ComplaintsforThe Baltimore Sun Media Group

• Initial Complaint

  03/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Home Delivery of daily and weekend sunpaper was reinstated by email from Sun on Feb.23, after issues with lost payments was resolved. Paper was delivered on Feb.24, but no further papers have been received from Feb.25 through today, March 11th. Numerous apologies have been rec'd from Sun, over last 16 days, but to no avail. We have been receiving uninterrupted home delivery to this address for over 50 years, and are deeply disappointed by the inability to have this resolved.

  Business response

  03/19/2024

  
  March 19, 2024
  
  Our sincere apologies regarding any inconvenience or frustration associated with your Baltimore Sun home delivery subscription.
  
  The information and feedback you provided within this BBB Complaint and your home delivery account is being reviewed and proper course of action will be taken, if needed. After reviewing your subscription it seems you discussed this matter and concerns with Customer Service on March 18, 2024 of which your feedback and complaints were noted and escalated. Please be advised since there are open routes concerns causing delivery delays in the area at this time therefore your deliveries could be missed or received after standard delivery times.  We appreciate your patience and understanding while we work towards a resolution to the delivery concerns in the local delivery area. Customer Service was able to authorize a one time lower rate of which extended your paid thru date and delivery complaints and credits were processed which extended your paid thru date accordingly.
  
  If any additional assistance would be needed your subscription, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service Department at ###-###-#### for any other concerns.
  
  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center
  
  
  
  
  

  Customer response

  03/21/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ********

• Initial Complaint

  03/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Delivery Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I can get exact dates for you later if needed. My Father has had a newspaper delivered for over 50 years to his home. In December of 2023, the Baltimore Sun said they did not receive his subscription check, so he wrote them another in January 2024. Since then they have stopped delivery (even though the check has been cashed). He keeps calling, and I have as well, and the customer service people always say they will have it resolved with in the day. They do not. Also, when trying to resolve the issue online, the website and chat-bot both take you to a site called "**** ****" that makes you pay $1 by credit card to receive an answer. I did not enter my credit card into the website. My father did, but still did not get an answer to his problem. Is this a ****? Has the whole Sun paper subscription service been hacked? Please check into this! It is terribly upsetting to my Dad - who is a round-the-clock caregiver and relies on the Sun Paper for his news and information.

  Business response

  03/12/2024

  
  March 12, 2024
  
  Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience or frustration you and your father have experienced associated with the Baltimore Sun.
  
  As per your conversation today, we discussed your father's billing and delivery concerns. You did confirm his billing concern has been resolved since payment was received and applied to your father's account effective February 23, 2024. Your father's delivery concerns regarding the ongoing missed deliveries are being reviewed as well as escalated to the the local Distributor for assistance. Your father also filed a BBB Complaint of which is being reviewed at this time. The missed delivery credits have been applied to the subscription of which has extended the paid thru date on the account. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we assist with the proper delivery expectation for your father's subscription under the name ***** ********. Also, the Baltimore Sun is not associated with any Chat service that would charge any fee so please be mindful of any Ad pop ups that may redirect you or your father to another website.
  
  Customer Service will be contacting your father to confirm his deliveries are being delivered as scheduled within the next 7 business days.  If you would like any further assistance please contact the Baltimore Sun at ###-###-####.
  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Customer response

  03/14/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: -My father is still not receiving the news paper.  The response we received is exactly the same words that are used by the people in customer service department in which they say the situation will be resolved within the next few days and we still have no paper.  If the Sun does not have someone to deliver to that area, why don't they just tell us?  It is really not that complex of a problem and should be solvable.  All I want is honesty, and perhaps a rebate for my father since he can not get the paper delivered, evidently.

  Also, with regard to someone hacking the Baltimore Sun website and putting a place to chat on it that eventually takes one to the "**** ****" **** is a pretty significant problem, as well. It was the first choice in the ****** search and it said Baltimore sun in the web address.   I would hope that the media group is actually dealing with this cyber-problem instead of putting the burden on the customer to discern whether or not their website is legitimate - especially since everyone  is encouraged to engage with customer service online instead of by phone.

   

   

   

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****

  Business response

  03/22/2024

  March 22, 2024

  Once again, sincere apologies for any inconvenience or frustration you and your father have experienced associated with the Baltimore Sun.
  

  Please be advised I spoke with your father this morning as he also filed a BBB Complaint ******** of which he confirmed receiving the newspaper today, March 22nd and yesterday, March 21st. Due to our conversation, I have extended the home delivery subscription paid thru date until May 1, 2024 as well as was able to authorize a weekly lower rate for his next bill cycle. I explained to Mr. ******** to disregard any bill statement he has previously received at this time as it is no longer valid and another will be sent once applicable. Mr. was satisfied at the time of our call this morning. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we assist with the proper delivery expectation for your father's subscription.

  Your feedback is acknowledged and will be reviewed of which proper course of action will be taken, if needed. As discussed during our conversation, all Pop Ups that may transpire when trying to access the Baltimore Sun need to have the URL link reviewed as this may lead to another site. Baltimore Sun is not associated with any Chat service that would charge any fee so please be mindful of any Ad pop ups that may redirect you or your father to another website.

  
  If you would like any further assistance or have other concerns, please contact the Baltimore Sun at ###-###-####.
  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center

  Customer response

  03/22/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ****

• Initial Complaint

  02/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I wanted to read a few online articles in the Baltimore Sun. The subscription was supposed to be a free trial period. I signed up on feb. 6th 2024 and they immediately charged my card $3.18, so their promise of a free trial period was fraudulent. That same day February 6, I wrote to their subscriber services at their direct website to try and cancel and get a refund, but my query has been completely ignored. I want a refund and I want them to wipe away my credit card info and cancel my subscription, and send me a letter confirming this.

  Business response

  02/20/2024

  
  February 20, 2024
  
  Our sincere apologies regarding any misunderstanding or inconvenience associated with your  Baltimore Sun digital subscription.
  
  After reviewing the information within this BBB complaint as well as our database, I cannot locate an account with your name, address, phone number or email address. Customer has contacted you by email to obtain further information so we can better assist you and review your proof of payment. Please respond to this email sent on February 17, 2024 so we can assist with this concern. Please be advised if you signed up from another site other than Baltimore Sun directly, you would need to contact that site for assistance.
  
  For further assistance regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service Department at 443-692-9011 respond back to the email sent to you directly.
  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center
  

• Initial Complaint

  02/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Several dates and requests (1/19/24 - 2/8/24), please see attached summary. Requested cancellation of a digital subscription and refund of the autopay that was charged to my credit card. as of 2/13/24, the digital subscription is still active and no refund has been recieved.

  Business response

  02/20/2024

  
  February 20, 2024
  
  Our sincere apologies regarding any misunderstanding or inconvenience associated with your former Baltimore Sun digital subscription.
  
  After reviewing the information within this BBB complaint as well as your cancelled subscription, it seems Customer Service did contact you on February 17, 2024/February 19, 2024 and provided assistance to your concern. A credit adjustment in the amount of $24.07 was processed therefore no further balance is reflected for this account at this time. Please disregard any further bill statements associated with this subscription.  This credit adjustment is in addition to the refund of $18.03 which was processed on February 13, 2024 which will be applied back to your credit card within the next 7-10 business days. Also, it seems you disputed the last payment as well so the credit card institution returned back the last payment in the amount of $21.21 on February 14, 2024.
  
  If you need any further assistance regarding this matter or would like to restart the subscription, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service Department at 443-692-9011.
  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center

• Initial Complaint

  02/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  They claim you can cancel a subscription at any time. It is near impossible. I have emailed several supposed customer service email addresses. I have tried on line. I have tried by phone, which will put you on hold for a long, long time.

  Business response

  02/13/2024

  February 13, 2024

  Our sincere apologies regarding any inconvenience or frustration associated with your former Capital digital subscription.

  After reviewing the information you provided within this BBB Complaint and your digital account, it seems that Customer Service did cancel your digital subscription at time of contact on February 12, 2024 with a cancellation date of February 13, 2024. A refund of the remaining monies have been refunded in the amount of $5.92 which was applied back to your credit card. No prior notations, or any notations of contact, on account that had requested a cancellation which was not processed or customer's dissatisfaction. In the interest of fairness, and due to your feedback, I was able to process a second refund of $11.04 which will be processed within the next 10-14 business days due to standard processing times. This second refund would bring the total refund of $16.96 which would be the total amount of the last payment processed on January 24, 2024.  

  If you need any further assistance regarding this matter or would like to restart the subscription, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service Department at 410-268-4800.

  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center

  Customer response

  02/16/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** ******

• Initial Complaint

  02/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My neighborhood association has REPEATEDLY contacted the newspaper office and requested they STOP throwing the free newspapers all over our streets. But just got more papers delivered today. We have given them very specific streets so they can discontinue deliveries. This is MASSIVE liter that is trashing up our streets and storm sewage areas. The Dundalk neighborhood area is Norwood and Graceland Park. NO PAPERS should be delivered within the area of Dundalk Ave to Holabird Avenue to Delvale Avenue to German Hill Road and Boston Road. That makes a large square area for you to STOP having the drivers throw papers. We have several older people in the neighborhood who have to clean up after you every freaking week when you trash our neighborhood with this junk. STOP NOW!! Or legal action will follow! We are sick of this bs from The Sun! If you have any questions, please EMAIL ME ONLY! NO PHONE CALLS. Only contact me via EMAIL EMAIL EMAIL only!

  Business response

  02/12/2024

  February 12, 2024
  
  Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience or frustration you have experienced due to the free deliveries by the Baltimore Sun.
  
  Your detailed feedback and request for the neighborhood in the Dundalk delivery area has been escalated to the local Distributor and the Distribution office has been notified of the information you have provided. They have been advised of your request to stop all the free deliveries permanently along with your feedback.  Thank you for your patience as this is being reviewed for assistance.  Due to the information provided within this complaint, Customer Service will be contacting you within the next 7-10 business days to obtain some more information associated with your request by email as usually for our standard operating procedure the individual residents need to request these free deliveries to stop as this cannot be requested by someone not residing at the specific household.
  Should you have any further concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service Department at ###-###-####.
  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center

  Customer response

  02/12/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: our neighborhood association has repeatedly asked you to stop littering our streets! Some yards have 10-12 weeks of papers and we have to pick up your trash that’s on the sidewalks and curbs. Please do not deliver any more free papers/trash In Graceland Park and Norwood. We will escalate this to the Federal Trade Commission if you do not cease and desist putting your trash in our neighborhood!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ******

  Business response

  02/16/2024

  February 16, 2024

  Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience or frustration you have experienced due to the free deliveries by the Baltimore Sun.
  
  This information you provided within your feedback and request for the neighborhood discussed has been escalated to the local Distributor and the Distribution office has been notified of the information you have provided. They have been advised of your request to stop all the free deliveries permanently along with your feedback.  Thank you for your patience as this is being reviewed for assistance.  Please be advised that our standard operating procedure is for the individual residents would request these free deliveries to stop as this cannot be requested by someone not residing at the specific household. If the neighborhood association needs assistance for these types of deliveries specifically then the association can request with the proper documentation. Customer Service will contact you directly in order to obtain this information as well as any prior contact within the next 7-10 business days.

  Should you have any further concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service Department at ###-###-####.
  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center

• Initial Complaint

  01/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I tried to cancel my subscription, they attempted to convince me to sign up to 7 different special sales before finally accepting i wanted the subscription cancelled. I called again the next day to confirm the cancellation and they said they had no record of my call and my subscription had not been cancelled. They accepted my cancellation on the second call but would only stop it during march. I am paid for the subscription until February 3rd, then I will have to pay again for the subscription through february until march. I do not want the subscription in february, we are still in january, but when february comes they will try to force me to pay for the subscription.

  Business response

  01/29/2024

  January 29, 2024

  Our sincere apologies regarding any inconvenience or frustration associated with your Baltimore Sun subscription.

  After reviewing the information you provided as well as your former subscription, I have adjusted your cancellation date to last day of delivery February 3, 2024 and processed a full refund of your last payment in the amount of $ 178.57 which recently processed.  Please allow 10-14 business days for the refund to be applied back to your credit card charged. Your feedback regarding your customer experience is being reviewed and proper course of action will be taken, if needed.

  Again, we apologize for any inconvenience caused and if you have any further issues, please do not hesitate to contact our Baltimore Sun Customer Service Department at443-692-9011.
  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center

  Customer response

  01/29/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *******

• Initial Complaint

  01/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  We are being dunned for $10.55 mby th eSunpaper Medea Group and have recently received a collection notice from ****** of Camarillo, CA. We do not owe the Sun grop any money. We sent our subscripotion renewal for the year through to March 24. However, we stopped receiving the ***** in mid May of 23 and made several unsuccessful calls to the Sunpaper. Two neighbors had the same problem. Two friends, one in Aberdeen and one in Bel Air also had this problem. The basic fact is we have not received the newspaper s we paid for and are told we owe them! The amoont ofmoneyisnot an issue, the principle ofth ematteris: we wish to be no longer harassed by th eSunpaper Medea Group andit sollection agents andwe would hope there is nonegative mark against our credit rating. Al;though, at ages 87+ and 86, I 'm not sure we will be needing to do much on credit. We appreciate any help you may provide in this matter.Thank You .

  Business response

  02/05/2024

  
  February 5, 2024
  
  Our sincere apologies regarding any misunderstanding or inconvenience associated with your former Aegis newspaper subscription.
  
  After reviewing the information you included in this BBB Complaint as well as your former subscription it seems there was an outstanding balance of $10.55 from billing dates from August 25, 2023 thru November 24, 2023. No delivery concerns were processed nor Customer Service contacted after May 2023 reflected on the former account. In the interest of fairness, I have processed a credit adjustment in the amount of $10.55 which is the total outstanding balance due therefore no further balance is reflected at this time and the former account is in good standing. ARMS has been contacted to advise of this update to the account's information. 
  
  If you need any further assistance regarding this matter or would like to restart the subscription, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service Department at 443-692-9011.
  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center
  
  

  Customer response

  02/10/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 21176867, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ** ********

• Initial Complaint

  01/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have had a history of problems with the lack of transparency with the Baltimore Sun's billing practices. Last year, they stopped delivering my paper and I was not able to confirm that I got the appropriate credit for the missed papers. They told me that requesting an itemized invoice that shows the dates of delivery and the credits for missed papers was unusual and I was the first customer who ever requested that kind of information. Nevertheless, they said they would put together a special, one-time request to provide the billing information I was asking for. I never received this invoice. Now, I have just received a bill showing that my current billing cycle is for 1/21/24 through 2/17/24. However, my last bill was for 12/23/24 through 1/23/24, meaning I am being double-billed for 1/21, 1/22, and 1/23! Since they don't provide any other information than the dates of the billing cycle on their postcard bills that they mail, I have no idea why I have been double-billed and there is no way to see any more information than this.

  Business response

  01/29/2024

  January 29, 2024

  Our sincere apologies regarding any inconvenience or frustration regarding your Baltimore Sun home delivery subscription.

  Please be advised this information you provided within this BBB complaint is being reviewed as well as your subscription. Customer Service has processed as credit adjustment in the amount of $19.98 which extended your paid thru date until March 4, 2024. The itemized bill is a special request at this time but this information will be provided to you by Customer Service within the next 10 business days. Customer Service has been trying to reach you directly so further assistance will be provided. Your feedback you provided is being reviewed and proper course of action will be taken, if needed. 

  Should you have any further concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service Department at 443-692-9011.
  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center

  Business response

  02/05/2024

  Once again, sincere apologies regarding any inconvenience or frustration regarding your Baltimore Sun home delivery subscription.
  Please be advised this information you provided within this BBB complaint is being reviewed as well as your subscription. Customer Service has emailed you a detailed itemized breakdown of all transactions including credit adjustments from your account. The itemized bill is a special request at this time. Customer Service has been trying to reach you directly so further assistance will be provided. Your feedback you provided is being reviewed and proper course of action will be taken, if needed. 
  Should you have any further concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service Department at 443-692-9011.
  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center

  Customer response

  02/14/2024

  I still don’t understand how I was billed the way I was.  The Baltimore Sun does not want to provide transparency in their billing practices.

• Initial Complaint

  01/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Somehow I was mistakenly added to Sun Plus Subscription Service where they provide a paper with coupons once per week to my driveway. I never signed up for this service and do not want the paper delivered. I have tried multiple times to have this service removed with no luck even though they tell me that I've been removed (4 emails and one call). Now they don't respond to emails but papers keep coming. They also do not provide me a way to contact distributor directly. Since their customer service either cannot or is unwilling to help me, I thought this to be one of my remaining means of recourse. I just want the papers stopped.

  Business response

  01/23/2024

  January 23, 2024

  
  Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience or frustration you have experienced due to the ongoing free Sun Plus deliveries by the Baltimore Sun.
  
  Your feedback and request has been escalated to the local Distributor for assistance. Our Distribution office has been notified of the information you have provided regarding your request to stop all the Inside Shopper deliveries permanently along with your feedback.  Also, the delivery person will be informed to cease all deliveries to your residence, going forward. Thank you for your patience as this is being reviewed to stop all all deliveries as there are no active accounts in our system matching your address information.  As you stated this is not your first request to stop these free deliveries, your request has been expedited for assistance.
  
  Again, we apologize for any inconvenience caused and if you have any further issues, please do not hesitate to contact our Baltimore Sun Customer Service Department at 443-692-9011.
  
  Thank you,
  Katina
  Executive Resolution Center

  Customer response

  01/27/2024

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ***

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩