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HandyMan Club of America / Scout.com

HandyMan Club of America / Scout.com review: frustrating and unauthorized membership! 270

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Author of the review
12:00 am EST
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This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

My husband recently received unsolicited mail from the Handyman Club of America. We did not sign up for anything from this company. We just received an official notification saying they were going to take us to a collection agency for past due membership. The letter has no contact information for the company, nor could we find any way to contact them on their website. This is extremely frustrating and should be illegal!

270 comments
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Wilben Dahl
US
Oct 14, 2015 12:40 am EDT

I failed to accept one of their sales invitations and they stopped my magazine subscription and quit even attempting to contact me. They do not seem to know what a "life time membership" is or even understand the concept.

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Charles Stansbury
US
Oct 27, 2015 2:42 pm EDT

I am an original Life Member #[protected] and have a written contract that can only be canceled by myself and not arbitrarily by you with out acceptable compensation. My life membership clearly stated for my lifetime, with a Leather Club Jacket, club magazines and an a sundry of other club benefits, including the testing of new equipment. The original contract clearly stated that all these benefits were for my natural life time or upon my discretionary cancellation. I have never received any notification from you on any attempted modification of this original contract, or, any type of acceptable compensation. I am demanding full restitution and if not received, I am prepared to seek legal action for the just compensation, in addition to filing a legal complaint with the Washington State Consumer Protection Division of the States Attorney Generals Office. unless an acceptable agreement can be reached within a reasonable time frame.
Sincerely,
Charles Stansbury

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David3
US
Dec 06, 2015 6:51 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have had a lifetime membership since 12/2003. I have now been informed that I will no longer receive my benefits because they "have not heard from me". To my knowledge this was not a requirement for lifetime membership

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Judy Myers
US
Dec 28, 2015 1:03 pm EST

My husbands customer # is [protected] I am a life time member and I have not received any magazines from you lately, just wanted to see what might have happened.

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mmoser3
US
Jan 23, 2016 11:49 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

i have not received my magazine for over a year now . why have I not received any more ? i'm a lifetime member !

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Reviewer46231
Jan 28, 2016 10:40 am EST

i am a lifetime member and have not received my bi-monthly magazine in 2 1/2 yrs. i would like to know you stopped my membership with out notifying me !

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Bobby Neville
US
Feb 04, 2016 7:33 pm EST

Have nor received the Handyman Magazine for over two years and I don't believe that I should have to contact Handyman every whip stitch just so I can get my subscription as promised when I became a lifetime member.

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Reviewer70564
Feb 05, 2016 2:25 am EST

I have not received a magazine in about oh close to a year now. I have been a member for a very long time almost 20 years. How do I get my mag?

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Reviewer43262
Feb 12, 2016 2:12 pm EST

I bought a life time membership and haven't received a magazine since Jan 2014 Im not dead so why in the hell did you stop sending me my magazine lgwagner@tds, net

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gedavis
US
Apr 14, 2016 1:26 pm EDT

I am life member since 02/2001. I have not received any products in 3 or 4 years. I request back issues if possible and products to test and comment. I expect begin receiving the magazine again. Please help me with this GED

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David W. Kendziora
Aug 10, 2016 5:43 am EDT

Handyman sends you a book that they make you believe is free. Three weeks down the road you get a bill for $15.00. And they tell you they will send you more books. In that correspondence they give you a phone number. You call the number and cancel the subscription to Handyman and they tell you ok. Then after that they continuously send you a bill and those bills do not have a telephone number to reach anyone or if there is a phone number at that point in time, it is only voicemail when you call it. They keep sending invoices month after month for a $15.00 membership. This particular bill has no phone number on it to reach out to anyone at the company. Now that I have moved the bill still comes forwarded to me. Eventually I will wind up in a collection agency because this last invoice says "Second Reminder". The envelope says, "Time-Sensitive Document Inside." Something must be done for this bogus company to stop harassing people and trying to collect funds that they have no right billing people for.

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JAMES BEASLEY
San Francisco, US
Aug 10, 2016 5:43 am EDT

I PAY MY ON 1-6-2015 #[protected] JAMES.BEASLEY15@GMAIL.COM JAMES BEASLEY 241 6TH ST #409-B SAN FRANCISCO CA 94103

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JAMES BEASLEY
San Francisco, US
Aug 10, 2016 5:43 am EDT

I PAY MY BILL ON 1-6-2015

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Mary Strohbehn
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

I paid for a membership, and all I have been receiving is magazines. Handyman stated that I would start receiving tools, etc. for me to test for them and to keep all that are tested and then let them know how I feel about them. So far I have received 2 magazines. They also stated that if I am not happy with the membership that I could (with no questions asked) receive all membership dues. Im getting there.

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Joseph Sweeney
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

I was in receipt of a debt collection from Handyman Club of America for $359.00. for something I do not receive nor did I order. Either Handyman is a rip off or the collection agency is a rip-off. Read other reports from consumers in regards to this. Some consumers are receiving letters from RCMB collection agency and others like me come from RMCB. I plan or notifying the Attorney General of New York where the collection agency is supposedly located. BE SMART... Do not send money to this collection agency for something you never ordered SCAM>>>>>

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Brian Sjoden
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

Help! They keep harassing me! Everyday it is something new; calls, letters, books, magazines, collection notices when I cancelled my membership months ago!

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Mike Bellsmith
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

Just as a service. I received one of these offers the other day and checked here to see who these guys are. Their return address on the mailing is as follows:

Handyman Club of America
12301 Whitewater Dr.
Minnetonka, MN 55343

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Hernan Zaragoza
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

The same thing is happening to me for the exception that i did not get anything from this peopla and they are charging mi the $24. i been trying to get a phone mumber or contact number but so far this is the closest i got to know about the handy man club. I want them to stop sending me bills and this notice of collection rerreral notice. Since i did not even anything. I want to get rid of this people and sending those notices. Pleace help, what Do?

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Alex
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

In have signed up for the life membership, got 1/3 of the way with paying for the membership. Then I got really sick and could not afford to pay the balance of the membership. Wrote them a letter saying that I am canceling my membership. They contacted me and I told them by story and they said Ok.

Now I have a credit collection agency asking me for the balance of the life membership. I contacted the agency and through a non-human being I told them that I canceled the membership.

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Darrell Stephenson
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

Handyman Club of America came out with this deceptive advertisement making you think you were getting some usefull tools to try and you signed up for this trial offer and paid a small amount up front for postage.

Next think I know they were billing me for a $24 subscription to a Handyman magazine. I called in and asked for cancellation back near the first of the year and also sent cancellation notice to them.

I received nothing as far as useful tools, just some plastic items which I don't even know what I done with them. This company has kept sending out these billings for $24 and has turned over to a RMCB Collection Agency.

I consider this a hungry greedy company trying to sell magazines by deceptive practices. Stay away from them or you will get burned.

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Bill C. Jackson
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

I chose to drop my membership. Now I am being threatened with a collection agency.

Beware!

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Gale Lebrick
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

I received a notice from your collection company stating , I owe $349.00 for a lifetime membership that I have never signed for nor would I sign anything like it.I have sent back some of your books but kept only one of them and paid ten dollars for it.I kept on getting threating letters from your so called company and now its time to turn the table.I am going to sue you if you keep up with your crap. I have read everything in your so-called comments from other people.I will even take this to the supreme court if need be.This so called Handyman Club should be put to rest. I also plan on making a few phone calls to various organizations about your scam that you are doing. Im not going to give up like some people do. I will fight to the end.

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John M. Burton
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

I need to know who to contact for the company handy man club of america. I am receiving letters of collections which myself have not signed any documents or agreed to joining this club. I need a contact number so that this does not go to my credit agencies because I never agreed to any such terms.

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Kara Brown
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

Hello, I can relate very much. I also sent for the FREE issue of the magazine and then paid the stamp to send back the cancel. We liked the mag, but do not do a lot of things so did not want it. They kept sending, not one, but 2! There was one in each of our name! Now, the threatening letters have started regarding collection agencies. This is THEFT, no matter how you look at it. It is the SAME as if they took a gun and put it to my head and demanded my money. I DO NOT want their mag, but they are trying to force me to take it. I think of people who are not as bold as some. They will pay it to keep them off their backs. They will appeal to some's sense of honor. Well, if we did NOT order it, we do NOT have to pay!

This is not the only company doing this. I just put a stop to the Street Machine and Fishing and Hunting Clubs tactics, too. We took the fishing mag and probably a free copy of the other 2. They threatened us with bill collector's. The sad thing is when I called I asked when my end date was paid to. I am paid up til Aug of this year. This is our 3rd year of getting the fishing mag. Right after we paid, they started wanting MORE money. They said our dues were due. Now, collection notices. I called and stopped everything on all 3 of them. We will finish our subscription to the fishing and then we will cancel even tho we like the mag. It is too bad that they have to be this way. Everyone loses!

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JAMES Z MCNELLAY
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

THE ONLY THING HANDY ABOUT HANDYMAN CLUB OF AMERICA IS THEIR HANDS. THEYARE GODDAMN PICK POCKETS, OR SO THEY THINK!THEY ARE THREATNING ME WITH A CLLECTION AGENY FOR $24.00 DUES , VIA NEW MEMBERSHIP FOR TWO YEARS. I NEVER AGREED TO ANY THING EXCEPT TO RECIEVE ONE FREE ISUUE OF THEIR MAGAZINE. THEY SENT ANOTHER UNAUTHORIZED. THEN THEY STARTED WITH THE THREATS. TO BE FAIR THE HANDY MAG IS WORTH THE $$. THIS SCAM OF THEIRS IS NOT GOING TO WORK ON ME. THE $$ IS NO BIG DEAL , I COULD PAY IT NOW WITH MY DEBIT CARD. MY PROBLEM WITH THEM IS THER DISHONESTY. I HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO TYPE THIS WITH MY ONE THINGER TYPEING SKILLS TO WARN OTHERS. BELIEVE ME I HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO...GO PLAY WITH YOURSELF HANDY... I DONT NEED YOUR HELP, AFTER ALL I HAVE MY ONE FINGER SKILLS! BUYER BEWARE!

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DARLENE MCDOWELL
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT

My husband and I have been fighting with this company for 2 years now. We do not have a membership with the Handyman Club of America, they keep sending useless stuff to our address and we keep calling them to stop this. 1 year ago we received a letter from Handyman saying that we owed over $400.00. When I contacted them, they finally got the message, (or so we thought) and we were told to disregard this notice. Today we received a bill from RMBC Inc. collection agency for $530.00. I called them and tried to explain what was going on, and was hung up on. Nice customer service. The battle continues.

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turbopropdude
San Antonio, US
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Dear Handyman Club of America,

I am writing to you in regards to your deceptive practices. I have received notices for payment in the amount of $37.98 for a book entitled “Landscape Structures and Decks” (RE: Billing LMRN9862) that I never requested nor received. You have now referred this matter to a collection agency so in an effort to preserve my good credit I am hereby sending you payment in the amount of $37.98 so you will close this matter immediately. In addition, I am returning to you a book entitled “Tools and Techniques” that I also never requested from you, but I did previously send you payment for.

I joined your organization as a “lifetime member” in January of 2011. I sent you payment in the amount of $355.00. I received some low grade cheap Chinese tools, all of which I could have purchased from Harbor Freight Tools for much less than $100.00. My standards for tools that I purchase and use are much, much higher than the crap that you sent me.

I am hereby notifying you that I wish to cancel my membership (#[protected]) effective immediately.

I will consider that I have been scammed for $355.00 and an additional $75.96 for two books that I never requested from you and one of which I never did receive. Considering the character of your organization I am relatively confident that I will never be reimbursed any part of the $430.96 that I have paid to your organization to date.

With hopes of receiving any restitution, I will be sending a copy of this letter to the Texas Attorney General’s Office, The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office and to the Better Business Bureau. In addition, I will be posting this letter and negative comments about your organization (the truth) to any and all consumer feedback websites that I can find in an attempt raise awareness about your deceptive practices so others will not fall prey to your scams.

Sincerely,
turbopropdude

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TIM KOVACS
Adelaide, AU
Aug 10, 2016 5:44 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I AM FINANCIALY STRUGGLING SINGLE DISABLED PENSIONER I WAS HELPED OUT IN GETTING MEDIA FEED(HAD 2 PAY BACK) I HAVE AGAIN AND AGAIN CANCELLED THIS FROM GOING ANY FURTHER SO I ASKED FOR IT TO BE A CANCELLATION JUST FOUND OUT WE HAVE BEEN SCAMED $71 ODD $DOLLARS I CANCELLED IT AS I AM IN FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES & SIMPLY WANTED TO CANCEL IT. THE COMPANY SHOULDE REFUND MONEYS ASAP(MY MUMS CREDIT CARD) AS THIS IS A STRAIGHT FORWARD CASE OF FEFT OR FRAUD I AM GOING FURTHER WITH MY ILLEGAL CASE OF FRAUD UNTIL MONEY IS RETURNED (JUSTICE)WILL PREVALE & HOPE SERIOUS CHARGES ARE MADE AS THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED TO MYSELF & I BET THERES ALOT OF THIS GOING ON ITS WRONG AND I HOPE JUSTICE $ COMES BACK TO WHERE IT SHOULD BE NOT TAKEN OUT IN THE FIRST PLACE IVE NEVER BEEN COND BEFORE KIND REGARDS TIM KOVACS

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Brian Nguyen
US
Aug 22, 2016 6:51 am EDT

I've paid for a lifetime membership but I no longer receive any subscription and am not able to access the website with my credentials. May I ask for my money back since it does not sound right to me?

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Mike Patterson
US
Aug 23, 2016 2:11 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I paid my lifetime fees and 2014 was the last magazine I ever received.I am suppose to receive them for life time. My name is: Mike Patterson 2505 Bernice Drive Bakersfield california 93304 Club Member number is [protected]

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