ComplaintsforHillsdale College - Imprimis

• Initial Complaint

  05/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  My private cellular number has received spam texts from Hillsdale College and their affiliates nearly every single day of the week, including weekends and early in the morning, for more than 1 year now. I had never heard of that college until the text messages began arriving over a year ago. Over 99% of the time, they have been from a different phone number than ever before, so they have been impossible to block. Every single message has included a web link from one of the following 20 "Branded Short Donains", which don't exist as standalone websites: 23-now.com, 23-win.com, 24act.us, 24give.us, 24pat.co, 24us.co, a-ction.us, gopwin.us, imp-ct.com, mercy-chefs.com, nolib.us, now-23.com, now-24.co, ourusa.co, red23.co, red24.us, rep-gop.com, rwing.us, rtwing.us, rtvote.us. And all of the hundreds of related texts are from the following 10 area codes: 202, 406, 434, 504, 517, 571, 667, 757, 855, 866. I seached Google for Hillsdale College's main official website, and requested in April 2024 that my phone number and ALL of my contact info be removed from ALL of their lists including those of ALL of their affiliates. I had to provide my email address to do that, but then that immediately began receiving endless spam from them and their affiliates as well, of the exact same types of content as all the spam text messages, which to this day have still not stopped or even reduced. So by requesting the text messages to stop (via me going to the organization's official website as per Google, and never once clicking on any of the suspicious short links in the text messages), now the organization and their affiliates immediately began spamming my email address too (which they didn't previously have), beginning April 21, 2024. Emails claiming to be from the college, from Trump, Don Jr., Sarah DeValkenaere, Kristi Noem, Vivek Ramaswamy, Andrea Phillips, Mike Pompeo, Byron Donalds, etc., etc., etc., exactly like the text messages and containing extremely similar content.

  Business response

  05/30/2024

  Good Morning -

  Thank you for contacting us!  I have suppressed the telephone number provided and the email address provided as well.  This should take a couple weeks to completely stop due to items we already have in que.  

  I suppressed the name of ******** and Ted from all postal mailing as well to be sure that doesn't get added.  If you have any further questions or concerns please feel free to contact us again.

  Best,

  ******

  Customer response

  05/31/2024

  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  1.  I need your organization to also remove two other email addresses of mine from ALL of your lists, including those of ALL of your affiliates:
  ******************
  *******************
  I have recently begun receiving spam from your organization, and its affiliates, at those two additional personal email addresses of mine as well.
  
  2.  I need your organization to also COMPLETELY remove my house address from ALL of your lists and those of ALL of your affiliates. That includes to ALL person's names you may have on file for my house address.
  
  I don't know how my personal cellular phone number, my three personal email addresses, and my postal address got on to the distribution lists of your organization and its affiliates, by any legal means. My cellular phone number has been on the National Do Not Call Registry since the day I obtained it. I had never heard of Hillsdale College. I am not a Republican.
  
  Furthermore, I feel the need to state publicly that it is unethical to send text messages from literally thousands of different phone numbers, making it impossible for citizens to block them. You never honored my requests to stop the daily onslaught of them until I filed a complaint to the BBB.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** *****
  

  Business response

  05/31/2024

  Good Morning -

  Thank you for getting back to us.  We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you.  I have taken out all of the information you have provided to us.  As I mentioned previously, you may still receive a couple more things due to the que.  However, it will stop.  If you have any further questions please let me know.

  Many Blessings,

  ****** 

  Customer response

  06/03/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  Since filing my complaint against Hillsdale College to the BBB, the spam texts from their organization and their affiliates to my personal cellular phone number and the spam emails to my personal email addresses have NOT reduced, but instead EXPLODED in quantity. Twelve or more PER DAY, including every day this weekend, and very early in the morning. This has been seriously impacting my ability to sleep, or to ever leave my phone ringer on for very important calls that I need to be able to take. But more than 10 times of what is now arriving is not real but instead from Hillsdale College and its many affiliates. I demand that they (ALL of them) IMMEDIATELY CEASE AND DESIST.

  Sincerely,
  
  ******** *****

  Customer response

  06/06/2024

  There has been no reduction whatsoever in the organization's spam text messages to my personal number and email addresses. ****** from the organization has said in her response each time that a "couple" more may come through. That is different than one or more per day, every day of the week, to each different media of mine, relentlessly. Since I never had any previous relationship with this organization or its affiliates, this whole ordeal seems to me that it must be illegal, and in multiple ways. Furthermore, your organization's text messages to my personal cellular phone number refer to me as ***** or ****. So you and ALL of your affiliates need to remove my phone number from ALL records, regardless of the person's name on the records.

  Business response

  06/12/2024

  Good Morning -

  I have spoke with our digital team regarding this information.  I have been informed that we have removed the three emails and the cell phone number.  Going back to the original message there are several extensions that do not belong to Hillsdale College.  I believe it is a coincidence that those emails/text message started at the same time.  I believe we have done everything possible on our end to get these ones coming from Hillsdale College stopped.  If I can be of further assistance please let me know.

  Thank you -

  ***********;

  Customer response

  06/13/2024

   
  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.

  It appears that one or more cybercriminal entities are impersonating Hillsdale College and Bill from Hillsdale. I have since contacted Rebrandly, a firm that appears from my research to have been hosting the list of web domains I provided you in my initial complaint message. (Those were the rebranded short domains (aka. short links) that appeared in the text messages claiming they were from your organization.) Rebrandly has not formally responded to me, but the daily text messages claiming to have been from Hillsdale College and its affiliates ceased beginning the day I submitting my phishing scam report to them.

  Regarding the continued emails claiming to be from Hillsdale College and its affiliates, they are from the same entity, and appear to be fraudulently impersonating yout organization and affiliates. Their web domains are as follows:

  buildingourmovement.com (Their website is an unfinished Wordpress site. They appear to be impersonating a PAC, and send emails claiming they are Hillsdale College and its affiliates. The address they list for themselves in the unfinished Wordpress site for themselves in MI is actually a restaurant called The **********, the info apparently copied and pasted from the restaurant's site.)

  Identical phishing scam emails as from the above domain have also come from:

  conservativeintel.com (aka. "Hillsdale College via ********************* The messages and content from this scam web domain are identical to those from buildingourmovement.com

  I have been unable to get those to stop. I strongly urge Hillsdale College to investigate these web domains that continue to incessantly commit fraud by impersonating your organization and affiliates.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************************

• Initial Complaint

  05/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I have been receiving numerous unsolicited mail in my mailbox from "Hillsdale College" with contrived right wing biased political surveys. I have sent many of these back, marked "Return to sender" , and have shredded others. I can find no information in these mailings regarding their email to request this sham College from sending ANY mailings to my home address. Furthermore I do not want to speak with any of their representatives or make any contact via their website. I want ANY AND ALL of my personal information to be deleted from Hillsdale College - my name, home address, email address, phone number, etc. I sincerely hope BBB can resolve this for me, as these mailings are very disturbing.

  Business response

  05/30/2024

  Good Morning -

  Thank you for contacting us!  I have located this individual in our files and have coded him as no contact.  No contact will take him out of our mailing, emailing and phone calling streams.  This process can take up to 8 weeks to cycle out because we pre-address our mail.  He may still 1 or 2 more things in that time frame but after that it will stop.  If you have any further questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact us again.

  Best,

  ****** 

  Customer response

  05/30/2024

  
  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

  05/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My PO Box receives so much junk mail that my real mail is returned. Hillsdale College seems to make it impossible to not receive their mail. I have never had any dealings with this business or anyone affiliated with it. I am sure of this. Please make them stop.Thank you, ****

  Business response

  05/29/2024

  Good Morning,

  Effective today 5-29-24, I have coded this record as no contact.  However, we preaddress our mail so he mail still receive some mail in the next 6 weeks.  After this time everything will stop.  If you have any further questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact us again.

  Best,

  Jessie 

• Initial Complaint

  05/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been receiving numerous texts, each one from a different number, over the past two months asking me to participate in Hillsdale College surveys. The texts are all addressed to my father, *****, and contain suspicious-looking links to 24act.us. I have never attended Hillsdale College and no one in my family has, either. I never signed up for these texts (I am far too left leaning, and find their political stance quite offensive). Im on the national do not call list, and I never even knew this college existed until I started being spammed by them! Ive been reporting them as spam, but because each text comes from a new number (like every other right-wing spam text I receive does), blocking and reporting the texts as spam with my carrier does nothing. Please take me off all mail, text, and call lists immediately. Please remove my information from your databases immediately and do NOT sell or otherwise provide my information to any other parties. Please tell me where you obtained my information so I may also contact the source and remind them that I am on the national do not call list and should not be receiving unsolicited texts or calls.

  Business response

  05/15/2024

  In response to the complaint by *****************************,we did not find a record in our database for ********************; the phone number and email that she listed in the BBB complaint has been put on a suppression list for no further contact If she would like to supply a complete address, I will make sure that we remove her promptly if a record for her is found. She was part of a Marketing outreach and survey. We are sorry that she was unhappy with the Text message she received.
  We try to take care of our recipientsrequests or concerns as quickly as possible. We have complied to Ms. ********* request by putting her on the text suppression list for the number she provided on the complaint as of May 14, 2024 per her request to be removed. Until the current change takes effect in our system, she may or may not receive another text that has already been set up to be sent, but after that, all texts should stop. We will review further if she provides the information that we need. We are sorry that ******************** has had a bad experience with Hillsdale College and wish her well. Hillsdale College has done their part to comply with Ms. ********* request for no further contact from the college.
  Sincerely,
  Hillsdale College Imprimis

• Initial Complaint

  04/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I continue to receive unwanted mail and request all mail stop

  Business response

  05/14/2024

  In response to the complaint by *******************************; we are sorry that ************** was unhappy with mail received from Hillsdale College. ******************* has been a subscriber since 5/20/2010. We do have an unsubscribe link on Imprimis publications that are sent out by e-mail. Constituents that receive Imprimis by mail simply need call or email to be removed from our mailings. Our phone number and email are listed on the back page of every Imprimis publication that is mailed out. We have a great team in place ready to receive your call and take care of your issues as fast as possible with call hours of
  Mon Fri 9AM to 5PM. When you visit the Hillsdale College web site home page, at the bottom of the home screen there is a phone number to call, or you can click on Contact the College and it will give you information for the College Operator at ************, and the Imprimis ************ number and e-mail. You can also get there by clicking on the menu and select the About tab. You will see a list that shows Contact Us. After selecting Contact Us, it provides the local ************ number; the ************ number; and email that you can request to be unsubscribed, or ask Imprimis staff other questions about Imprimis.
  
  We have complied to Mr. ********* request by taking him off the mailing list on all sites and marked his record as No Contact as of May 14, 2024 as he requested. Mailings are set up 4 to 6 weeks in advance; there is no further action that we can take after a mailing has already been sent to the mail house for distribution. He may receive a few more items that have already been mailed, but after that, all mail should stop. We are sorry that ******************************* has had a bad experience with Hillsdale College Imprimis and want to assure him that we have done everything that we can to honor his request for no further contact by Hillsdale College.
  
  Sincerely,
  Hillsdale College Imprimis

  Business response

  05/14/2024

  In response to the complaint by *******************************; we are sorry that ************** was unhappy with mail received from Hillsdale College. ******************* has been a subscriber since 5/20/2010. We do have an unsubscribe link on Imprimis publications that are sent out by e-mail. Constituents that receive Imprimis by mail simply need call or email to be removed from our mailings. Our phone number and email are listed on the back page of every Imprimis publication that is mailed out. We have a great team in place ready to receive your call and take care of your issues as fast as possible with call hours of
  Mon Fri 9AM to 5PM. When you visit the Hillsdale College web site home page, at the bottom of the home screen there is a phone number to call, or you can click on Contact the College and it will give you information for the College Operator at ************, and the Imprimis ************ number and e-mail. You can also get there by clicking on the menu and select the About tab. You will see a list that shows Contact Us. After selecting Contact Us, it provides the local ************ number; the ************ number; and email that you can request to be unsubscribed, or ask Imprimis staff other questions about Imprimis.
  
  We have complied to Mr. ********* request by taking him off the mailing list on all sites and marked his record as No Contact as of May 14, 2024 as he requested. Mailings are set up 4 to 6 weeks in advance; there is no further action that we can take after a mailing has already been sent to the mail house for distribution. He may receive a few more items that have already been mailed, but after that, all mail should stop. We are sorry that ******************************* has had a bad experience with Hillsdale College Imprimis and want to assure him that we have done everything that we can to honor his request for no further contact by Hillsdale College.
  
  Sincerely,
  Hillsdale College Imprimis

• Initial Complaint

  04/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have received on numerous occasions mail flyers/advertisements from Hillsdale College, despite no interactions or desire to interact with the business. The business has noted that they allow referrals on their envelopes. I ask the BBB to prevent this policy from being allowed to continue, as it creates an unneeded headache as someone who does not desire to hear the opinions and views of this abhorrent institution.The business does not allow easy cancellation of their junk mail service.

  Business response

  05/13/2024

  In response to the complaint by Mr. ******************************* he is correct that we do accept referrals from our subscribers on the envelopes of the Imprimis publications mailed out. However, after investigating his record, I found **************** and Event Registrant. It leads me to believe that he might have clicked on something while browsing. We are sorry that *************************** was unhappy with mail received from Hillsdale College and we will promptly remove him. We do have an unsubscribe link on Imprimis publications that are sent out by email. Constituents that receive Imprimis by mail simply need to call or email us to be removed with the number provided on the back of each Imprimis publication mailed. We have a great team in place ready to receive your call and take care of your issues as fast as possible with call hours of Mon Fri 9AM to 5PM. When you visit the Hillsdale College web site home page,at the bottom of the home screen there is a phone number to call, or you can click on Contact the College and it will give you information for the College Operator at ************, and the Imprimis ************ number and e-mail. You can also get there by clicking on the menu and select the About tab. You will see a list that shows Contact Us. After selecting Contact Us, it provides the local ************ number; the ************ number; and email that you can request to be unsubscribed, or ask Imprimis staff other questions about Imprimis.
  
  We have complied to ************************ request by taking him off the mailing list on all sites and marked his record as No Contact as of May 13, 2024 as he requested. Mailings are set up 4 to 6 weeks in advance; there is no further action that we can take after a mailing has already been sent to the mail house for distribution. He may receive a few more items that have already been mailed, but after that, all mail should stop. We are sorry that *************************** has had a bad experience with Hillsdale College Imprimis and want to assure him that we have done everything that we can to honor his request for no further contact by Hillsdale College.
  
  Sincerely,
  Hillsdale College Imprimis

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This college is sending me unsolicited texts to my personal number. I never asked for our signed up for any texts from them. additionally they are not sending info about college or courses. They are sending a survey that contains several biased questions to support the alt right ***** agenda. Not surprising, on the same day that I get an unsolicited text from *****. I never signed up for any of this and this so called college needs to stop harassing people with their sad backwoods outdated agendas. Im not even sure its a college. At the bottom it said they dont take government money or even financial aid basically so that they cant get in trouble as they keep spewing this alt right garbage. And probably so they dont get shut down for posing as a real college. I would like to know where this company got my information. And I would like them to stop sending unsolicited communications to me and others that they are sending it to.

  Business response

  05/14/2024

  In response to the complaint by *******************************, we did not find a record in our database for a *******************************; the phone number and email that she listed in the BBB complaint has been put on a suppression list for no further contact If she would like to suppy a complete address and the phone number the text was sent to, if not the one listed, I will make sure that we remove her promptly. She was probably part of a Marketing outreach and survey. We are sorry that she was unhappy with the Text she received.
  We try to take care of our recipientsrequests or concerns as quickly as possible. We have complied to Ms. ******** request by putting her on the text suppression list for the number she provided on the complaint, as well as the number shown in the attachment, as of May 14,2024 per her request to be removed. Until the current change takes effect in our system, she may or may not receive another text that has already been set up to be sent, but after that, all texts should stop. We will review further if she provides the information that we need. We are sorry that ****************** has had a bad experience with Hillsdale College and wish her well. Hillsdale College has done their part to comply with Ms. ******** request for no further contact from the college.
  Sincerely,
  Hillsdale College Imprimis

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Receiving unsolicited text messages with no way to truly opt out. Each stop request by me just surfaces a new phone number with the same text. I also went to Hillsdale’s terms of service which gives an option to opt out by texting Stop to their short code, however the automated system responds that they do not recognize this keyword! How ironic. I am on the do not call list and I have nothing to do with Hillsdale and never did. I want to stop receiving these messages immediately

  Business response

  04/25/2024

  In response to the complaint by Mr. ******* ******, we found a record in our database for a ******* ******, but not with a New Jersey address and did not match the phone number he listed in the BBB complaint. I would like to request a complete address and the phone number the text was sent to, if not the one listed to make sure I remove the right record. In viewing the documents attached, he was probably part of a Marketing outreach and survey. In the one document it shows that he was unsubscribed. In the other document it listed a number for him to call for further assistance. I need the information requested to make sure that texts will be stopped for him. We are sorry that he was unhappy with the Text he received, we have added the number listed in the complaint to the text suppression list for marketing research.
  We try to take care of our recipients’ requests or concerns as quickly as possible. We have complied to Mr ******’s request by putting him on the text suppression list for the number he provided on the complaint as of April 25, 2024 per his request to be removed. Until the current change takes effect in our system, he may or may not receive another text that has already been set up to be sent, but after that, all texts should stop. We will review again when he provides the information that we need. We are sorry that Mr. ****** has had a bad experience with Hillsdale College.
  Sincerely,
  Hillsdale College Imprimis

• Initial Complaint

  04/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Unsolicited spam mail continually arrives from Hillsdale College. Stop sending mail.

  Business response

  04/16/2024

  In response to the complaint by Mr. ******* *****; we do accept referrals from our subscribers on the envelopes of the Imprimis publications mailed out. We do have topics that inspire thought and stimulate debate. We are sorry that Mr. ***** was unhappy with mail received from Hillsdale College. We do have an unsubscribe link on Imprimis publications that are sent out by e-mail. Constituents that receive Imprimis by mail simply need call or email to be removed from our mailings. Our phone number and email are listed on the back page of every Imprimis publication that is mailed out. When you visit the Hillsdale College web site home page, at the bottom of the home screen there is a phone number to call, or you can click on “Contact the College” and it will give you information for the College Operator at ************, and the Imprimis ************ number and e-mail. You can also get there by clicking on the menu and select the “About” tab. You will see a list that shows “Contact Us.” After selecting “Contact Us,” it provides the local ************ number; the *** ******** number; and email that you can request to be unsubscribed, or ask Imprimis staff other questions about Imprimis.
  
  We have complied to Mr. *****’s request by taking him off the mailing list on all sites and marked his record as “No Contact” as of April 16, 2024 as he requested. Mailings are set up 4 to 6 weeks in advance; there is no further action that we can take after a mailing has already been sent to the mail house for distribution. He may receive a few more items that have already been mailed, but after that, all mail should stop. We are sorry that Mr. ***** has had a bad experience with Hillsdale College Imprimis and want to assure him that we have done everything that we can to honor his request for no further contact by Hillsdale College.
  
  Sincerely,
  Hillsdale College Imprimis

  Customer response

  04/16/2024

  
  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

  04/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Received 2 mailing, one addressed to ***** ****** (********) the other to *** ****** (********). Never had any contact Hillsdale or Imprimis. I need my information removed from all lists both companies have as I am totally against this sort of racism. I also want to make sure my information is removed from any lists that is sold, rented, traded or in anyway passed to other organizations, companies, partners or any other third party. I would also want information on how my information was obtained, thus I can process removal from that list. I believe as a Virginian, I can request all my information deleted.

  Business response

  04/09/2024

  In response to the complaint by Mr. ***** ******; we do accept referrals from our subscribers on the envelopes of the Imprimis publications mailed out sometimes they supply many, such as Church’s or organizations. We do have topics that inspire thought and stimulate debate. We are sorry that Mr. ****** was unhappy with mail received from Hillsdale College. From the research that was orchestrated on his behalf, both of the records that Mr. ****** is referring to started out as two different people with different addresses, out of the 17 that are listed in our database. We think that somehow an address update was applied to two different people (*****|***) at different addresses and hence made them a duplicate for him.  We do have an unsubscribe link on Imprimis publications that are sent out by email. Constituents that receive Imprimis by mail simply need to call or email us to be removed with the number provided on the back of each Imprimis mailed. We have a great team in place ready to receive your call and take care of your issues as fast as possible with call hours of Mon – Fri 9AM to 5PM. When you visit the Hillsdale College web site home page, at the very bottom of the home screen there is a phone number to call, or you can click on Contact the College and it will give you information for the College Operator ************ and the Imprimis ************ number and to email Imprimis. You can also get there by clicking on the menu and select the About Tab. You will see a list that shows Contact Us. After selecting Contact Us, it provides the local ************ number; the *** ******** number; and email that you can easily request to be unsubscribed, limit the amount of mail that is received, or ask Imprimis staff other questions about Imprimis.
  
  We have complied to Mr. ******’s request by taking both records off the mailing list on all sites and marked the records as “No Contact” as of April 9, 2024 as he requested. Mailings are set up 4 to 6 weeks in advance; there is no further action that we can take after a mailing file has already been sent to the mail house for distribution. He may receive a few more items that have already been mailed, but after that, all mail should stop. We are sorry that Mr. ****** has had a bad experience with Hillsdale College Imprimis. We  want to assure him that we have done everything that we can to honor his request for no release of any of his information to anyone, which is never more than a name and address, and no further contact by Hillsdale College.
  
  Sincerely,
  Hillsdale College Imprimis

  Customer response

  04/09/2024

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I need also to know who supplied my information.   I have never, to my knowledge, affiliated with any organization, church or group with the type of views expressed in these mailings--so I need to know the how my information was received.  I accept that all mailings will cease and my name not be passed to any third party.  I do not call the number on the back of the mailings or utilize the email of the entity I'm trying to separate from-- as instructed by the FTC, the do not call group etc.--in order to avoid validation of my information. Thanks for stopping the mail and removing my name from ALL lists.

  
  
  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. ↩