This news item expired on Sunday, November 30, 2014 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Consumers regularly get messages urging them to renew a magazine or newspaper subscription, but those messages aren’t always sent by the publisher. For example, some subscribers to the Raleigh News and Observer recently received renewal notices from an "independent subscription agent." Some of the prices to renew listed in the notices were much higher than those offered by the newspaper.
The two companies mentioned in the letters, United Publishers Exchange, and Associated Publishers Network, have histories of questionable business practices. Both have earned an “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau.
If you are considering renewing a subscription, make sure the renewal offer comes directly from the company that subscribed you in the first place. If you spot a shady business practice or suspect that someone is trying to take advantage of you, contact us for help or call toll free within North Carolina at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.