ComplaintsforLee Enterprises Incorporated
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Complaint Details
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Initial Complaint
11/06/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
RE: account **************** at *******************, *******, **. I signed up for the "$1.00 for 3 Months" trial subscription, did not find the paper useful and cancelled the subscription before the end of the trial period. Specifically, I cancelled the subscription online, but was instructed to call ************, which was not answered on multiple calls, nor did it allow leaving messages. Eventually, on January 23, 2024, I emailed the ******* to "Cancel My Subscription" (in the title of the email and twice in the email text).My efforts to cancel the subscription were ignored and I started receiving bills from a company in ********. That company badgered me until my wife sent them a check marked "Final Payment" for $31.25 on June 1, 2024, along with a copy of the January 23, 2024, cancellation email.The spurious -or fraudulent- ******** from the ******** address, mostly recently for $44.35 dated October 30, 2024, must stop immediately.Business response
11/07/2024
The outstanding balance has been removed. The customer has been emailed that the account has been cancelled, there is no remaining balance, and they will not receive any additional bills.Customer response
11/08/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
****** ******Initial Complaint
10/22/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Customer Service Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
It is clear that the business practices of *** Enterprises is to get someone's card on file, then jack up the prices every 6 months until they get caught. In addition their "cancellation" process can only be done by phone and they will not give you a cancellation number.I canceled in Nov of 2023 for both of these "subscriptions," but *** continued to charge for both of these accounts from Dec 23 to Oct 24.Business response
11/01/2024
Refunds have been processed for both accounts, one for Charlottesville Daily Progress $364.49, and one for Richmond Times Dispatch $383.89, for a total of $748.78 requested. These will issue as two separate checks, one for each account. Please allow 4-6 weeks for the checks to be received.
Initial Complaint
10/15/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
Charges on my credit card without services provided. Continued charges to my credit card without permission. Charges stopped and then restarted without permission. Refusal to refund even though online subscription was never started and they acknowledged they didn't have my email on file, which is necessary to create account. Many complaints of this nature are reported here and other reviews sites.Business response
10/22/2024
$100.97 will be refunded back to her card. The total since 2022 paid was $144.83 as Zinser stated in her complaint, however, 4 charges of $10.99 ($41.96) were disputed and returned by her bank, leaving the $100.97 able to be refunded. Please allow 2-4 weeks for the refund to be received.
Initial Complaint
10/02/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
Account #*********** On March 8 2024, my subscription to the Winston-Salem ******* renewed for $389.48 for 6 months. After subscribing to this publication for over 20 years, I intended to switch to the digital version, vs. print deliveries. While I called on 3/7 to make this change, I was told the print subscription order was already in process, but they would convert me to a 1-year digital subscription and refund the difference (a couple hundred dollars).I continued to receive print deliveries, so I called back on 3/19/24 to ask about the status. The *** apologized for any inconvenience, and said it would be escalated and taken care of. It never ****** ensure it would not automatically renew as a print subscription in September, I removed my credit card information from my on-line account. After September, my intent was to then renew in digital form only.I continued to receive the print version after the subscription term ended. After a few weeks, I e-mailed on 9/29 asking they finally cancel, as I was still receiving the print version. They responded that they would stop it on 10/2, and that I owed $42.66 for the unpaid service from 9/8/24 to 9/30/24. After several e-mail exchanges with limited help, I called to make the payment and be done with it. So in addition to *** Enterprises keeping the full print subscription funds since March, they charged me beyond the subscription term.Business response
10/16/2024
Update – The refund for $267.50 has been processed for this customer and will be sent by check to the address on file and complaint. Please allow 2-3 weeks to be received.
Customer response
10/16/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 22369489, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
Kenneth NashInitial Complaint
10/01/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
A default of $14.99 was being removed from my pay pal account without my approval x3Business response
10/02/2024
There were only two charges for $14.99 each on her account. We have requested a total $29.98 to be refunded. I’ll give you an update when the refund has processed.
Initial Complaint
09/05/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I have contacted the Pantagraph a minimum of 4 times trying to stop from being mailed the Pantagraph Plus. It is unwarranted spam. Each time I've been told over multiple months they would stop it. They do not. I have asked to speak to a supervisor multiple times. At least two times I was disconnected after I had to demand to talk to a supervisor, simply asking for one will not have them transfer the call. In fact, they refuse to do so. This last time they took my information for a call back, still not transferring to speak to someone.Business response
09/12/2024
****,
Mr. ******* address has been removed from The Pantagraph Plus and our acquisition mailing and phone lists as well. For The Pantagraph Plus, this will go in effect on 09/30/24, so he might still receive one more before that date.
Customer response
09/20/2024
Complaint: 22240729
I am rejecting this response because:Until this actually happens, I reject the mere words that it will be done. I've been told this on every phone call. The company has never apologized that it had to go this far. They never called back when I was told I would get one. It also shouldn't take this long to remove my address. This is simply not acceptable as I have been requesting this for months now. You can't even talk to someone at their building. This company needs to stop the mailings immediately and owes me a real apology for all of this!
Sincerely,
****** ******Initial Complaint
09/04/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
Due to their hours it is hard to talk to anyone there. I have never been able to talk to anyone in under 15 minutes. They refuse to let you cancel your subscription online and when i went in to cancel my account and pull all my payment information out they will not let me pull it. It always says there is something wrong with that page. My current contract is up on the seventh of September and when I finally got through to cancel my subscription. They said it was too late and I would have to pay this bogus amount, and they will get it canceled for next month. They pulled the money out (8/31/2024) before the start of the subscription (9/7/2024) and the little foreign guy, which was hard to understand, says they can do it because it says so in the small print of the contract. I know why readership is down because people do not want to treated like thisCustomer response
09/05/2024
The Newspaper reached out to me and is going to refund my money. So, I am good with that. I still think the way they will not let people cancel their subscription is not right. I am just a little more aggressive than others. I want to be treated the way I treat people. So you can close the file on this as far as I am concerned.Regards*******************Initial Complaint
08/09/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Sales and Advertising Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
8/8/2024. I had a charge for ***** that I did not do. I have no interest in the news so why they say I joined is beyond me!!Business response
08/12/2024
Her account has been stopped, and refund of $14.99 back to her ****** has been requested. Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing to be on the safe side, however, the refund has been requested to be expedited.
Initial Complaint
08/06/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
6/25/24 @ 9:52 Called ************ to cancel subscription the ********** of *************"7/22/24 my **** card was charged $14.92 by BHM*PRESS OC AC SUBSCR 7/23/24 called ************ @ 11:18 and talked to **** who said the defund would be processed in one to two weeks.8/6/24 No refund shown on **** credit card 8/6/24 called ************ @ 11:18 and talked to **** who said the subscription was cancelled 7/24/24 and the refund would be $13.99 and processed within 2 weeks.This does not reflect the original cancellation date of 6/25/24 or the $14.92 refund promised 7/23/24.Business response
08/08/2024
This refund was requested to be refunded 8/7; it has not been processed yet. Refunds are processed once a week. It may be 7-10 business days.
Customer response
08/09/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
Sincerely,
***************************Initial Complaint
07/22/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Answered
About April I called the newspaper to start a subscription. They took info . After about 2 weeks I called to ask why I still havent received a newspaper. They promised service. after about 1 month I called back to see WHY still no newspaper. They promised service again. Each time the representative ( which was from ***** or some oriental company) apologized and promised service. I started getting a bill once a month and a phone call to request payment. I explained that I NEVER RECEIVED EVEN ONE PAPER. I even wrote on the bill and sent it to the address given that I would be glad to pay IF I actually received a paper. I want them to STOP billing and to apologize for the sorry service.Business response
07/26/2024
We have restarted her account and added credit so that she will not receive any more bills or phone calls asking for payment. We have also reached out to the Circulation Director to ensure that her papers will be delivered.
Customer response
07/26/2024
Complaint: 22021916
Thank you for taking care of the constant billing for nothing. Please now cancel any subscription for the newspaper until you get a real carrier for this newspaper
Sincerely,
*****************Business response
07/30/2024
Per subsequent request by **************, we have cancelled her subscription and she will also receive a refund for $15.42. This will be mailed per check as her credit card was removed from the account. The refund has been calculated from her payment made on 02/21/24 for $21.38, minus the credits she already received on the account for missed papers.
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Customer Complaints Summary
93 total complaints in the last 3 years.
44 complaints closed in the last 12 months.