Content starts here
CLOSE ×

Search

Reply
Periodic Contributor

beware AARP membership renewal notices

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.

27,002 Views
39
Report
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. 

1,220 Views
0
Report
Super 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
1,438 Views
0
Report

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?

15,746 Views
12
Report
Contributor

 I just got another renewal request, claiming my membership expired in October.

But I sent in a renewal back in AUGUST.  Yes they cashed the check.

AND I later realized I'd already sent in a renewal back in March.  Cashed that one too.

I guess they think they've got a real sucker on the line - two renewals in a year, why not fish for a third? 

Shameful that an organization that frequently warns seniors to watch out for scams, would be doing this.   Won't be renewing again. 

3,076 Views
2
Report
Community Concierge

@t608115c I hope you reconsider and decide to stick with us. I reviewed your membership and the last payment we received was in 2019. The membership expired on 10/31/2023. You can also check the status of your membership online here: https://aarp.info/3z0B68kWhen you have a moment, please give us a call with the info from the canceled check so we can investigate this further: 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277).

0 Kudos
2,937 Views
1
Report
Contributor

Oh, so you have no record of receiving and cashing my checks?  Oh that's different then...  I'll be sure to ring you up and give you all my banking information right away, because obviously AARP can be trusted, and hasn't at minimum failed to credit both cashed checks to my account, and certainly no AARP staff cashed them and stole the money despite all of AARP's clearly stringent financial controls.  You can expect my call on the 31st of Never-mber.

2,889 Views
0
Report
Newbie

I agree. I just attempted to renew online for five years at a reduced price and was unable to. Nor was the online CHAT rep able to help. Kind of like a bait and switch?  I'm very surprised at AARP as I expected more credibilty.

13,965 Views
7
Report
Community Concierge

@jp2943823 I appreciate your interest in joining our family! Where did you see this reduced rate for membership? If it's a mailed offer, you just need to return it via mail with your membership dues payment in order to take advantage of the offer. If it's an offer you received via email, please follow the link in the email. 

13,874 Views
6
Report
Newbie

I paid early renewal and was to get free 3 piece organizer.  I have not received the free gift. On Chat today  was told it was shipped Oct 9 but I have not

received it and was cut off from Chat! Tried to get

back on but was not able to.  So..... what now?

 

0 Kudos
3,655 Views
1
Report
Community Concierge

@h589240d Your gift was re-ordered when you chatted with us and you can expect to receive it via mail within 3-4 weeks. Let me know if there's anything I can do, I'm here to help!

0 Kudos
3,530 Views
0
Report
Contributor

Is this a scam or spam? I am paid up until 2028 and getting renewal notices. There are enough complaints here that someone higher up should be notified of this. It wastes our time. AARP must be paying out tons of money in unnecessary mailing which could be used to support the AARP Foundation or lower membership costs. Trees are being cut down for these unnecessary mailings. Maybe even use the saved money from unnecessary mailing to improve the computer systems so that it only sends out renewal letters to the people who are coming close to the end of their renewal period. Or an option to only get renewal notices by email. Please, pass this message to someone at AARP who can fix the problem.

12,496 Views
3
Report
Contributor

PLUS ~ We receive a new PLASTIC card with every single membership renewal mailing. I Do Not Need another card! And will these cards Ever deteriorate ~ nope! Nor will I need a new one when my membership is up.

I’d prefer if they were paper anyway.

Just please(!) STOP with all the unnecessary mailings and extra cards.

Also ~ stop with the free gift as an incentive to purchase. Unnecessary.

 

0 Kudos
2,341 Views
0
Report
Periodic Contributor

Dear Lifegaze,

It would be interesting to know whether the notices actually stopped after the 4-6 weeks lag mentioned by AARPJanelleM.  Did you notice? 

 

Let's assume for the moment that AARP is not deliberately sending premature notices.  If true, this suggests that they are manually updating their database - hence the 4-6 weeks lag.  There must be many ways to automate this and drastically cut lag time.  This should be slamdunk easy for online renewals.  For mail renewals, they could barcode the renewal form and batch run them through a hi-speed scanner.  An experienced database programmer should be able to easily modernize their system to handle this.

 

An alternate explanation is that they deliberately send excess notices, as others here have suggested.  The 11/3/23 message from Txcy512895 is disturbing.  That member paid twice in 1 year, and still receives notices.

 

Any lawyers out there care to weigh in on this?  I'm not sure whether these reports from members conclusively prove anything illegal, but it sure looks suspicious.

0 Kudos
3,037 Views
0
Report
Community Concierge

@Lifegaze Thank you for your valued membership. No scam here! The renewal notices you're receiving are due to a lag in our renewal processing system. It can take 4-6 weeks for the notices to stop once your payment is processed because pre printed labels are used. I see your 5 year renewal was processed on 2/9/2023. Anything you are getting was printed before your payment was received. I'm always here to help!

12,467 Views
0
Report
Community Concierge

@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

15,735 Views
0
Report
Newbie

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?

15,829 Views
0
Report
Newbie

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.

17,083 Views
0
Report
Silver 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
22,788 Views
1
Report
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.

20,709 Views
0
Report
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.

22,879 Views
1
Report
Newbie

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.

 

13,963 Views
0
Report
Contributor

We, too, have been scammed! AARP sent a five year renewal approx 3 months before expiration. I promptly paid the full $63 for 5 yr renewal. Three weeks later more junk mail from AARP....requesting our renewal(same membership) with a new discounted renewal price of $45 for 5 yrs also a 4 piece luggage organizer set upon prompt renewal. THIS IS ASS BACKWARDS!!! Why are we not given the reduced price with goodies to pay early???  I want the $18 credit and the luggage or I will be cancelling for a full refund! We have been member since 2010. 

24,485 Views
7
Report
Contributor

I just got scammed as I got my notice and It showed different pieces of the luggage I think about 4 pieces. I paid online and they never sent the gift and mine was not any type of organizer at all it was luggage. I'm very disappointed in AARP  and will never renew again. They won't even answer my questions nor are of any help whatsoever. #BoycottAARP due to the lies

19,372 Views
2
Report
Community Concierge

@PatriciaG267634 Hi Patricia, thank you for taking the time to reach out- I'm here to help. AARP has never offered luggage as a complimentary membership gift. The 4 piece set is luggage organizers. They can be used to organize your smaller items within your luggage while traveling. Here is a link to an offer that shows an image of that gift: https://aarp.info/renew35-luggage  I sent you a private message to assist further. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything!

19,339 Views
1
Report
Newbie

@AARPJanelleM the reduced renewal fee is what interested me however that too is not available.  This seems like a very deceptive and misleading practice especially when directed at senior citizens.

 

13,963 Views
0
Report
Contributor

It's not "luggage"... it's a luggage "organizer" and hardly worth the trouble. Most of the renewal "gifts" are of pretty low value.🥺😕

20,184 Views
0
Report
Newbie

MY NAME IS MARIA SALSAMENDI, AND I AM CANCELLING MY SUBSCRIPTION.

23,889 Views
0
Report
Community Concierge

@creekclark67 Thanks for being a member! I appreciate you taking the time to reach out regarding the difference in offer pricing. The membership fee is $63 for 5 years although we occasionally have discounted pricing offered on certain mailings. It seems as though you do not have Private Messaging enabled on this Community Forum for me to send you a private message with more details. Please give us a call toll-free at 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277) so we can discuss the options regarding the membership offers. 

 

Also, the particular offer that was used to renew your membership did not include a gift. That's no problem! I have ordered you the complimentary 4 piece luggage organizer set and you can expect to receive it within 3-4 weeks by mail. You will also be able to track it online once it ships, learn more here: Where Is My Free AARP Gift?

24,416 Views
1
Report
Periodic Contributor

@AARPJanelleM   I don't want to extend for 5 years.  I don't want any gift.  I want AARP to stop the unethical practices described in this thread.

24,378 Views
0
Report
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Users
Need to Know

NEW: AARP Games Tournament Tuesdays! This week, achieve a top score in Atari Centipede® and you could win $100! Learn More.

AARP Games Tournament Tuesdays

More From AARP