Time Inc. filed a lawsuit Tuesday against a magazine subscription agent, alleging trademark infringement and improper solicitation.
The suit names Publishers Service Exchange (PSE) and its owner Dennis Simpson as defendants. Several publishers have conducted internal investigations into PSE and many have issued alerts to subscribers to be wary of communications from the agent.
The Magazine Publishers Association, which has declined to discuss PSE, is reportedly developing a task force to deal with concerns about the firm as well as list security issues, sources said.
Preliminary papers filed by lawyers for Time Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, state: “Defendants have knowingly, willfully and intentionally infringed plaintiff’s trademarks through unauthorized and improper solicitation.”
Alan Hereon, a lawyer for PSE, said yesterday that he was unaware of the lawsuit.
Time Inc. declined comment. However a spokesman for the firm said several weeks ago that, “PSE has never been authorized by us to sell or advertise any of our magazines.”
According to court documents, PSE is based in Medford, OR, and Simpson’s address is listed as La Jollier, CA. Neither could be reached for comment.
This is not the first time PSE has been sued.
Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers named PSE, Simpson and a number of other companies Simpson is associated with
Network
