If you should receive a telephone call offering you a free, prepaid or special deal on magazine subscriptons, listen carefully before you answer. A hurried “yes” to the caller may obligate you to years of monthly payments for magazines you may not really want or could purchase elsewhere for less. In some states, once you orally agree to receive these magazines you may be legally obligated to pay for them. When buying magazines over the phone, you do not have the advantage or protection of first seeing the written terms of the sales agreement.

Of course, thousands of consumers buy magazine subscriptions from legitimate salespeople over the telephone each year. Yet, according to the Federal Trade Commission, some consumers are tricked by unscruptulous salespeople into paying hundreds of dollars for multiyear subscriptions. Fradulent sellers make presentations so slick that many consumers are unaware they have purchased magazines until they receive the written agreement. The information presented here may help you to avoid becoming entangled in a magazine subscripton contract you do not want and which is difficult to cancel.

Sales techniques for these magazine subscriptions vary. Sometimes, instead of an initial phone call, you may receive a postcard that mentions nothing about magazine subscriptions. The postcard may ask you to call a telephone number about a contest, prize or sweepstakes entry. If you call, you may be told about contest prizes or drawing dates. However, soon you may find that the telephone conversation turns into a sales talk about buying magazine subscriptions.

Some other questionable sales tactics:

They may avoid identifying themselves as magazine subscription salespeople or may fail to give you their names or that of their company. They may imply that they represent major credit card companies or magazine publishers.

They may say you will be purchasing multiple-year subscriptions for a package of magazines when, in fact, many of these subscriptions may be sent to you for a much shorter time.

To be continued next week.

Consumer Forum is a collaborative effort of the Bangor Daily NEWS and Northeast COMBAT. Send you questions to Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily NEWS, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329. COMBAT is a membership organization with basic dues of $10 a year. For membership information write to the above address. Please enclose a large, stamped, self-addressed envelope.