Record Club Investigated; Fraud Feared

A record-club scheme joined by many members of the University may be fraudulent, it was learned yesterday. The Better Business Bureau and Post Office Inspectors are engaged in investigating complaints against the College Record Club, of Providence, R.I.

A letter from the Better Business Bureau of Providence to the Bureau in Boston described the College Record Club as "flying all over the country and where or when they light no one seems to know."

The letter went on: "We have many complaints regarding their methods and procedures and have referred various instances of their misleading acts to the Postal Inspection Department as fraud perpetrated through the U.S. mail."

The club, which distributed several brochures in the Houses and Yard in early December, has advertised widely in colleges and universities. It offers a 38 per cent discount on all records bought. Special sales may reduce prices by 50 per cent. Any LP available in the U.S. may be bought after an enrollment fee of $5.00.

Differing from other record clubs, the College Record Club claims that its members may buy as few or as many LP's as they like after enrollment in the society. After the first year, those who have joined may renew their membership at no extra cost.

Calling itself "The only club in the world that offers every record of every label," the College Record Club also claims not to "obligate" those who join and "prides itself on being able to extend fast service on record shipments to all its members."

Student reaction to the club has been mixed. One student who spent three months trying to get his records expressed the opinion that the club must be either stupid, disorganized, or crooked to allow such delay. Another reported no trouble at all and said he was completely satisfied.

At other universities students reported the same problems. A group of men at the University of Massachusetts has not yet received records ordered last September. Similar complaints have been made by students at Brandels and the University of Minnesota. Few members of the Club expressed satisfaction with it.

Said one Harvard freshman: "I knew it sounded too good to be true."