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LA Times reports scammers selling fake subscriptions
In this file photo, a bicyclist passes photos displayed on the Los Angeles Times building in Los Angeles, California. The Times said Tuesday, October 14, 2014, that scammers were targeting subscribers with fraudulent bills.
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David McNew/Getty Images
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A handful of calls has turned into hundreds as subscribers complain about suspicious mailings asking them to pay a significantly higher renewal rate than is normal, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.
The Times says about 500 subscribers have reported the fraudulent mailings since September 26:
The mailings from "Publishers Distribution Services" or "Readers Payment Service" offer subscribers a chance to "lock in at one of our lowest rates" for a yearly renewal of $799.95 — which Yawman said was 40% higher than the actual basic rate. The mailing lists a post office box in White City, Ore., and a website for "Publishers Payment Processing," which has a Thornwood, N.Y., address.
The actual Times renewal statement comes with the Times logo and a downtown L.A. address. Payments can be made online but can also be mailed to a post office box in Phoenix.
Still, if you're a Times subscriber, you may want to be on the lookout for suspicious renewal notices in the mail.
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