Graffiti or Art ?

Interesting Geocache find today #geocache

Geocaching 'My Finds' Heat-map

You can generate your Heat-Map using the POI Editor geocache Heat-Map Tool

Cache and Slash ? #geocaching

Palm Trees in Stoke-on-Trent !

Spotted these today while out Geocaching in and around Stoke-on-Trent. Seems we have a little hidden oasis ! :-)

Geocacher Magazine, The final act of contempt. Potential Subscribers Beware !

First of all please do not confuse Geocacher Magazine with FTF Geocacher Magazine. The latter is a very successful and highly recommended magazine, the former has yet to be published even though for 4 years the publisher has continued to extract subscriptions from individuals whilst promising a magazine that has yet to be seen by anyone. Check their own website as proof :-)

Winter 2010 brings the latest issue of GeoMag!

Scheduled to go to press by mid-late October for early November mailing.

It's Nearly April 2011 and yet only the premier edition was published in 2008, another edition still hasn't materialised :-)

You can read my previous posts telling the story of dealing with this publisher and how I got my money back !

- Geocacher Magazine - Update 21st March 2011
- Geocacher Magazine and the Joys of Facebook / Paypal

In my last act trying to get this publisher to come clean and stop decieving it's subscribers and making interest on the monies extracted from it's victims I complained to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) in the USA.

Today I received a final response from the BBB who for the last 5 weeks have tried to get the publisher of Geocacher Magazine to respond to my complaint to no avail. It seems our friends at Geocacher Magazine not only show contempt of their customers but also organisations like the BBB, which will only damage their business further.

My advice to anyone considering subscribing to this magazine is to avoid doing so at all cost. It has no credability and even if you ever recieve one edition you'll be wondering if you'll ever receive another ! However please feel free to read my experience and make your own mind up, but don't say you weren't warned !

If you are a victim I would urge you to register a similar complaint to the BBB. The process is simple and quick. The more unanswered complaints the higher the chance they will involve the law enforecement agencies in investigating what after 4 years is tantamount to a fraud ?

Similarly if like me you paid via paypal ask your credit card company to instigate a chargeback. You will get your money and the publisher pays not only your monies back but the card companies charges also :-)

The closure response from the BBB received today, 29th March 2011 was :-

Complaint ID#: 11018232
Business Name: Geocacher Magazine

The Better Business Bureau has made several attempts to contact the business regarding the above referenced complaint. We regret to inform you that we have not received a response from the company.

The Better Business Bureau develops and maintains Reliability Reports on companies in our service area. This information is available to the public and is frequently used by potential customers. In the case of your complaint, the company's failure to promptly give attention to the matter will be reflected in the report we give to consumers about them.

If the company has contacted you in the interim, please notify the BBB immediately.

Sincerely,

Katie Rose
Dispute Resolution Manager

My Original complaint is and the history as recorded by the BBB :-

COMPLAINT ACTIVITY REPORT Case # 11018232 Better Business Bureau of Northern Nevada, Inc.

Consumer Info: Ellam, Mark Business Info: Geocacher Magazine

- -

Location Involved: (Same as above)

Consumer's Original Complaint :

Mis-representing the availability of a long standing magazine and taking chargeable subsciptions for a magazine that has yet to be published

Subscription by Paypal on 1st October 2010 for a qtly magazine. Website www.geocachermagazine.com promotes a long-standing publication since 2008 when actually only 1 copy ever produced. The magazine has taken many subscriptions during that time without providing said magazine. He continually advertises "another edition on the way" on facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/GeocacherMagazine) and on a public forum (http://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=208409&pid=4630553&a...) where most subscribers haven given up on their money or ever recieving a magazine, if not deleted from his communication pages because they complain. He hides bad news to protect the fact he is taking monies for something he has yet to produce.

He does not portray a customer focused attitude instead treating them with contempt becuase they want to know when they get what they paid for

Consumer's Desired Resolution:

I want my subscription back. I want him to be honest with his customers and stop falsifying the situation as he has for 4 years apparently.I have no confidence that he is genuine or will ever produce or survive in business to produce a magazine that will last for the duration of my subscription.

BBB Processing

02/25/2011 web BBB Case Received by BBB

02/25/2011 ker BBB Case Reviewed by BBB

02/25/2011 Otto EMAIL Send Acknowledgement to Consumer

02/25/2011 Otto MAIL Notify Business of Dispute

03/15/2011 OttO BBB No response to first notice to business

03/15/2011 OttO EMAIL Consumer - Have You Heard From the Business

03/15/2011 OttO MAIL Reminder of Dispute to Business

03/16/2011 BBB MORE INFO RECEIVED FROM CONSUMER : I have received a refund but only because i asked my Credit card company
to persue it.

My original complaint still stands and I have received no communication from the owner.

03/28/2011 OttO BBB No Response received from Business on 2nd Notice

03/28/2011 ker BBB Inform Consumer No Response from Business