I'm rich!
Yes, I'm rich! So get in line to claim your long-lost family relation to me.According to an "official notice" by N.M.E.'s Sales Rep, Pat Haines, we won $2,100,000.00 from their sweepstakes. Is this country great or what? I didn't even play anything, nor do I know who the hell Pat Haines or N.M.E. is - but I won! And this is no bullshit sweepstake, it's got Rolling Stone magazine's logo on it (no clue why).
The best part is that this is not the first (nor the last) sweepstake I've won. Heck, I've even won lotteries in Spain, England, Netherlands, etc. - I just didn't have time to collect them ;-) Not to mention tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars I should've collected by the generous Nigerian dead ex-government officials. I can't believe how important I am!
So I went to read the back of this cheaply printed pink notice from N.M.E. and found something that made me laugh: "Eligibility: Void in Florida and where prohibited by law." Here comes the funny part, N.M.E.'s Address: 16120 U.S. 19 North, Clearwater, FL 33764. Uh...am I missing something here?
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ByYo cuz,
Where's my dinero?
By
I left it at the church food bank :P
By
BBB Reliability Report
The Better Business Bureau®
Serving Florida's West Coast
P.O. Box 7950
Clearwater, FL 33758-7950
National Magazine Exchange, Inc.
16120 US Highway 19 N Ste 400
Clearwater, FL 33764-6862
Telephone: (800) 235-3630
Fax: (727) 524-4667
Leslie Reicin Stein, Esq.
Special Data Processing Corporation
16120 U.S. 19 North
Suite 200
Clearwater , FL 33764
Phone: "727-524-3600 Ext. 1007"
Fax: 727-530-9128
E-Mail: lstein@specialdata.com
Corporate
Labor/Employment
Telemarketing
The BBB reports on members and non-members. If a company is a member of the BBB, it is stated in this report
BBB Definition:
report - A summary of activity reflected in a company's BBB file. Includes basic business background, BBB membership information, and Bureau complaint activity over the previous three years. Also reports may include any known government actions, advertising issues or other information that results from activity conducted by the BBB.
Original Business Start Date:
August 1985
Customer Contact:
Ms. Meg Jablonski, Cust. Serv. Rep
Principal:
Mr. William H. Hood, CEO
File Open Date:
March 1986
TOB Classification:
Product Sales - General, Magazine Sales, Soliciting Organizations
BBB Membership:
This company is not a member.
Additional DBA Names
Special Data Processing, Inc.
NME
Clearinghouse Magazine
National Publishers Exchange, Inc.
National List Exchange, Inc.
Nature Of Business
This company offers magazine sales via phone and a telemarketing call center for
various companies and products.
Customer Experience
The company mails notices inviting people to call and enter the Million Dollar "Strike It Rich" Sweepstakes. There is no purchase necessary to enter the sweepstakes. The odds of winning are determined by the number of people who enter. The company estimates the odds at no more than 1 in 250 million. The sweepstakes promotion is used by the company to promote magazine subscriptions.
Our file experience shows that the company has received complaints alleging billing disputes, misinterpretation of the sweepstakes promotion, and misunderstanding the company's billing terms. The company has addressed most complaints brought to its attention by the Bureau by cancelling the consumer's account or responding to questions regarding the sweepstakes promotion or its billing procedures. Based on Bureau files the company has a unsatisfactory record
BBB Definition:
unsatisfactory record - A company has an "unsatisfactory business performance record" with the Bureau is based on the experiences reflected in BBB files. This file condition results when the company has failed to resolve or respond to complaints, repeatedly failed to respond or resolve issues in a timely manner, failed to resolve the underlying issues for a pattern
BBB Definition:
pattern - More than 2 complaints involving the same allegations usually within 12 months that are significant in relation to the company's size and volume of business.
of complaints, failed to honor their commitment to mediate or arbitrate disputes or honor mediated agreements or arbitrated decisions, failed to substantiate, modify or discontinue false advertising claims
BBB Definition:
advertising claims - The Better Business Bureau reviews business advertising, (newspaper, magazine, TV, radio, internet) routinely to ensure that it is truthful and ethical. Claims in advertising are measured against basic advertising principles of the BBB Code of Advertising
BBB Definition:
BBB Code of Advertising - http://www.bbb.org/membership/codeofad.asp
which was developed to guide advertisers, advertising agencies and advertising media.
that are challenged by the BBB, or failed to discontinue unauthorized use of the BBB name and logo, a Federally protected trademark.
due to unresolved
BBB Definition:
unresolved - The company failed to resolve the complaint issues.
complaints.
In order to expedite handling of any questions, or if you have a complaint, the company requests that you call their customer service department at (800) 310-6247 or email them at cs@nmemags.com.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
The Bureau processed a total of 267 complaints about this company in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total of 267 complaints closed in 36 months, 91 were closed in the last year.
These complaints concerned:
27
Advertising Issues
BBB Definition:
Advertising Issues - Claims alleging print or electronic media advertised claims or practices misrepresent the service or product offer.
151
Sales Practice Issues
BBB Definition:
Sales Practice Issues - Claims of alleged sales presentations made in person or by telephone that contain misrepresentations of the product or service, high pressure sales practices, failure to disclose key conditions of the offer, and verbal representations not consistent with written contractual terms or agreements.
6
Delivery Issues
BBB Definition:
Delivery Issues - Claims alleging delayed delivery of ordered merchandise.
7
Customer Service Issues
BBB Definition:
Service Issues - Claims of alleged delay in completing service, failure to provide promised service, inferior quality of provided service, or damaged merchandise as a result of delivery service.
BBB Definition:
Customer Service Issues - Claims alleging unsatisfactory customer service, including personnel's failure to provide assistance in a timely manner, failure to address or respond to customer dissatisfaction, unavailability for customer support, and/or inappropriate behavior or attitude exhibited by company staff.
1
Guarantee or Warranty Issues
BBB Definition:
Guarantee or Warranty Issues - Claims alleging failure to honor the terms regarding guarantees or warranties.
1
Product Issues
BBB Definition:
Product Issues - Claim alleging a product does not meet the expectations of the complainant, including defective merchandise.
16
Refund or Exchange Issues
BBB Definition:
Refund or Exchange Issues - Claim of alleged failure to honor company policy or verbal commitment to provide refunds, exchanges, or credit for products or services.
56
Billing or Collection Issues
BBB Definition:
Billing or Collection Issues - Claim alleging billing errors, unauthorized charges, or questionable collection practices.
2
Service or Repair Issues
BBB Definition:
Repair Issues - Claims of alleged incorrect diagnosis of a problem, delay in completion of repair, inferior workmanship.
BBB Definition:
Service or Repair Issues - Claims of alleged delay in completing service, failure to provide promised service, inferior quality of provided service, damage merchandise as a result of delivery service. alleged incorrect diagnosis of a problem, delay in completion of repair, inferior workmanship.
They were closed as:
237
Resolved
BBB Definition:
Resolved - The company resolved the complaint issues.
(click on Resolved to see more details)
43
Company resolved the complaint issues. The consumer acknowledged acceptance to the BBB.
194
Company resolved the complaint issues. The consumer failed to acknowledge acceptance to the BBB.
2
Unresolved
BBB Definition:
Unresolved - The company failed to resolve the complaint issues.
(click on Unresolved to see more details)
2
Company failed to resolve the complaint issues through the BBB voluntary and self-regulatory process.
28
Administratively Closed
BBB Definition:
Administratively Closed - The Bureau determined that the complaint could not be satisfactorily settled using standard methods of voluntary dispute resolution.
(click on Administratively Closed to see more details)
28
BBB determined that despite the company's effort to address complaint issues, the consumer remained dissatisfied.
Competency Licensing
This company is in an industry that may require licensing, bonding or registration in order to lawfully do business. The Bureau encourages you to check with the appropriate agency to be certain any requirements are currently being met.
Company Management
Additional company management personnel include:
Mrs. Suzanne Tortorice - General Counsel
Mr. Scott Brady - Exec. Vice President/COO
Mr. David Macey - Sr. Manager of Customer Service
Additional DBAs, Addresses and Telephone Numbers
Additional DBA Names
Million Dollar Sweepstakes
National Telemarketing Exchange, Inc.
Strike It Rich 2 Sweepstakes
One Switch
Additional Addresses
PO Box 9084
Clearwater, FL 33758-9084
Additional Phone Numbers
(800) 316-6247
(800) 310-6247
(727) 815-8196
(888) 227-0999
(800) 444-6247
(800) 330-6247
(888) 727-6247
(800) 307-6247
Industry Tips
Allowing a Charity to Use Your Name
Magazine Subscription Solicitations
Report as of March 13, 2006
Copyright© 2006 Better Business Bureau®, Inc.
BBB reports may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
The information in this report has either been provided by the company or has been compiled by the Bureau from other reliable sources.
As a matter of policy, the Better Business Bureau does not endorse any product, service or company. BBB reports generally cover a three-year reporting period, and are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. Information contained in this report is believed reliable but not guaranteed as to accuracy. Reports are subject to change at any time.
By
Just upsets me that there is a no call list....so don't use the phone anymore...just mail out those stupid sweepstake notices...As Judge Judy say's (" If it doesn't sound right, then it ain't")
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