I don't know how connected this is, but every few weeks I get a call
from someone claiming to work for, or represent, the Pioneer Press
and wanting me to pay a supposedly overdue bill. I explain that
while I appreciate the PP I am not a subscriber, have not recently
been a subscriber, own nothing, and will pay nothing. A request to
speak to a supervisor usually yields a hangup. This definitely has
the odor of a scam but I am not clear whether the calls are
authorized by the PP or not.
Anybody else have this experience?
am
At 01:17 PM 12/27/2019 +1300, John Krenik wrote:
>Hi,
>
>Update: December 26, 2019:
>
>Just to follow up on the Pioneer Press billing issue, again. It
>seems it is still going on. I had signed up for a year of all
>access (print, home delivery, and e-access) Premium Edition for
>$161.95 for 52 weeks in October 2018. Please screen shot above of
>the Pioneer Press' offer of $161.95. We took up this 52 week offer
>for $161.95, but in March 2019 we received an increase in the
>subscription rate by $226.00, even though the $161.95 subscription
>rate was for 52 weeks (10-2018-10-2019), but it was increased by
>$226.00 for a total yearly rate of $417.95 instead of the quoted
>price of $161.95 for 52 weeks. Due to a miscommunication with my
>wife she didn't check with me about this additional change of
>$226.00. Guys, BTW my wife is NEVER wrong! I have a problem when
>you are quoted a particular price for services, you expect the place
>you are doing business with to honor their quoted price. What a sham this is!
>
>Today, I received a new subscription notice for 52 weeks, for
>$343.00. When I called to ask about the difference last year and
>the now increased rate and why the Pioneer Press didn't honor their
>quoted rate of $161.00 for 52 weeks their response was, "If you look
>on your bill you will see that we can increase your subscription
>rate can change at anytime. I don't make the rules, but that is the
>company I work for."
>
>I reading the bill I just received it states: "You will be billed at
>the interval you have selected, which shall be your SUBSCRIPTION
>TERM. Future SUBSCRIPTION TERM prices are subject to change." I
>asked to speak to a supervisor and when transferred I was told one
>would call back.
>
>So the Pioneer Press can quote you a 52 week price and then at
>anytime raise the price at anytime, what a scam.
>
>Last year, I received a renewal notice from the Pioneer Press for
>the daily newspaper service that just floored me. For a high cost
>of 12 weeks for $267.36 ($3.18 per day), 24 weeks for $531.72 ($3.17
>per day) and for a full year a cost of daily delivery service of
>$1,148.56 ($3.15 per day). I guess living in Highland Park makes me
>affluent for the highest rates.
>
>Just a few minutes ago I received a call back from AMR Solutions who
>does the billing for the Pioneer Press. The caller let the phone
>ring for just two rings and then hung up. I called back the number
>6 5 1 - 4 0 1 - 3 1 5 3 and I got a hold of someone in the AMR
>Solutions billing call center who was able to transfer me to
>supervisor #8479. I was informed that I had subscribed to the
>"Premium Account" for $161.95 for 52 weeks and then he stated, "as
>indicated on the billing notice that you would be charged for
>Premium Editions, this the added charge of $226.00 you were
>billed." I explained that when I subscribed for 52 weeks at
>$161.95, that I was not told of this additional charge of $226.00
>for 6 Premium Editions or $37.67 each, nor did I see this
>information was ever published in the paper or indicated in the
>offer (screen shot above). I was not told that a notice would be
>published in the paper and if I wanted to opt out of the Premium
>Edition, I would need to call into the paper. That would be great
>if we received the paper everyday and were even told this when we
>subscribed, and our delivery person has not been Johnny on the
>spot. Do we need a lawyer for all of these transactions?
>
>Also confirmed by this supervisor and the other two billing agents
>that I talked to today (12-26-2019) that it is the practice of the
>billing center for the Pioneer Press to charge different rates for
>different parts of town, depending the affluence of that
>neighborhood. This sounds like discrimination to me and God forbid
>I hope our lawmakers do not get a hold of this type of billing for
>taxes. The supervisor disputed that this billing practice of
>billings of different parts of town was discrimination and it has
>been a long practice to to bill one part of town at a higher rate
>over other parts of town at a lower rate, so this is where we both
>disagreed. So if you are in an affluent area or identified as
>"affluent" then you must pay more for a subscription to the Pioneer
>Press than if you live in a lower income part of town. In my
>numerous conversations with the Pioneer Press billing office today
>confirmed this discriminatory billing practice that different areas
>of town are billed differently and the scam of subscription offers
>made by the Pioneer Press and the hidden increases are not disclosed
>at subscription registration time nor are they advertised specials
>(screen shot above).
>
>I guess this is what you get when an "Investment Firm" (Alden Global
>Capital) purchased the paper and has sold off all of the assets over
>an owner who is a member of the community.
>
>I have been a very faithful subscriber to the St. Paul Pioneer and
>then Pioneer Press for over 30+ years and now again the Pioneer
>Press Billing Office (AMR Solutions) is playing ponzi billing scheme
>with the amount they quote for a set subscription rate term and then
>just raise their rates at will during the term that they quoted (52
>weeks for $161.95 and the subscriber ends up paying over $417.00 for
>something that was quoted at $161.95 per 52 weeks).
>
>What a scam! I have chosen to discontinue to do business with a
>bunch crooks and hustlers from New York City AKA - Alden Global
>Capital and MediaNews Group.
>
>May be our Democrat Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison can
>investigate this discriminatory billing practices by the Pioneer
>Press and AMR Solutions and the Pioneer Press' owners Alden Global
>Capital (New York City)? I wonder if any of our Democrat elected
>officials here in Ramsey County who subscribe to this forum will
>stand up against this ponzi billing scheme and discriminatory
>billing practices of billing different parts of town differently due
>to their affluence and economic status?
>
>John Krenik
>St. Paul, Minnesota
>