The Hearst Corp. and Periodical Service Bureau

A class action lawsuit has been filed against The Hearst Corp. and Periodical Service Bureau on behalf of Californians. The suit alleges that the companies have been using deceptive trade practices to persuade the plaintiffs to buy long-term magazine subscriptions through material misrepresentations and omissions of prices and terms of contracts, and false enticements of prizes. The suit further claims that the defendants then use this telemarketing scam to obtain personal, confidential information from the consumers, including bank account and debit card numbers.