To cancel a TME magazine subscription, contact Synapse Group, Inc., the company that actually runs TME billing, by phone at (877) 516-2381, through your account at mags.com, or by email to cs@mags.com. A phone call during business hours is the fastest route, but email and mail create a paper trail that a phone call doesn’t. Whichever method you pick, the job isn’t finished until you’ve saved a confirmation and watched your statement for a billing cycle or two.
Confirm the Charge Is Actually TME
TME labels each charge with “TME*” followed by the magazine title, so your statement might show something like TME*People, TME*Sports Illustrated, or TME*Real Simple. A toll-free number often sits next to the charge. Any line item starting with “TME*” points back to Synapse Group, not to the magazine itself.
That distinction matters. Synapse handles subscriptions for dozens of well-known titles, and calling the magazine’s own customer service line will not cancel the billing. The charge is Synapse’s, and only Synapse can stop it.
What to Have Ready Before You Reach Out
Pull up the statement showing the TME charge. Note the exact magazine name after “TME*”, the amount, and the date billed. If physical magazines have been arriving, the mailing label usually carries an account or subscriber number. Have the last four digits of the card being charged, plus the billing name and address, so the representative can find your account on the first try.
Know roughly when the charges started, too. Many TME subscriptions begin as a free trial bundled with another purchase and quietly convert to recurring credit card charges later, and that timeline matters if you end up asking for a refund or disputing the charge.
Cancel by Phone
Call (877) 516-2381, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. Tell the representative you want to cancel your TME subscription immediately and stop all future billing.
Expect a retention pitch before the cancellation is processed. The representative may offer a discounted rate, a pause, or extra issues at no charge. You don’t have to explain yourself or negotiate. Decline each offer and repeat that you want full cancellation. The pitch can come in waves, so stay firm and polite until the representative confirms the subscription is closed.
Before hanging up, ask for a cancellation confirmation number and the name of the representative. Write both down. That’s your proof if charges reappear.
Cancel Online or by Email
If you’d rather not call, log into your account at mags.com and look for a cancellation option in your account settings. The site may route you through several confirmation screens with the same retention offers you’d hear on the phone. Click through to the final confirmation and screenshot it.
Email works too. Send your request to cs@mags.com with your full name, billing address, the magazine title from the statement charge, and any account number you have. Ask for written confirmation that the subscription has been canceled and no further charges will be applied. Email creates its own paper trail, which is a real advantage over a phone call.
Cancel by Mail
For the most airtight documentation, send a written cancellation by certified mail with return receipt to TME’s corporate address: 225 High Ridge Rd, Stamford, CT 06905. Include your name, address, account number, the magazine title, and a clear statement that you are canceling effective immediately. The certified mail receipt and return card prove that Synapse received your request on a specific date, which carries weight if the billing dispute escalates.
Mail is slow. If your next billing date is close, pair the letter with a phone call or email so the charge actually stops in time.
Verify the Cancellation Stuck
Whichever route you took, keep every confirmation number, email reply, screenshot, and certified mail receipt in one place. Then watch your credit card and bank statements for the next two to three months. TME charges sometimes process on a lag, so a final charge already in the pipeline may still land after you cancel.
Magazines may also keep arriving for a few weeks. That’s usually just the remaining issues from a cycle you already paid for. The real red flag is a new charge dated after your cancellation.
What to Do if Charges Keep Coming
If Synapse keeps billing you after you canceled, escalate in order.
Dispute the Charge With Your Card Issuer
Contact your credit card company or bank and dispute the charge. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you have 60 days from the date the statement containing the error was sent to submit a written dispute. The dispute has to identify your account, the charge you believe is wrong, and why. Your cancellation confirmation number is the key evidence. The card issuer must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days and resolve it within two billing cycles, and it cannot report the disputed amount as delinquent while the investigation is open.
Revoke Authorization or Place a Stop Payment
If TME is charging a debit card or pulling directly from your bank account, call your bank and revoke authorization for the automatic payment. Your bank may recommend a formal stop payment order to block future charges from that merchant. Banks typically charge a fee for stop payment orders, often in the $20 to $35 range, so weigh that against the recurring charge amount. Follow up your call with a written request so your instructions are documented.
File an FTC Complaint
If the charges continue despite cancellation, file a complaint at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The FTC enforces the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act and finalized its “click-to-cancel” rule in late 2024, which requires sellers to offer a simple cancellation mechanism and to stop charges immediately when a consumer cancels. One complaint may not resolve your case on its own, but the FTC uses complaint patterns to build enforcement actions against repeat offenders.
Federal Law on Your Side
Two federal laws back you up. The Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act bars sellers from charging your card in an internet transaction through a negative option feature unless they clearly disclosed all material terms before collecting your billing information and obtained your express informed consent. If TME enrolled you without meeting those conditions, the charges may have been unlawful from the start.
The Fair Credit Billing Act gives you the right to dispute billing errors with your card issuer, with that 60-day clock running from the date the statement containing the disputed charge is mailed. Act quickly once an unauthorized TME charge shows up, keep your cancellation records, and the law gives you a workable path to get your money back.