine company I then asked her if she had subscribed to any magazines or is currently getting any magazines and she told me no. I also questioned her mail carrier and was also informed that my mother gets very little mail and no magazines are delivered to her address. I feel that this company is fraudulently charging her account and has been for quite sometime without her permission as I have previously stated. This morning I made a call to the ************************ in my ********************** and was instructed on several steps on how to rectify this situation. Step one is making a formal complaint to you as I am doing now. The second was to file a complaint to the **'s Office in the businesses ***************** will be my next step if the company does not put a stop to these fraudulent charges. I also believe that this company is taking advantage of the elderly as many of the complaints I read involved the elderly, so I may make a formal complaint to the ** Office. My mothers address is ****************************************************************. ***** for reference.

  Business response

  09/11/2023

  Thank you for reaching out to our local Better Business Bureau and sharing your concerns. We take our reputation and the satisfaction of our customers very seriously. While sympathizing with your frustration, we do not feel you have the right to disparage us.  We have thousands of happy subscribers that look forward to our exciting, educational,fun-filled magazine every month and under no circumstances would we ever want anyone to subscribe to our magazines, unknowingly. Over the previous years we have mailed nearly 30 issues of our publication *************** to the address included on the subscription order form, which was returned to us with payment,signed and dated. We have attached a copy for your records. Please note our billing procedures are in bold directly below your mothers signature. We have simply been providing your mother the services we promised. After 37 magazines along with a yearly renewal letter we logically assumed she was enjoying our magazine. Had anyone contacted us directly at any point during the past few years, the subscription would have been immediately cancelled and monies refunded. Not 1 of the 37 magazines had ever been refused or returned, either by your mother or her local ************ However, our subscribers and their satisfaction are extremely important to us, for this reason we are authorizing a one-time refund to your mothers account. Please allow 3-5 business days for the credit to arrive at her bank. Please feel free to contact us directly if we can be of any additional service.
  Kind Regards, Mountain View Publishers
  

  Customer response

  09/18/2023

   
  Complaint: 20530669
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Dear BBB representative,
  Im am sending this letter in response to MVPs reply to you concerning my complaint on behalf of my mother. First and foremost I want to say for the record I did not disparage anyone as claimed by MVP in their return letter. I based my opinion on that company and its practices by what my mother went through as well as the dozens of complaints I read concerning others who also made complaints to you, and by the article I read whereby the ***************** held them accountable for deceptive business practices which reads as follows from the ************ Mountain View Publishers, a **********-based company, agreed to pay a $2****** settlement and stop using what state officials alleged were deceptive magazine-subscription practices after years of misleading customers, ******** Attorney General ********************* announced Tuesday. The attorney generals office and the magazine publisher reached the settlement Tuesday morning, following accusations that the company had violated the ******** Consumer Protection Act and used fraudulent practices when sending out mailers nationwide. The flyers falsely promised large cash winnings to those who sent in small fees, the attorney general said, but instead unknowingly subscribed consumers to ************************** published by the company. Mountain View Publishers said in a statement that it voluntarily agreed to the settlement with the attorney general to avoid the distractions and costs of litigation, though the company admitted no wrongdoing. While it disagrees with the attorney generals allegations and is disappointed with the offices failure to present an accurate and complete picture, such as Mountain View Publishers high rate of customer satisfaction, the company is nevertheless pleased to put this matter behind it so that it can continue to deliver fun, entertaining and useful products that its customers love, Mountain View Publishers said. ******* office said Mountain View Publishers mailers only outlined that the consumer was subscribing to the quarterly magazine in the fine print at the bottom of the page. Using the credit card information provided, the company automatically renewed the subscription for $33 every three months, the attorney generals office said. The mailers brought in more than ****** subscribers and more than $2 million in revenue to Mountain View Publishers.
  As I stated in my original complaint my mother never received any magazine called *************** as attested to me by both her and her mail carrier and that the signed voucher and copy of her check for $2.75 which they included in their rebuttal statement was what I believe was a copy of the mailer she was sent to her not a copy of any magazine she was sent. Even in their own rebuttal letter MVP could not make up their mind how many magazines were supposedly sent to her. First in their own words it was Over the previous years we have mailed nearly 30 issues of our publication *************** then it became After 37 magazines along with a yearly renewal letter we logically assumed she was enjoying our magazine. Had anyone contacted us directly at any point during the past few years, the subscription would have been immediately cancelled and monies refunded. Not 1 of the 37 magazines had ever been refused or returned. But I say how something can be returned when it was never received in the first place. Im sure that when the check for $2.75 was mailed by my mother to MVP it was in response to the mailer about winning a cash prize or whatever the mailer guaranteed. We live in a society whereby most people want to win the big prize and be set for life and she is no different than all the others who unknowingly sent checks for $2.75 to Mountain View Publishers in the hopes of cashing in on the big win and were charged without their knowledge which I read in quite a few of their complaints to you by others who found themselves in the same predicament as my mother.Lets face it, its human nature instilled in us as human beings to want to strike it rich and be set for life. Hundreds if not thousands of people flock to casinos every day of the year to try to win the big money, hundreds if not thousands of people buy scratch tickets, Keno, and lottery tickets to try and strike it rich the same holds true for Race Tracks as well. We all want to be set for life but in my opinion the elderly are more apt to be swindled or to be taken in because most no longer work and receive a pay check but rather they are on fixed incomes and have a tough time making ends meet and they become easy targets every day its a known fact. The following is a quote from both ************************ and the **************** on the *************** vulnerability: Many senior citizens are on fixed incomes and may have significant assets. This makes them a target for scammers who may be looking to steal their savings or retirement funds. That being said I have no actual knowledge that MVP is targeting the elderly however again I base my opinion on the documented facts made by many of the complaints filed to you on behalf of others I have read which are similar in nature to my complaint which in fact does involve an elderly family member. In MVPs rebuttal letter they made reference to a yearly renewal letter but a signed copy of that was never made available to me to read as was the signed voucher sent. Now I will admit that the voucher was signed without my mother obviously reading the fine print but Im sure she was probably so fixated on winning the prize guaranteed she never did and for that she allowed MVP to unknowingly charge her account every three months for the sum of $33.00 like so many others in the Attorney Generals statement. I am confused I must admit on how a $2.75 publication (magazine) which one is led to believe can add up to the amount she was charged. Lets say that she did receive 30 copies of this so called *************** over several years 30 times $2.75 is only $82.50 for all 30 issues and certainly that does not add up to $33.00 charged to her account every quarter, nor the $160.00 she was charged per year. So what makes better sense is that the $2.75 charge was so small people just figured that was a low monthly fee to take a chance to strike it rich but they were actually charged that weekly rather than monthly.Now lets get back to that signed voucher for a moment that was included in the answer to the complaint by MVP which by the way was signed on October 1st 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 virus coincidentally thus allowing MVP to bill or withdraw from my mothers account $33.00 every quarter however according to her bank statement as of September 13th 2022 $39.75 was directly charged and withdrawn from her account every quarter but a signed document or voucher for that charge or transaction was never included by MVP. I would like to request a copy of that document or voucher which allowed MVP the permission for that charge of $39.75 to take place every quarter from 9/13/22 to present date is one actually exists otherwise I would consider that a fraudulent charge in which to report and would expect a full refund for those unauthorized charges .In conclusion in the rebuttal letter which they included in the complaint they stated this However, our subscribers and their satisfaction are extremely important to us, for this reason we are authorizing a one-time refund to your mothers account. Please allow 3-5 business days for the credit to arrive at her bank. However a dollar figure was not given for her for a one-time refund to agree upon so for this reason she does not agree to except their offer and close the complaint. I would say that at the least, without seeing a signed document for the increased charge of $39.75 a full one-time refund of $198.75 for those charges would be acceptable to close out the complaint.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  Business response

  10/06/2023

  Upon receiving Mr. *********** original complaint, MVP immediately stopped all charges to his mothers account and made sure that there would be no contact with her in the future concerning this matter or any other reason per Mr. *********** request.  Although not requested, MVP honored our 90-day satisfaction guarantee and refunded the $39.75 back to his mothers account.  With Mr. *********** follow up correspondence, he indicated that a full one-time refund of $198.75 for those charges would be acceptable to close out the complaint.  We appreciate that *********************** is now able to monitor his mothers financial accounts and agree to refund the full amount so that all involved can move forward without further incidence.   Once again, we would like to reiterate that our subscribers and their satisfaction are of upmost importance to us and even just one dissatisfied subscriber is unacceptable.  We work tirelessly to provide our subscribers with new and exciting magazines that our readers love,and value as reflected in the thousands of customer reviews and testimonials that we continue to receive each month.  If we can be of any additional service, please do not hesitate to reach out to us directly by phoning our ************* line at ************ or email at **************************************. 

  Business response

  10/06/2023

  Upon receiving Mr. *********** original complaint, MVP immediately stopped all charges to his mothers account and made sure that there would be no contact with her in the future concerning this matter or any other reason per Mr. *********** request.  Although not requested, MVP honored our 90-day satisfaction guarantee and refunded the $39.75 back to his mothers account.  With Mr. *********** follow up correspondence, he indicated that a full one-time refund of $198.75 for those charges would be acceptable to close out the complaint.  We appreciate that *********************** is now able to monitor his mothers financial accounts and agree to refund the full amount so that all involved can move forward without further incidence.   Once again, we would like to reiterate that our subscribers and their satisfaction are of upmost importance to us and even just one dissatisfied subscriber is unacceptable.  We work tirelessly to provide our subscribers with new and exciting magazines that our readers love,and value as reflected in the thousands of customer reviews and testimonials that we continue to receive each month.  If we can be of any additional service, please do not hesitate to reach out to us directly by phoning our ************* line at ************ or email at **************************************. ormation...

• Initial Complaint

  07/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I've been charged $30.00/quarter from 10/4/2020 to 7/6/2022, and $39.75/quarter since 10/4/2022 for a subscription to something that I know nothing about, and did not knowingly authorize.This amounts to $399 for which I'm demanding a refund.

  Business response

  07/26/2023

  Thank you for reaching out to us through our local BBB. Our reputation and customer satisfaction are our #1 priority. For your own piece of mind,I have attached a copy of the original authorized, subscription order form.Please notice, our billing procedures are explained directly below the signature box, which you clearly signed. With your signature you authorized the reoccurring quarterly charges for Jackpot Journal. Please understand we process all orders we receive in good faith. We never want anyone to feel as if they are locked in to or continue to receive a magazine that is of no use to them, this is why we offer a 90 day no questions asked-money back guarantee.  At any time during the past few years your subscription could have been cancelled and a refund authorized. We have mailed over 30 issues of ************************ to your verified home address.During this time, not one of these magazines has been returned to us or to the ***** either undeliverable or other. Until we received your complaint, we had no idea that you were dissatisfied with your subscription. We have thousands of happy customers that look forward to our exciting, fun-filled magazines monthly and are truly disappointed that you did not take the time to see what our product was all about. Rest assured, your subscription has been cancelled and a credit has been applied to your account. We have also removed you from our mailing list to ensure this does not happen again.    Kind Regards, Mountain View Publishers

  
  

  Customer response

  08/03/2023

   
  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. Thank you for cancelling my subscription.
  

  However, there are many other victims who have fallen for your predatory advertising methods, especially the elderly.  I don't know if this constitutes elder abuse or not, but it is certainly unethical.  Hopefully, you have not subjected your own grandparents to these malicious tactics.

  Think about how you have affected others' lives when you look in the mirror each morning.  It's not too late to turn your life around.  You can quit being a scumbag.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  07/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I found out that $39.75 is being withdrawn from Mom's account by a fraudulent magazine publisher called ************ Publishers out of ******** (phone number on Mom's statement is *************). I have not seen any magazines. It appears this company is in trouble for scamming others. I want to"cancel" my Mom's ghost subscription.Her name is *********************.

  Customer response

  07/16/2023

  Please close this complaint. My mother was able to cancel the"subscription" and obtained a promise that no more charges would be made in her account. 

• Initial Complaint

  06/19/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I'm filing this complaint on behalf of my wife, ***************************, who suffers from Alzheimer's. Disease and Dementia. She thought that she would win a sweepstakes prize if she signed up for their offer.Sincerely,***********************

  Business response

  06/28/2023

  Thank you for reaching out to us through our local Better Business Bureau. We sincerely apologize that your wife is unwell and will cancel her subscription immediately. For your records we have attached a copy of her original order form of payment. As you can see,  clearly written in the subject line is *************** Subscription. Because we do offer a no questions asked 90-day money back guarantee, we have applied a credit to her account. Please allow 3-5 business days for the credit to arrive at her bank. We have also removed her from our mailing list to insure this does not happen again. Please let us know if we can be of any additional service. Kind Regards, Mountain View Publishers 

• Initial Complaint

  06/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  There has been a quarterly charge in the amount of $39.75 from Mountain View Publishers incurred on my bank account since at least March 3, 2022. I would like these charges cancelled. I am not receiving any subscriptions in exchange for this charge. I have attempted to cancel any subscriptions on the website but there is no option available to do so. I have attempted to contact the business and I am unable to get a person on the phone, nor are my messages returned. I am not looking for a refund. I simply want the charges cancelled going forward.

  Business response

  06/20/2023

  Thank you for reaching out to us through our local BBB. In reveiwing your account, it appears as if your concerns had been taken care of on June the 12th at 9:45am when your daughter **** contacted our customer service **** directly. At that time she was informed that over the previous several months we had no returned mail or communication in reguards to your desire to cancel your subscription. Rest assured, your subscription has been cancelled and a refund has been applied to your original form of payment. For future reference we have also removed you from our mailing list to insure you do not mistakenly re-subscribe. Please do not hesitate to let us know if we can be of any additional assistance. Kind Regards, Mountain View Publishers

  Customer response

  06/26/2023

   
  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

  12/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  A charge was made to my account of $39.75 that I did not authorize.

  Business response

  01/12/2023

  Thank you for reaching out to us through our local BBB. Attached please see the authorized subscription order and form of payment, we received from you. This is where we received authorization for the charge in question.  However, our customers and their satisfaction is of up most importance to us,  as is our reputation. This is why we offer a 60 day money back guarantee, which we are happy to honor. Please allow 3-5 business days for the credit to arrive at your bank. If we can be of any additional assistance, please contact our ************* line directly at ************** Mon-Fri 9am-4:30pm MST. 

  Customer response

  01/19/2023

   
  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. 

  I could not view the attachment to their response.  Consequently, i cannot comment on the validity of their assertion that I requested this subscription.  Adequate resolution of this matter to my satisfaction will be a total refund of the original charges to my account and cancelation of any subscriptions on file in my name so that I can avoid future charges to my bank account.

  Thank you for your efforts in resolving this matter.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  12/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  *************** has been going in my bank account each month charging me $39.99. I never subscribed to the Journal. I never consented to pay them. This is theft. I want to file criminal charges against them. I need them to stop charging my bank account. I don't know how they got my bank info. Please contact me to let me know what you can do to help me file criminal charges against them. Please contact them to stop them from any further charges. This month they just charged me. Help me get my money back. This has been going on for years. Thanks for your help. ***********..

  Business response

  01/13/2023

  ************, 
  Thank you for contacting our local Better Business Bureau with your concerns. Attached please see the copy of your completed subscription order form, payment authorization and most important, copies of your multiple entries into our monthly contests over the previous several months. For your information, your quarterly subscription to Jackpot Journal  began after you responded to one of our advertisements. A check was sent into MVP, with your signed subscription order form which authorized us to debit your account quarterly for your monthly magazine **************** This information is clearly stated below your signature. We understand your frustration but please understand ours. From our point of view, you have been actively participating in our in-house games, coloring contest and surveys monthly. These monthly entries automatically enabled you to Free entries to win items such as kindle Fires, Blue Tooth Speakers, $100 gift cards and much more. In November alone you were the winner of our Free Garden Patch Grow Box Entry contest, winning a Grow Box valued at over $40. Because we were receiving these monthly entries, we automatically assumed you were happy with your subscription and understood you were being charged a quarterly subscription fee. However,  it is very important to MVP that our customers are satisfied with the products they receive, this is why we offer a 60-day money back guarantee, which we will gladly honor, regardless of your active status. We have credited your account the two separate charges of $39.75,  which you have incurred to date. Please allow 3-5 business days for the credit to reach your account. In reference to a contact number, it is printed clearly next to the charge on your bank statement. It can also be found on several of the pages in your magazine, on our website, FB, and ******* Pages. If at any time you would have called to cancel, we would have gladly done so. Rest assured, we have cancelled your subscription and removed you permanently from our mailing list. Please let us know if we can be of any additional service. 
  Kind Regards, Mountain View Publishers
  
  
  
  Many Thanks,
  ********

• Initial Complaint

  11/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have taken over the finances of my 85 year old mother. On 11/4/2022, I saw a charge for $39.75 with this description "MVP************* - MAGAZINE" - I filed a claim with the credit union for suspected fraud and asked them to return the charge. Then, I discovered MVP had also taken $33.00 in Feb, May, August 2022. The credit union discovered that the account had been charged since Nov 2019!!! I did a search online and found an article by the *********** published March 29 2022 (Updated November 22, 2022). The article was about the deceptive practices of MVP and that the ******** Attorney General and Mountain View Publishers came to a settlement agreement for $250,000 following accusations of their fraudulent and deceptive practices. The flyers that *** sent out falsely promised large cash winnings to those who sent in a "small fee" all while UNKNOWINGLY subscribing to something called **************** I called MVP yesterday, 11/22/2022. The offices were closed so I hung up intending to call back today but MVP actually called me (seeing my number on caller ID). I demanded that they cancel the so-called subscription that my mother had no idea she signed up for. The lady insisted they are a highly rated company with happy customers. I scolded her for working for a terrible place that scams elderly and other vulnerable people out of their limited incomes. I want a refund for my mother! Mountain View Publishers is a disgrace and needs to be sued into oblivion!!!

  Business response

  12/06/2022

  Thank you for reaching out to our local Better Business Bureau and sharing your concerns. We take our reputation and the satisfaction of our customers very seriously. While sympathizing with your frustration, we do not feel you have the right to disparage us.  We have thousands of happy subscribers that look forward to our exciting, educational, fun-filled magazine every month and under no circumstances would we ever want anyone to subscribe to our magazines,unknowingly. Over the previous years we have mailed over 38 issues of our publication *************** to the address included on the subscription order form, which was returned to us signed, and dated. We have attached a copy for your records. Please note our billing procedures are in bold directly below your mothers signature. We have simply been providing your mother the services we promised. After 38 magazines, we logically assumed she was enjoying our magazine. Had anyone contacted us directly at any point during the past several years, the subscription would have been immediately cancelled and monies refunded.Not 1 of the 38 magazines had ever been refused or returned. However, our subscribers and their satisfaction are extremely important to us, for this reason we are authorizing a one-time refund to your mothers account. Please allow 3-5 business days for the credit to arrive at her bank. Please feel free to contact us directly if we can be of any additional service.
  Kind Regards, Mountain View Publishers 

  Customer response

  12/13/2022

   
  Complaint: 18458660
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  The copy and pasted excuse from MVP (same exact response to everyone that complains) claims that because no one rejected the *************** that their so-called product is valued.  If and When these magazines (still haven't seen one) arrive in the mailbox of elderly folks, they have no idea what they are or why they are receiving them.  MVP was deducting $132/year ($33 quarterly) from *************** bank account (she was unaware because she wasn't getting bank statements and didn't know how to do online banking).  Now, ever since the ******** Attorney General fined MVP a $250,000 penalty for their devious practices, MVP began deducting $39.75 quarterly from their elderly "customers" bank accounts. MVP has now refunded the last two ACH withdrawals of $39.75 and $33.00 last week, but that still doesn't make up for the fact they mischievously took $528.00 over the last 4 years and they continue to take from other elderly folks who have no idea.  Unfortunately, MVP is not the only one scamming unsuspecting elderly folks.
  
  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. ↩