There’s no free lunch, and there are no free books or magazines either. That’s the lesson that consumers learned the hard way from Pennsylvania-based Rodale, Inc., the publisher of Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Prevention, and other magazines.
Customers have complained for several years that Rodale billed them for books and magazines they never ordered. An investigation was launched in Florida after consumers said they were receiving books they had not ordered. Other consumers complained that they were billed for books and magazines that they never ordered or received. The investigation uncovered that Rodale offered free trials of its books and magazines, and billed consumers if they did not return the books or cancel the magazine subscriptions. Consumers also claimed their magazine subscriptions were renewed without their consent, and that they were charged for the renewals.
Rodale reached a settlement agreement with the Florida attorney general’s office that required it to clean up its marketing practices, issue refunds to consumers, and pay up to $1.3 million to the state. The settlement requires Rodale to make the terms and conditions of its subscription plans more clear.
But where does that leave consumers in 49 other states who may have been charged for books and magazines that they never ordered and, in some case, never received? If you have been affected by Rodale’s inadequately disclosed practices (or similar practices by other publishers), please contact us about your legal rights.