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A few months ago I stopped recieving my Game Developer Magazines. I figured that my free subscription must have finally run out after almost two years of getting them, so I didn't think much of it, but I tried to e-mail them to ask why they stopped showing up: no response. I had bigger things to worry about at the time (that was the period around my money troubles, as some of you may recall me having). Anyway, today I recieved a subscription renewal e-mail from Game Developer Magazine. I thought "hmm, that's interesting," and went through the renewal process, only to discover that someone had changed my address (which is not on Riverside Drive) to a Riverside Drive address. I immediately drove to that address, and what should I find? Lourdes Hospital! Someone changed my address from my home to Lourdes Hospital and they've been recieving my Game Developer Magazines there for quite some time. I didn't know that Lourdes was at that address, and besides that, why would I re-route a magazine that I love so much to a hospital? So obviously, I didn't do it. But who did? How can someone access that sort of information and why would they change it? I called the hospital earlier, who told me they recieve thousands of pieces of mail a day and I'd be better of talking to their mail room, so I was connected to their mail room and left a message asking how long they've been getting them, how many issues they've recieved, and who in their mail room might be interested in something like that. If they don't respond in the next few days, by say Monday or so, then I'm going to have to call the authorities (not that I even know who to call for something like that) because as far as I'm concerned, that's mail theft (and a Felony in the United States as far as I know). Anyone have any ideas on how I should go about all this? What would you guys do, honestly, if you were in this situation? I get the magazines for free as the owner of an indie game company (you guys can too, if you didn't already know that), but the issue price is pretty high in comparison with other magazines, and I'm greatful that they think of me as an "insider," so this isn't just theft, it's an insult to boot Okay, I'm done venting, hehe... thanks for letting me get this off my chest.

edit: I mixed up "Game Developer" with "Game Informer" and had to go back and change them all... if I missed any, woops, it should be Game Developer. Did anyone ever wonder why these two magazines, who are owned by two different magazines and are seemingly unrelated, use the same font, the same color format, and pretty much the same logo design in general? Curious

With all due respect to you, I would say just chalk it up,
and go on with your life, unless you just want to bring
charges against a hospital for a free magazine...my 2cents.

-JerBil

Well fooey!

Lots of magazines like PC Pro and PC Zone print a special code above the address label on subcription magazines. With these codes you can simply login to the respective website and change your address, cancel the subscription,etc - Any knowledgeable Postman could have a field day and redivert people mags anywhere he wanted.

I also remember you saying that you had some strange undefined possible to be trojan on your comp. Although it would be a bit of a stretch could it have been possible you logged into your Game Developer account from a website using a user/pass or someone gain access to your e-mail account user/pass and looked a past e-mails containing information to that account then changed it?
Like i said a bit of a stretch and probably didn't happen and would suspect something more simplistic like spooky said, although it could be possible.

Actually Zone, you might be on to something there. I've had a whopping three trojan fiascos since owning this computer... I assume that's a lot, especially for someone in our community. Can you actually do that with a trojan though? And why would they mail them to the hospital and not just steal them outright? Ugh, so many questions!

I wouldn't press charges against the hospital anyway (it's highly unlikely that they stole my subsription, hehe), but if I find out who re-routed them to said hospital, then I would DEFINITELY press charges because that's thievery and it shouldn't go unpunished. But that's my opinion, hehe

step (1) : find out the mag. websites admin contact
step (2) : contact him and ask him to provide the ip logs of your account
step (3) : trace the ip to the isp it originates from when your details were changed.
step (4) : call that isp for the account holders name
step (5) : send some boys over with rolled up magazines, or have his isp terminate his account for fraudulent practices.

I find it amazing how companies that write articles month after month about fraud, hacking, blah de blah, make such an incredibly simple system to get into. Their websites also work just by user name, no password required. Just start typing words/names on their sites and you'll get somebody elses account eventually.

mystery solved - by a bat no less

One long paragraph = Pain in ass to read.

And sorry about your magazine thing. (it wuz me lolz!!!)

You know Megaton, Toronto isn't that far away lol. You drove here, found the address to the hospital, broke into my home, used my computer to change my shipping address, and then stole off into the night with my Game Developer magazines. You jerk!

But seriously, can I even do all of that stuff that Indi said? Do you think they'd give me that information?

The hospital called me back and the lady I spoke to said they did get those magazines, but they tossed them when they showed up because they didn't seem like they should have them. So now I'm just SOL and missed several editions (what am I going to do, sue a hospital?). I was REALLY looking forward to the articles about 3D human body animation I'm wondering if the magazine company can send them back to me because of this stuff, or if they'll just say I'm SOL too But I think I'll try Indi's idea.

Why do one, when you can do both?

Well, chances are if you explain the problem to them (And can get past generic customer service E-Mail response. "We are glad you have shown interest in our publication, if you wish to renew your subscription, press 1... now... if you wish to redirect you subscription to a hospital so they can be thrown out, press 2... now...) you 'could' get some back-issues for free.

Post how it turns out, eh?