By NANCY PARADIS, Times Staff Writer
Published June 16, 2005
Two magazines bring dueling renewal notices.
Last September, I received an offer from Reminisce magazine for a renewal at a special price of $9.98. I promptly sent Reiman Publications in Greendale, Wis., a check for this amount.
In December, I received notice that the subscription to this magazine was about to expire, so I sent a check for $29.95 for a two-year renewal with six free months.
Since then I have received several expiration notices from the magazine. I returned the notices with a note stating that my renewal check was cashed, but have received no response, only more expiration notices. On April 21, I sent a certified letter, return receipt requested, and included copies of all the statements and notices I had received from Reiman. I never heard back.
Yesterday I received a notice telling me that the final issue is next month's. If my husband did not like this magazine so much I would forget the whole thing because of all the frustration this has caused me.
If there is anything you can do I would be grateful.
- Dorothy Mitchell
Claudia Couchene with Reiman Publications' subscription services in Greendale, Wis., said you have subscriptions to both Reminisce and Reminisce Extra magazines. These are published every other month, with Reminisce being printed in the odd month and Reminisce Extra in the even. These are two separate subscriptions, she said. Although they are similar in format, the two magazines are not repeats of each other.
She said the very first order Reiman Publications received from you was for a one-year subscription to Reminisce magazine, which started with the September/October 2003 issue through July/August 2004. A renewal order for this magazine was processed in December 2003, which extended the subscription through July/August 2005.
With regard to Reminisce Extra, Couchene said the subscription started with the August 2004 issue and ran through June 2004. The payment for this magazine was processed Sept. 12. A two-year renewal was received Oct. 27. It was subsequently canceled, per your request, in November. A two-year plus six free months order of the magazine was received and processed Jan. 18 for $29.98. This magazine is therefore paid through the December 2007 issue.
Couchene apologized for the confusion regarding the two magazines. As compensation for the inconvenience and expense you incurred in trying to straighten this out, your Reminisce subscription is being extended at no cost for one year, giving you a new expiration date of July/August 2006.
We would like to add that in our experience, even though you're good to go regarding these magazines for one and 21/2 years respectively, you are likely to receive renewal requests long before the subscriptions run out. To avoid repeating the confusion, make sure you know which magazine you're dealing with if and when you decide to renew.
CD documentation located
On March 11, I had a 15-month CD due at Fifth Third Bank in Indian Shores. It was submitted for redemption, and I was ultimately given a check and told that all was well. I later found out that the wrong CD was redeemed, namely one that did not mature until April 9, 2007. I notified the office manager of this mistake and was told to wait two weeks for the matter to be researched. Two weeks later, I was told the same thing.
After more waiting and more contacts with the bank, I was told a check had been found that showed the CD with the 2005 maturity date had been redeemed 19 days after it was purchased, over two years ago, for a sum of $31,854.85. I have been unable to learn to whom this money was paid or where it went. This has now been going on for nine weeks. I would appreciate anything you can do to help resolve this fiasco.
- Robert Jeffrey
Brian Keenan, president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank, said the research on your certificates of deposit has finally been completed. On Dec. 11, 2003, the bank closed a certificate of deposit early at your request and issued a cashier's check for $31,854.85 payable to you or your wife. This check was endorsed by your wife and deposited into Bank of America on Dec. 15, 2003. A copy of this check has been sent to you.
Keenan apologized that the bank could not provide this documentation sooner. It should also have collected the original certificate when it was issued and subsequently redeemed. Had this been done, some of the confusion could have been avoided.
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