Door-to-Door Alert: Interstate Subscription Services

24 comments

We were visited at our home yesterday evening by a door-to-door magazine salesman, working for Interstate Subscription Services.  The young man was nice as can be, and he explained that we could purchase a magazine subscription for ourselves or have it sent to a soldier overseas, and in return, he would be rewarded points towards winning a trip to Italy.

I looked over the magazines and asked about the prices on some of them.  The lowest prices were all $40 or more, for multi-year subscriptions, which was a significant savings…IF you ever get your magazines.  Several reports online about this and other door-to-door magazine companies suggest that you may never see an actual issue of what you’ve ordered, and it isn’t explained very clearly that you only have 3 days to call in and cancel if you change your mind.

Add to that the fact that they expect you to hand them a check or your credit card number right there on the spot (or cash), and it just seems like it would be best if you don’t even open the door when they show up.  Like I said, this kid was perfectly nice, even funny.  He explained how they travel across the country doing this, getting their meals and rooms paid for.  He claimed to have been in 40 states so far.  In the end, I told him I just couldn’t help him out by subscribing to anything right now.  He said he could also get points for a donation, which I thought sounded fishy, but I gave him $5 anyway…and after reading some of the reports on how these kids can be treated while they are on the road, I’m glad i did.  Some of these companies only give the kids $15 for the day to live on, and if they run out, they are just out.

I just wanted to let you know they’ve been in the area, so you can be ready if they knock on your door.  It sounded like they’d probably be moving on to another area pretty quickly, so you may not see them at all.  I just thought you needed to be aware that they may be knocking at YOUR door next.

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  • Mindygerner

    oh plz shut the hell up its not that major

  • LMK

    Had two young guys come to the door and they did a wonderful, sincere “sales pitch” – earning money to go to college.  I originally bought a subscription ($40 plus $15 for processing fee) and paid in cash since he would receive an extra 50 bonus points for cash.  Silly me.  Got on line while they were here and found all negative reports – not a single positive comment on the internet.  It still didn’t hit me that I should not do this however I did and they left.  After more review on line I then came to my senses and drove up the street to find them and stated that I wanted to cancel and requested my cash back.  There was no problem – their main concern was that I was not going to call the police on them – which I found to be an interesting concern.  Earlier the main speaker indicated that he had made 7 sales today – but then when I cancelled he said I was his only sale and the he probably was going to be fired.  After reading how the operation works and how they only get a stipend of $15 per day I did offer then money but he indicated that he could not take it.  Bottom line – My advice – heed the advice on the internet and pass on purchasing a subscription. 

  • Alishapeeler

    I worked for interstate magazine company a couple years ago. If they ever ask for a donation its because sometimes we never got any money to live on at all. They promised me 20 per day to live on and sometimes I had to ask people that I didn’t even know for donations.and if we didn’t sell what we were required to sell we didnt get any money at all to eat on and we had to stay on the street going from door to door sometimes until 3 am in the morning. Then when I wanted to quit and leave my parents had to pay for the bus ticket back home. I live in Tennessee and I was left stranded at the greyhound bus station in Panama city beach Florida. If anyone wants to talk to me about it you can email me at alishapeeler@yahoo.com

  • Jd234

    Giving them a check and then instituting a “STOP PAYMENT” is not sufficient.  Once they have a check then they can process a payment thru Automated Clearling House (ACH).  Only way around it is to cancel bank account 

  • Marcell484

    It’s not the company. It’s the sales agents that knock on your door. I work and support my wife and two children doing this. Smh I’ve fired every scandalous agent I’ve had for that very reason. It’s just sad, that these independent contractors could bring down a whole company.

  • Marcell484

    Liar. You weren’t prOmised 20 a day. Only for your first two weeks of paid training. Then its based on your sales. I’ve Been in it 10 years, I’ve seen sob stories like yours more times than I can count. Wanting the world to take care of you instead of getting off your ass to go get it. You knew the job when you took it. All commission, no hourly wages. You people make me sick.

  • Marcell484

    Forced to stay out until 3 in the morning? Wow. What a load of crap!

  • Lenzgirl1

    I had a salesman come to my house, said I would get a verification call before the sale was put through…I never got it. He told me I could put in an order and cancel it, and he would still get his points. So, I believed him, ordered a magazine so he could get his points with the intention of having the order droped when the company called. How is this good for your company, how are blatant lies good for your company? I’d like to know how to rectify this issue, can you tell me how to do that?

  • Bnics2

    I worked for this company. You will get your magazines, i still have magazines coming that i ordered over 4 years ago! however, if you are asked for a small cash donation, you will not receive any magazines. that money will be going into the salespersons pocket! If the person at your door says s/he is doing this for a school s/he is lying, this is a job! however, you will get an excellent price on most of the magazines, even if it is a bit of a committment- you will get them though!

  • Bnics2

    they are worried about you calling the cops because they are supposed to have a permit to go door-to-door, but because they will only be in your town for at most a few days, they will not have had time to get a permit and could be arrested!

  • Bnics2

    Also, the contest is a real thing. I got 2nd place in the winter 2006 contest and 15th place in the summer 2006 contest.

  • Maureen_lussier

    I had one young man come to my door on Nov 20 last year. He told me he was with a college and in a contest. I bought two subscriptions to the tune of over 100 dollars, which I was supposed to receive in 6 weeks. Here we are two months later and I never got them. Thieves!

  • Greenoproductions

    My name is anthony. I want to say that this company is a scam. COREY BARKER is the scam artist. The young men and women doing the sales have no idea theyve been hired to scam people. The jo seems real to them. They do get 20$ a day to live on and free room. They are told to say they accept donations. The kids are blind to the real nature of the scam. I caught on to it and called the boss out on it. They then robbed me of all my clothes and left me for dead in colorado, over 2000 miles from my home. Please call the police and dont ha e the kid arrested. Have COREY BARKER ARRESTED he will be hiding out in a hotel where the team of 20 kids will be too

  • Greenoproductions

    It is the company i worked there. They left me for dead. 918-863-9767 call and ill explain

  • pj

    Why would people spend time out of there day to write a good review about someone they dont even know going to there door?? They wont… only if there mad. Ive worked for this company for 4 yrs and know for a FACT People get there magazines! The rumors online are not true. We dont only get 15 dollars a day. We get paid strictly commision and get 30 for expenses such as food. I just dont appreciate you running your mouth about something just because of a few reviews online.

  • pj

    Who the hell are you??? Corey barker would never leave someone stranded nor take your clothes….. we dont get told to take donations. If you have any problem with my reply u may contact me at 2318386559.

  • Tylerbute56

    i was a mag agent for iss and every thing they say is true about it being bull shit..,.i recentlly quit after i heard that we were scamming people and i still have not recived my last paycheck or recived any thing
     

  • Justice2331

    COREY BARKER is the scam “artist”. I also joined the team at 22 years old. When I called them out on the scam I was left for dead myself, in san padre island. Call the police asap if you see these peole. Greenprodustions is telling the truth.

  • JakeLambert

    It is that major. Drug Addicted (crack mostly with Corey Barker) criminals hurting people with no care because they will be gone the next day. This is the reality of the situation. You cannot support your family with this “Job”. The lies are the most consistent process with them. “Big Harry” is another major violent piece to the problem.

  • Andrew

    I graduated in 2008 I found an ad in our local paper they called me back after I set up a time yes for some of you you worked for a legitimate company but kids like me we weren’t so lucky we were promised yes 20 a day plus what we sold we got commission we were lucky to get the 20 if we did not do what they wanted then they told us we would be stranded usually 7 states away from where we lived so don’t bash the stories we have because not everyone worked for a legitimate company some of us were screwed over the guy I worked for his name is Corey barker thought he was a big shot and his girlfriend wife or whatever she was her name was Becky if these kids are working for a place like this offer them a way back home to there parents bet you anything they break down and let you …. I did

  • johnny boy

    Yep. I got screwed by the same pitch. Poor Kid in a competition. Paid 240.00 for 4 subscriptions and didn’t get a single one. Lying bunch of low lifes prowling on the innocent and unaware

  • Casey

    They are a sex trafficking ring!

  • Casey

    They are a sex trafficking ring!
    If anyone sees this and has experience in the sex trafficking, please email me. Caseyrose93420@gmail.com

  • Jenn

    I worked with interstate subscription service. And this company takes advantage of young adults struggling to be adults and are having problems at home. We would stay in hotels from one city to another crammed into a room we would get less than $15 a day if we didn’t sell they would take gas money food and hotel out of the money we supposedly earned. We would be dropped off on corners and not picked up for hours. One of the girls on our crew was raped and they told her to take a shower shake It off gave her three days off and then she had to go back to work or quit. If you quit they give you a bus ticket to where they picked you up at it no money to leave with. You never get your magazines anything cash we pocket so we can buy tampons deodorants shampoos and toothbrushes etc.