Contributor ⭐

beware AARP membership renewal notices

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
August 16, 2021
66 replies
64398 views

AARP sends mass mailings to "valued members" to renew. Over the years, I've received many of these posted YEARS before my membership is actually due for renewal. AARP is well aware of this and chooses not to correct this clearly deceptive and predatory practice.

It will be interesting to see if AARP takes down this post.

C

CliffordL912405

Contributor ⭐

I pay my Dad’s bills and AARP sends out renewal notices all year long. My Dad’s renewal is in February and he just got a renewal notice today in August, 6 months in advance. They even included new cards that ironically expire in February. AARP takes advantage of the people they are supposed to be looking out for. Shame on you AARP!!!

A

AARPConsumerCare

Community Champion ⭐

AARP sends renewal notices to accounts that expire within 6 months, @CliffordL912405. Our hope is that our members are able to renew before experiencing any interruption in their membership, including receipt of AARP The Magazine or their AARP Bulletin. Some members may also have their life insurance or other insurance polices linked to their AARP membership, and it could be detrimental for it to lapse. We have found that many members prefer to renew far before the actual membership expiration date at a time that is convenient for them, and we send promotional offers that many members enjoy taking advantage of. If your dad would like to reduce the amount of renewal notices he receives please have him contact us by chat, text or phone. You can find our contact information online at https://aarp.info/3epCObA - Brandon C.

WebWiseWoman

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Sorry, Brandon, but this is incorrect. I've had a "life-time" membership since November. 2004 ($250 at that time) and I've received multiple renewal notices monthly, via the site and e-mail, for the last 20 years and 10 months...

Perhaps AARP should consider some of the suggestions in these posts?

"Thank you for your attention to this matter."

SereneSeagull

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

When I pay my membership I keep the top part of the statement, and write the date I paid. When I get all the early renewal notices, I double check to make sure not time to renew yet, then shred the renewal notices.

SummerOnTheWay1

📎@SereneSeagull , that is a good way to keep track but AARP really needs to redo their system to save in paper and man hours. Geez, so many trees with the junk I get from them every week. Mail that cannot be stopped in spite of what they say on this site. The same with emails. Lol, glad I can send those to spam but it is getting old having to do all this. Maybe after I am gone, all this will stop. 🙄 Take care, Nicole!

➡️[*** @SereneSeagull wrote:

When I pay my membership I keep the top part of the statement, and write the date I paid. When I get all the early renewal notices, I double check to make sure not time to renew yet, then shred the renewal notices.

A

AARPConsumerCare

Community Champion ⭐

IluvVirginia To update your email preferences and select which types of emails you'd like to receive, you can go to the "My Account" section of your AARP Online Account, select "Communication Preferences" then under "Manage Newsletters" you'll be able to uncheck the box next to newsletters you'd rather not receive. I've sent you a private message to help with updating your mail preferences. - Christy C.

J

JosephC206913

Contributor ⭐

Agreed! Every time I get a "renewal" notice, I check and it's at least MONTHS before the renewal is due. It's a SCAM to get seniors to send money!

ALSO the "renewal" notices DO NOT STATE THE RENEWAL DATE .. which is RIDICULOUS!

M

MaryC598724

Contributor ⭐

I I am amazed that AARP is STILL practicing predatory renewalson us: I in fact DO keep track of my renewal dates and not only do I start getting this notices amny months ahead of time, the price keeps going up. I paid $36 July 21 2023 and started getting renewal notices in early 2024 telling me my subscription ends in Sep 2024. A current statement states: 1 yr = $16; 3 yrs = $43; My $36 from 1 year ago should be good for 2+ years (late 2025!). Phooey! Keep track for yourself and you'll save some $ for your heirs. AARP should keep their adm costs down and apply them to their 'service.'

A

AARPConsumerCare

Community Champion ⭐

@MaryC598724 Thank you for being a valued part of our family! The standard membership pricing is $16 per year and $43 for 3 years. Since you received a mailing that states your membership expires in September 2024, but as you said, you renewed for 3 years in 2023; it sounds like you may have two memberships in error. When you have a moment, please send us a private message or contact us using one of these methods, so we can check on your membership: https://aarp.info/3epCObA - Janelle M.

WarpedRecord

Contributor ⭐

I just received a similar notice. No way am I going to send a canceled check or scan a QR code. I was wondering whether it actually came from AARP because it’s so sketchy-looking. It doesn’t even have the expiration date of my account, which you would think would be provided here.

I was wondering when my membership actually expired, so I got out my card. It said March 2024 — two months from now. But next to it is my other membership card, expiring in March 2029. So my membership’s not due for five years, and AARP wants me to auto-renew now? Not gonna happen.

In addition to this being a scam, I suspect AARP is trying to raid its members’ bank accounts in perpetuity after they die. If I’m around in five years, I won’t be renewing then.

I shredded the notice and will have to live without the bonus gift, a five-port charger. This is unconscionable.

amcoffiebean

Contributor ⭐⭐

I came seeking an answer to another membership question and ran into this post. I am disgusted with this practice of premature renewals also. The ironic situation is that AARP writes and cautions so many individuals not to fall for fraud and illegal and unethical schemes. Many magazine subscriptions are also guilty of premature renewal notices that imply a membership is about to expire and my elderly Mom was baited into several. When we moved her into assisted living we discovered she had a paid up membership for years. ( 6 or 7) with Readers Digest. She paid a renewal form every time she got one in the mail. At that time they were delivered in an address sleeve that was always tossed away, she was never online, didn't know how to go online. It's the seniors who really get taken advantage here. Come on AARP, practice what you preach and what you try to warn seniors NOT to fall for.

amcoffiebean

G

GillianG268558

Contributor ⭐

HEY AARP. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS YEARS AGO ALSO. JUST STOP IT. YOUR REPUTATION IS AT STAKE AND LEGAL ACTION IS EVENTUALLY INEVITABLE. ALSO, I JUST LOOKED AT MY ACCOUNT ONLINE AND IT SAYS MY EXPIRATION IS FEB. 28. FOR MANY YEARS IT HAS BEEN SEPTEMBER, SO WHERE DID MY HALF YEAR OF MEMBERSHIP GO?

AARPJanelleM

Community Champion ⭐

@GillianG268558 Hi Gillian, your last renewal made in Oct of 2021 credited your account for 16 months. You can also check your membership info online if you'd like: Show Me My AARP Account Information

C

CindyE160402

Contributor ⭐

I have the same complaint. AARP will constantly send renewal notices months before your membership expires. I find this practice extremely irritating and because of it, I have stopped contributing to other causes that AARP champions for. I’m wondering if others feel the same way?

M

marieern

Contributor ⭐

I constantly receive renewal notices sometimes a year or more before renewal is needed, I questioned this and asked them to discontinue the constant notices but still receive them, I just throw them in the garbage.

rednexsrus

Conversationalist ⭐

@michaelg222537 I suspected something was odd with all the many early renewal notices I was also receiving, but sadly chose to ignore what was revealed as a deliberate and misleading practice. I am appalled that the Board of Directors of AARP.org a (non-profit) decided to overlook these actions in favor of monetary gain.

I have always accused the administrator of the AARP Rewards Program for it's unsatisfactory performance in the programs activities i.e. Rewards Instant Wins, Points Only gift cards, Daily Deals, Sweepstakes and discounted gift cards only to realize management may be instructed to keep the $ value of all rewards as mediocre as possible. Just Saying

lucyp061351

I

IWF2RETIRE

Contributor ⭐

I agree with you. I would like to use my 2,079 points toward my renewal. Still looking into it, but I bet they don't allow it. They would say they didn't make any money. Points, that whole thing is a joke. A few points get nothing and everything else is expensive and you AARP just make money off of it. I need AARP to help me and others not hinder us.

B

BrooksNYC

Contributor ⭐

AARP's shady billing practices are precisely what bring me to the site today, although I've been complaining for years. What makes these practices unconscionable is the fact that some elderly people (those with cognitive problems, say, or folks who may not keep careful records) won't realize that they're forking over cash to AARP for no reason.

Whenever I've complained, AARP has responded with an "oops" letter of apology, but nothing changes. It's hard not to wonder if the company's billing practices are not, in fact, deliberately misleading.

J

jp2943823

Contributor ⭐

Exactly! I just voiced my disappointment with an online chat and pointed out that this is especially questionable since they are dealing with senior citizens. It seems very unethical even if what they are doing is legal.

Show more replies

Sign up

Login with SSO

Login to the community

Login with SSO