Gen X and Millennials were, at some point, customers of the old Columbia House scam. Around its heyday, I signed up for those 12 movies, and later CDs, for just a penny. Then you can add two more for only a couple of bucks. That was around the time I was in college. I remember that big box that would show up with your initial 12 VHS tapes. That began my movie collection scratch. The scam sort of fizzled out in the early 2000s. So, imagine my surprise when I heard they were just now going out of business in the year of our Lord 2026?

After 71 years, the old movie mail-order company is ceasing operations, according to Pitchfork. “After 9/15/26, The Columbia House will no longer be accepting new orders,” reads a recent message on its website. “You can still purchase books with your credit card or credits as normal.”

The company, which began in 1955, had a unique business model. Others would call it a scam, but it would be if you followed the directions. However, everyone, as some point, still owes them money. I know I do. For those of you too young to remember, Columbia House would entice you with these bulky mailers that claimed you could get 10 CDs or movies for a penny.

You would select your items of choice and mail it back. Within a few weeks, your package would arrive. Along with the bill. Now, the bill was for that penny along with shipping and handling. To be honest, the total cost for those was less than a cost for one CD or VHS tape.

Columbia House then began the scam

After that, you would be locked in to buying a couple more CDs at full price to complete the contract. They would send you a mailer indicating that next month’s selection would be sent to you unless you sent the mailer back saying no. As being OCD as I was, I would normally send it back. Not many people were. So they got sent a CD they never asked for usually in a genre they didn’t like.

Many people never sent it back, but they were billed for it. After two more months of non-payment, they would stop sending it to you. However, you would get collections later about owing Columbia House money for the music you didn’t want.

At my second attempt at college, a friend kept ordering from them. Using the penny offer. However, he would create different names that sounded very legit. He was so good at making up names that when I create one for a character I was writing, I would have him look over the names. See if he could come up with something better. Was able to do this for years until they caught on to “his” scheme.

I sent him a text this morning, sharing the news. “They were still going this whole time? I missed out on getting 20 more years worth of CDs.”