Synapse Group is a marketing company that sells magazines. They also own Bizrate Insights, a customer-feedback and loyalty platform. Almost two years ago, I joined Bizrate to complete market-research surveys in exchange for points that I could redeem for gift cards. My welcome email explained that 1,000 points equals $1, and after I had earned 5,000 points, then I could redeem them for a $5 gift card. For a while, I received emails that invited me to complete surveys. However, I eventually realized that I was spending much time on the surveys and not earning many points. Therefore, I stopped doing the surveys. I prefer to use a different survey company to earn gift cards. read more

They really are a sleazy, deceptive company, They charged my credit card for a magazine I already subscribed to. And when I told them to remove the charge they gave me the run around saying I will get 2 free months and then a refund, just a delaying tactic. My credit card company resolved the problem and provided a refund very quickly based on the information I provided them. read more

I tried to cancel subscription because of charge on my credit card. The man insisted on needing my bank account and routing number. I said why?? It's my credit card you're charging. Said he wanting to make sure it was really me. Scam!!!!! synapse 8777891194 was the number I was given after calling 2125221212. Of course charge on my card had no telephone number, only 225 Liberty street in NY 10281 read more

*******BEWARE******* October 2020- I was offered a great promotion for four magazines, 13 issues each for $2. I chose TIME, People, Travel + Leisure, and Food & Wine. I know, if it sounds too good to be true...However, I did take a picture and it states, You'll be charged just $2 for your first 13 issues." January-February 2021 1/17 I'm charged $122 for the ELEVEN People magazines. 2/15-My cc is charged $69 for the FOUR TIMES magazine I have received! After noticing the 2-15 charge, I went through my statements and saw that I was correctly charged $2 x 4 back in October. The January and February charge is not correct. So so called TIMES magazine and I was told they don't even have my credit card number and I need to call Synapse. Spoke to Hezen at Synapse and she said I couldn't get a refund nor cancel. But if I extended the subscription by four months, then I could get a full refund. What??? I was in between classes, so called after work. Spoke to Suzan and said that I signed up for $2 for the first three months. I told her I could send her a copy of the photo of what they sent me (the real deal). She insisted it was for the first three months. We went in circles a few times and I kept asking her if she wanted me to send her a picture. She said no and that customer service (she called it something else) would call me back in about five business days. When asked, she gave me the direct number to customer service-(877) 789-1194. I haven't tried it yet. I also did what I should've done in the first place and Googled the company. They settled in a Class Action suit in 2019! Apparently, they haven't learned a lesson. I did cancel my credit card and I complained with Better Business Bureau. Forget the 13 issues x 4 magazines for $2/each. Just get out of my life! *******Beware of Synapse Group******** read more

Synapse Group - The real deal. This is what I signed up for. - Marketing Near Me - Stamford, Connecticut

I have absolutely zero idea how in the heck i got signed-up for these magazine subscriptions?? Every time i got another in the mail, it'd just infuriate me. No info or # to call on my bank bill.. I finally called 'Time Magazine' & they told me this was the 3rd-person party who has me subscribed & gave me their #. I have no idea how they got my banking info. SNEAKY!! I'm glad this hopefully will be finally over read more

Never, ever pay for a magazine subscription with a creditcard, debit card or PayPal. Pay by check and write "no auto renew" in the memo section you send them for payment and also on the order form. Keep a copy of your check and a copy of the order form with your "no auto renew" notes on them. When they send you an invoice for the renewal you didn't request, write that you noted "no auto renew" on the original order. They"ll send you a few more invoices but then should stop.vl If you have trouble you have copies of the original order form and check you indicated "no auto renew" on. read more

I am in the process of filing a class action suit against these individuals. I notified them of that fact via email. A few days later I received a message, left on my home phone from someone by the name of David Korbashevski (?) requesting I call back to discuss the matter. Needless to say the number he left is not in operation, much like the number on their website. Synapse originally got in touch with me under the guise that I was losing my US Airways points and to order magazines, at no charge, except my points, if I did not just want to lose them and get nothing. Unfortunately, I picked three magazines and did so on line, but after thinking about it, I called the airlines. I was told that this is a physhing scam perpetrated in this manner by these individuals. Needless to say, I cancelled my order no avail. I am not suing them. I am sick and tired of being scammed by individuals such as Synapse Group Inc. It took no time at all to start compiling a list of "Plaintiffs" and many more people are contacting me. I have spoken to Counsel who is willing to represent the class. See you in court boys and girls!!! read more

This company sells scam magazines. If you sign up for a subscription to People for $2.00 then you might get the magazine. You most definitely will get charged again unless you proactively manage the account. So I thought why not, I will just call and make sure to cancel it right away before I forget about it. Gong. That is not going to work. They wait a month to charge you so if you cancel right away you never get the magazines. Their entire business model is built on making it hard to opt out of their overpriced products. So set a reminder, cancel the subscription renewal and write a nasty YELP review. read more

Not thrilled to have these scammers operating out of my own hometown. A salesperson offered me a subscription claiming it was free because I was in the beauty industry, but lo and behold I was charged for this unwanted magazine piling up in my house. I tried canceling numerous times to no avail. I eventually cancelled the card and got a new MasterCard, and somehow they're STILL billing me. It's been years now and I can't get these predators to stop taking my money. I'm afraid I'm going to have to take legal action because I don't know what else to do. Tl;dr: avoid at all costs. read more

Unethical and willingly deceptive practices. This company does business under other names as well, including Mags.com and Magazineoutlet.com. They fulfill promotional magazine subscriptions for other companies. These subscriptions automatically renew, at prices above market rate, without notification that a renewal is coming. I would not have known they had charged me for renewal if PayPal didn't email me notification of the payment. Synapse/Mags.com/etc. has refused to refund me. They respond to emailed requests to cancel with emails saying that if I want to cancel, I can let them know. Over the phone, they initially told me they had no record of my name or address, and after escalating my call (when my records suddenly appeared to them) they responded to requests to cancel by telling me they would need to pass my request to another department, which would contact me in coming days. I have asked for a copy of the original Ts&Cs of the subscription agreement, and they have not responded to those requests at all, changing the subject over the phone. Please note Synapse Group has been sued in at least one class action lawsuit for these behaviors. read more

Synapse Group - Class action lawsuit details #2 - Marketing Near Me - Stamford, Connecticut

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Screw these clowns! I've never heard of them and all of sudden within a couple days, two separate charges for insignificant amounts show up on my PayPal. Matter of fact, PayPal wasn't any help either. All they did was claim they cancelled my subscription...to what, I don't even know. read more

This company offers heavily discounted magazine subscriptions and then auto0-renews them at the full prices without telling customers. They have lost several multi-million dollar class actions suits for dong this but they won't stop. read more

Tonight I called the number on three cards I received in the mail. They each were notifying me I would be charged, in about a month, for four magazines I had got on a trial basis. I don't even think I had to pay $2 to start the subscriptions. Anyway, in about 10 minutes I had called three times the number on the card and GOT ALL 4 SUBSCRIPTIONS CANCELLED... or so their computer voice said. We'll see if they really are going to let me alone. read more

Absolute scam. They make unauthorized charges on what are touted as free subscriptions. I should have done my homework before trusting they were legit. read more

I would make this negative stars if I could. This is a SCAM! Never sign up for a subscription from them because they continue to charge your card without authorization. This is unacceptable and NOT how any reputable business operates! read more

I think that I thought I was getting a good deal on a couple of magazines but then charges started to appear on my Pay Pal account that I couldn't understand until I did a search on the names that appeared with the withdrawal - Synapse Connect and Mags.com. I read the reviews and found out that I wasn't the first one! I think I stopped it by 'inactivating' the automatic payment but I want my money back! Disgusting! I will keep pursuing it. Please! What an underhanded way of doing business! Rich 10/29/2020 read more

SCAM! My 92 year old father found 4 separate magazine subscriptions totaling $198 on his VISA from this company because he bought four magazines last year for $2 each with some promotion. He called 855-286-0473 to cancel and he was told he would only get a partial refund. Then I got on the phone and said if they did not refund the entire amount of the money immediately, I would be calling our local San Francisco TV News stations and they would get horrific publicity. That hopefully worked. They said he should get a refund within 4 days. I will call our local San Francisco TV News stations if needed. Luckily, when I got on the phone with these shysters, I was already in a fowl vicious mood because I am angry and furious that we might lose our health insurance / SS / medicare : everything. This could KILL my loved one. That helped. read more

Ive wasted a ton of time with this company by signing up for their $2 deal. One day I notice an unauthorized $87 charge on my credit card. I called them and they explained they automatically renewed me at their highest rate. I disputed it and they said they would refund my $87 and give me 2 months free for my hassle, all I had to do was call in at the end of 2 months to cancel. It sounded great. 1 month later I check my credit card and still hadn't received my refund. I call AGAIN and after much searching, they promise to refund me AGAIN. I get the refund but the magazine stops arriving. When I call AGAIN, 2 months after the initial call to make sure they don't automatically renew me for a 2nd time, I was told they cancelled my magazine when they issued me the refund a month ago. So much for the perk they initially offered! Then they encouraged me to renew with them. Hahaha....absolutely not! Unfortunately I did a couple of these deals with them initially so Ill probably have to go thru this a couple more times. Ugh read more

I just wanted to put my magazine subscriptions on hold for 4 months while I am out of the country. I thought this would take 5 minutes to do. How wrong I was!!! After being promised a "call back within 5 business days" by Edward on 1/8/18, I called again tonight (1/16/18) and spent 22 minutes on hold with Paul Johnson, who transferred my call to "someone who could help". That never happened...I was finally asked to "leave a message" and my call was terminated!! When I called back and was on hold for another 15 minutes, Melvin promised me that he was going to transfer my call to "someone who REALLY could help me!"...Again after a lengthy hold time I was asked to leave a message! In my 78 years on this planet this is the ABSOLUTE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I have ever encountered! Many other reviewers claim that this company is a SCAM... I hope that is not the case...we shall see!!! read more

Synapse just ruined my evening, wasted my time, lied to me, tried to rip me off, and ....well, like everyone else here who has left a bad review, I really hate this company. Tip: If your credit card gets charged for magazine subscriptions that you know you did not request, and the price is wicked high, it's probably these thieves, although their name will not show on your cc statement. Call 877-789-1194 You will not be given the option of speaking to customer service, but just keep hitting zero on your phone and you will eventually get connected to someone in Costa Rica who will make every attempt to not honor your request of a full refund. Be firm, and just keep repeating that you want a full refund, that you do not authorize any future charges, that you do not want any future subscriptions, and that you do not want the company to keep your credit card information on file. Ask for a confirmation number. Call your credit card company and get them to stop the charge. I opted to get a whole new cc account number so these jerks cannot mess with me again. Just filed a complaint with the BBB, but doubt it will go anywhere. BBB lists them as legitimate. What they do is apparently legal, but not honest. Called and wrote to Harper's magazine and asked them to take action so that Synapse cannot handle their subscriptions. The person I spoke to admitted that they knew it was a problem because they have rcvd so many complaints. They also acknowledged that charging me $44 for a 12 month subscription was a ridiculously high price. Did I say "I hate Synapse"? read more

Class action . . . sign me up!! What a scam. I received no indication that I would be charged three times the going rate for magazines previously purchased with my airline miles. Additionally, their customer service is infuriating. It's as if they have been instructed to answer questions without ever disclosing a dollar amount. For example: "How much will be refunded to my credit card?" "We will refund you the full amount you are due." "How much am I due?" "We will refund the full amount you are due." read more

Total absolute scam! I filled out a review and got a bunch of magazines for $2 a year. Hey, why not I thought. Great deal. Uh huh. NOT! They are supposed to send you an email or letter to let you know your sub is up and they will charge you for new subscription. Except that they didn't. They didn't contact me at all. I use my credit card for everything. From parking to grocery store to Target, you know name, it's on that credit card. So I rarely review item by item. My mistake! Big time mistake. To find out, Synapse has charged me HUGE amounts to keep my subscription going. Like twice to three times as much as a regular subscription would really cost. Sometimes even more than that. For example, they charged me $42 for Vogue. What? I could have gotten it on my own for $10/year. Travel&Leisure for $49? Insane! In total, they charged me over $300 in mags. I disputed this with my credit card company, alas they can't do anything with the ones charged earlier this year. But they did help me contact Synapse. You see, I tried myself, but they would not let me talk to a real person. I just kept getting the automated run around. Online, they won't let you cancel, unless you agree to sign up for another year for another $2. Just give me a CANCEL AND REFUND button! My credit card service called Synapse and got me a real person on the phone. I was told that they would cancel my subscriptions, and file a request for refund. And that someone would call me in 5 days to discuss how much refund I'd get. WHY WHY WHY! You took money from me without my authorization, and now I need to wait 5 days before someone can call me back about how much, if any, refund I'll get? So much for $2 subscriptions. read more

It is just this side of impossible to cancel a subscription to a magazine secured through this scam operation. The website is pointless, there are no live people working there as they might feel pangs of guilt at the fraudulent methods employed to keep your money! They (via a robo-attendant), present any number of options to the individual attempting to cancel, all of which sound as though one is getting some free issues, but all of which keep the subscription active and their hands in your pocket! The key is to NEVER accept an offered resolution until they stop trying to "give" the caller something and just cancel for a refund of unused issues. Prepare for a ten minute ordeal in order to get this handled however! read more

I only wish I could give a zero. I subscribed to magazines for $2 a year. 2 X 4 magazines = $8. Close to the end of the year I got mail for each magazine saying, to avoid interruption of magazine subscription please select the following options and reply. I didn't want the $20 option per year for each magazine and wanted to stop with this year. As per the mail i received the service was to be interrupted or discontinued if I didn't choose a renewal. I was wrong they billed me $40 for each magazine subscription. I get annoyed call the number on the statement. I go through a voice machine gave me confusing options that I felt would put me in the same spot as before. I wanted to get rid of the service once in for all. I waited to get the customer agent. Who goes over the same option exactly like a voice machine in spite of me telling him i already heard all of these and I wanted to cancel service. They said I wouldn't get a complete refund and they would have to cut the money for the magazines I might have received already. I caught this transaction the very next day in my Credit Card Acc Summary. I made the argument that I never received any magazines since i had been billed and by their policy I should get all the money back. After about 10 minutes of him trying to give me weird options I didn't want, he finally said okay to my argument and said he would process the cancellation for complete refund and said he was going to throw in 2 more issues of the same magazines for free. I just told him i want the service cancelled and my money refunded. I check back in 5 days, I don't have my complete refund. I am going to give them a call back today! The worst company and worst customer service I have ever dealt with. Please do not get the 2$ subscription! Save yourself time, trouble and money. read more

Today I saw I was charged over $100 for some $2 subscriptions attached to a airline miles promotion, spent over an hour on the phone going in circles, found the number on yelp, used it, and hopefully will see the money back soon... So glad I finally looked up the company name and called 203-595-8255, because I would probably be still on hold waiting to talk to the "right person." read more

jerks. Don't ever sign up for magazines that use this company. I subscribed to 4 magazines and cancelled all of them. fast forward a year later they kept me subscribed and billed my credit card. in fact, just read the digital versions online and use an ad blocker. put them all out of business. read more

Another frustrating liar from this company is david korbusieski, his supposed title is customer service manager. He responded to my BBB complaint and lied, upon speaking with him and confronted him he changed his story and said "oh thats what im offering you now." I should not be surprised that he told a non truth because the reputation and character of this company speaks for itself with its reviews and the number of BBB complaints. Not trustworthy! My families attorney is now reaching out to the publications that use this company, lets just see how much media attention this company will get before they close! By the way he can be reached at 203-391-2800 read more

Absolutely a scammer company. They overdrew my bank account and even snuck a hidden charge on my PayPal account. Had to destroy my debit card and no longer can use my checking account on PayPal because of them. Do not get any low cost magazine subscriptions from any quality company including major airlines read more

If only NO stars were a thing, bad business practices. I admit, I was taken in with a free subscription service after being told that I would receive notification of the trial period ending so that I could make an informed decision of whether to continue service or cancel the items that were undesired. I have done this before and had success with the ability to have a trial run with a product before committing long term. But this time has cured me FOREVER of ever trusting a promotion like this. When the 1st subscription ended there was no notification just a $38 charge made to my credit card. I followed up immediately, calling my bank to get more information on a charge I didn't recognize. My bank gave me a phone number and when I called, I was assured that I was sent a postcard, I assured them that I would have never continued with a product with that high of a price tag had I been informed. They said since they value my business that they would credit my card and cancel the subscription. While on the phone with them, I checked on the other items 3 services that had a promotional window and they assured me that I would most definitely receive an opportunity to cancel with information on what the rates would be. That was NOT the case. When it was just 1 service that didn't receive the postcard, I gave them the benefit of the doubt. When NONE of the 3 additional services had a postcard sent out, that's when it raises a red flag for the company's integrity. In this instance it was a much more hidden, with individual charges made to my credit card each month, rather than the one time charge the 1st time. These were all $4-6 charges that are easily swallowed up in regular purchases. Turns out that these camouflaged charges have now added up to over $80 when I called to figure out what was going on, I had to call the magazine directly to find the phone number for this 3rd party service. SUPER SHADY! I called, and feel really sorry for the lady on the other end of the phone, and anyone else, working for such a corrupt company. Unfortunately it is those individuals that bear the brunt of their employers dealings. She was able to credit my most recent charges to me, but $13 is not anywhere close to the $80 that I never really had a choice in spending. Whatever, my fault for signing up in the first place but I will shout it from the rooftops from here to eternity, DO NOT TRUST SYNAPSE! And honestly do not trust anyone that isn't the company itself. I promise it is NOT a good deal in the long run. read more

Don't know who these people are. I was charged for magazines I would never read. Tried to look them up & was taken to a Russian site. Tried calling the number on my card & get a message saying the number does not exist. So if you get a charge on your card, they are scammers! read more

If I could give a zero star review I would. This company is a scam. I did the $2 thing and one of the magazines I ordered was People. For some reason they sent me the Spanish version. I called to tell them and was told too bad they can cancel the order but they can't change the version from Spanish to English. I'm not sure why, that's bullshit. I never ordered a Spanish version because I don't read or speak Spanish. So now I'm out my subscription and the $2 they scammed me for. The BBB needs to get involved with this company and shut it down. read more

Stay away and never give them your credit card info. I got a few free magazines from them last year for filling out a survay for a small processing fee. They auto renewed me for over $100. Since I never had an account with them they never notified me of the charge. Once I created The account and they refused to cancel the subscription for a refund. I think the only way to get them to stop billing me auto renewals is to cancel my credit card that is on file with them. read more

This company renewed a magazine subscription without my authorization, and attempts to speak with a live person were fruitless. After navigating a glitchy phone menu system I received a recorded message telling me the because I wasn't responding I was being disconnected. (In fact, the system didn't respond to me.) My only option is to dispute the transaction and that may mean my unwanted subscription continues for free. read more

This company is fraudulent! DO NOT do business with them. I received a card in the mail saying I would be charged $83 for a magazine I did not purchase from them. I needed to call them if I wanted to cancel. I did call and was told the magazine would be cancelled, but I know that I will need to make certain that I have not been charged for it. I have never given them my credit card number or my phone number. Obviously they got my address from some data base - I know not which one. It is time to have laws against, not only these practices, but telemarketing as well. read more

I had cancelled all my subscriptions with Synapse Group 3 months ago after receiving a $45 charge that I didn't agree to and asked them to cancel all of my magazine subscriptions, only to be hit with an additional $65 charge 2 months later. Stay FAR away from this company- the $2 magazine subscription might sound enticing, but it's not worth all the time wasted trying to cancel your subscriptions read more

Who knows what their real name is. The charge in the credit card is TME when you call to make a claim or reversal of the charge they are friendly as the call center is based in India but it nothing more than a scam. & months later anew charge shows up for the same service that they say I subscribed to. Isn't there a legal way to get these people out of business? read more

Scam. They do business under other names. Offer free subscription, only pay for shipping. Until they auto renew, which they never mention. Cant cancel online, no emails, no letters. AKA Magazine Customer Service Billing shows up as TME. Apparently Time Inc uses this company to keep their magazine in business, by stealing/lying for subscriptions. Crooks. read more

HORRIBLE !!! Took one hour to cancel a magazine subscription that I didn't even order. Lots of telephone prompts, then finally someone (from India?) who I honestly couldn't understand. Got the run around. HORRIBLE !!!! read more

Agree with everyone else. I have called about 6 times and been on the phone for an hour each time. Used miles to get myself two magazines plus my mom and sister one magazine each. I got about 3 magazines from one subscription plus one from another. My mom didn't get the one I ordered her at all but started getting magazines I ordered for myself and my sister got nothing. Customer service is useless, they just give you a reference number but there's not email, no follow up and no repairing the situation. Absolute scam! I'm calling all the magazines to tell them how jaded this company makes you read more

Absolutely ridiculous. DO NOT fall for any offer (even from a legitimate retailer) to receive a "gift" of a magazine subscription for just $1 or $2. It is a SCAM. It automatically renews WITHOUT notice and you are charged a higher price. I saw the charge on my credit card and called to complain. Very shady. YUCK. read more