Help me solve a mystery: anyone here receiving "Stuff" magazine in the mail without ordering it?
09-18-2001, 06:46 AM
#1
AudiWorld Uber User
Thread Starter
Help me solve a mystery: anyone here receiving "Stuff" magazine in the mail without ordering it?
I know this may sound like a strange question, and sorry for the OT, but I'm trying to solve this mystery. Apologies in advance for the length of this post!
<b>A. Background</b>
I started getting "Stuff" magazine in the mail a month ago. When that first issue arrived I didn't know why I received it, since I never ordered it. I figured it was a gratis issue to see if I would subscribe. But yesterday another issue arrived, and I took a look at the mailing label; it showed I have a subscription until August 2002! This would be great...a free mag featuring babes and cars and humor and stuff...except for the fact that I'm married and my wife isn't at all amused. The latest issue has Pamela Anderson on the cover, barely (excuse the pun) clad, and my wife is all over me about our young kids "seeing this kind of stuff in the mailbox", etc etc etc. She thinks I got it from visiting porno sites or something. No way -- I use a different name when I do that! LOL.
But seriously, I wanna try to figure out why I started getting this mag, and what mailing list my name came from.
<b>B. Why I'm asking this question here</b>
Ok, so why am I posting here? Well, the mag is addressed to me using the name "Rick", not "Richard", and there are only a few places where I've registered, or bought products, using that first name. I believe AW is one of them. Now I'm like on a mission trying to solve a puzzle. I can't even remember, it was so long ago -- does AW ask for a home address when you first register? If not, then this particular lead is dead on arrival I guess.
<b>C. Investigation results so far</b>
I've gone to the Stuff website, and there I was able to learn that my subscription order originated with and was paid for by a company in Florida. The Stuff website gave a telephone number for that company, so I called. They were cooperative, and said they got my name and other details from "American Marketing", 877-444-6584. I called that number and got a recording. In essence, the recording says "if you're receiving a magazine you no longer want, please leave your name and telephone number and we will arrange for the subscription to be cancelled". Ah, I'm obviously not alone! The cancellation offer is fine as far as it goes...in fact I already cancelled my subscription by writing to both Stuff and by telling that company in Florida to cancel it...but it doesn't answer the bottom-line question: Why am I receiving Stuff magazine? Whose mailing list was used? Obviously I'm on some mailing list that assumes I'm a single 20-something when I'm really a married 40-something.
<b>Hence my question....</b>
If AW is the source of the mailing list that was used, then there ought to be other guys here receiving Stuff too. Of course, I could be way off base here, in which case I'll look elsewhere for clues. Don't get the wrong idea; I'm not all bent out of shape over this. For me it's really a matter of problem-solving, and a matter of principle: Who the heck sold my name and got me a one-year subscription to a magazine that I never ordered?
The mystery continues......
<b>A. Background</b>
I started getting "Stuff" magazine in the mail a month ago. When that first issue arrived I didn't know why I received it, since I never ordered it. I figured it was a gratis issue to see if I would subscribe. But yesterday another issue arrived, and I took a look at the mailing label; it showed I have a subscription until August 2002! This would be great...a free mag featuring babes and cars and humor and stuff...except for the fact that I'm married and my wife isn't at all amused. The latest issue has Pamela Anderson on the cover, barely (excuse the pun) clad, and my wife is all over me about our young kids "seeing this kind of stuff in the mailbox", etc etc etc. She thinks I got it from visiting porno sites or something. No way -- I use a different name when I do that! LOL.
But seriously, I wanna try to figure out why I started getting this mag, and what mailing list my name came from.
<b>B. Why I'm asking this question here</b>
Ok, so why am I posting here? Well, the mag is addressed to me using the name "Rick", not "Richard", and there are only a few places where I've registered, or bought products, using that first name. I believe AW is one of them. Now I'm like on a mission trying to solve a puzzle. I can't even remember, it was so long ago -- does AW ask for a home address when you first register? If not, then this particular lead is dead on arrival I guess.
<b>C. Investigation results so far</b>
I've gone to the Stuff website, and there I was able to learn that my subscription order originated with and was paid for by a company in Florida. The Stuff website gave a telephone number for that company, so I called. They were cooperative, and said they got my name and other details from "American Marketing", 877-444-6584. I called that number and got a recording. In essence, the recording says "if you're receiving a magazine you no longer want, please leave your name and telephone number and we will arrange for the subscription to be cancelled". Ah, I'm obviously not alone! The cancellation offer is fine as far as it goes...in fact I already cancelled my subscription by writing to both Stuff and by telling that company in Florida to cancel it...but it doesn't answer the bottom-line question: Why am I receiving Stuff magazine? Whose mailing list was used? Obviously I'm on some mailing list that assumes I'm a single 20-something when I'm really a married 40-something.
<b>Hence my question....</b>
If AW is the source of the mailing list that was used, then there ought to be other guys here receiving Stuff too. Of course, I could be way off base here, in which case I'll look elsewhere for clues. Don't get the wrong idea; I'm not all bent out of shape over this. For me it's really a matter of problem-solving, and a matter of principle: Who the heck sold my name and got me a one-year subscription to a magazine that I never ordered?
The mystery continues......
09-18-2001, 06:50 AM
#4
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Me too, I think I figured it out...
I signed up for a free poster or calender on one of the BMW or AUDI boards I frequent, I think it asked me about getting some free issues of STUFF. That was 6 months ago or so, and I never got the poster.
09-18-2001, 06:51 AM
#6
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Erebuni was offering free subscriptions a few months ago.
I signed up (chicks are cool) and recieved my first free issue last month. Did you ever sign up or perhaps buy anything from them?
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09-18-2001, 07:00 AM
#9
AudiWorld Super User
Ditto, but it's not AW that is doing it.....
I remember someone posting about a site that was passing on the info to STuff...but it wasn't AW.
Same thing happened with Motortrend...what a horrible magazine.
Same thing happened with Motortrend...what a horrible magazine.
09-18-2001, 07:00 AM
#10
AudiWorld Uber User
Thread Starter
OK, so any theories? Is it AW? Or...hmmm..what about that Lexus IS300 site some months back?
Didn't we get a free calendar or something by signing up at the Lexus site a while ago? I'm trying to narrow down the possibilities now....any ideas???