50 Subscription Scams That Got Exposed By Furious Customers

These days, it seems there’s a subscription for everything—from music and video streaming to photo editing, and even monthly boxes of exotic snacks. Signing up is a breeze, but canceling? That’s where the trouble begins.

Companies know the harder it is to stop paying for their services, the more money they’ll make from people who either don’t realize they’re subscribed or are too busy to opt out.

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People Are Sick And Tired Of All Their Subscriptions. Well Played, The Wall Street Journal, Well Played

Walmart Is Charging Me 10 Days Before The Free Trial Ends. This Is Why I Don’t Use My Bank Card For Free Trials. I Also Keep It Locked, Just In Case. Google Is Bad About Doing This Too

After Going Through Five Pages To Cancel Your $4 New York Times Subscription You Get This

“Free” Trial

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accused Amazon of repeatedly pushing customers to sign up for Prime during their shopping journey, often using big, eye-catching buttons for enrollment and tiny, easy-to-miss links to decline. The suit claims these Prime offers were often not clearly labeled, leading consumers to think they were choosing free shipping or a trial, not realizing they were agreeing to a paid subscription.

Netflix Hides The “Happy Middle-Ground” Option To Entice People Into The Most Expensive Subscription

My Free Subscription To Paramount+ Is Up Tomorrow And So I Was Going To Cancel Today. No Matter How Many Times I Try, Or Reset My Browser, It Won’t Let Me. This Has To Be Illegal, Right?

I Don’t Print Much So I Canceled My Subscription… Now I Print Even Less

With suchdeceptive marketing techniques, it’s no wonder people get so frustrated. Fortunately, the FTC is stepping in to help. In 2023, they proposed a‘click to cancel rule,’which would force businesses to make unsubscribing as easy as signing up.“I’m sure this is an experience that all of you can relate to, where you tried to cancel a subscription and the company has made you jump through an endless number of hoops,” commented FTC Chair Lina Khan. “Companies should not be able to manipulate consumers into paying for subscriptions that they don’t want.”

“I’m sure this is an experience that all of you can relate to, where you tried to cancel a subscription and the company has made you jump through an endless number of hoops,” commented FTC Chair Lina Khan. “Companies should not be able to manipulate consumers into paying for subscriptions that they don’t want.”

HelloFresh Now Forces You To Talk To A Sales Rep If You Want To Cancel Your Subscription

Trying To Cancel A Subscription, And Suddenly This Happens

Ultimate Guitar Costs More For A Year If You Use The 7-Day Free Trial

The ‘click to cancel rule’ is still in the works, but if it goes through, it will put an end to in-person visits, handwritten letters, and hours spent on hold on the phone. Companies would also have to clearly inform consumers they’re signing up for a paid service, get users’ explicit consent, and remind them before services automatically renew.

This Should Be Illegal. If You Allow People To Sign Up For A Plan On Your Mobile Device Or App, You Should Be Forced To Allow People To Cancel The Same Way

For Weeks I Couldn’t Figure Out How To Unsubscribe

I Keep Canceling, And For Some Reason, The Membership Keeps Continuing. This Is Already The Third Time I’m Canceling My Membership

Making it easier to end subscriptions could actually be beneficial for businesses in the long run. Some providers who are already transparent about their policies say honesty has helped them retain more customers.“We had fewer cancellation requests, more saves, and lesscustomer servicetime,”saysAlex Brown, CEO of sustainable cleaning supplies subscription firm Truly Free. “That’s given us the latitude to take a little bit of the pressure off of them, and I think it’s caused more of them to come back in the future too.”

“We had fewer cancellation requests, more saves, and lesscustomer servicetime,”saysAlex Brown, CEO of sustainable cleaning supplies subscription firm Truly Free. “That’s given us the latitude to take a little bit of the pressure off of them, and I think it’s caused more of them to come back in the future too.”

Netflix Won’t Let Me Watch The Last Few Weeks Of My Subscription Without Resubscribing. There’s No Option To Continue Watching Without Selecting A New Plan

My $400 Baby Monitor Has Locked Previously Free Features Behind A Monthly Subscription

The Website For My Physics College Textbook Has A Subscription For The Solution Of Questions

While some companies have made the shift to be more honest and straightforward, others still use sneaky tactics to keep customers locked in. Personal finance expertClark Howard offers some tipson handling your subscriptions.“It requires a mental reset,” Howard says. He suggests reviewing your checking and credit card statements every three months to spot recurring charges you might have forgotten about. If there’s something you no longer use, cancel it.

“It requires a mental reset,” Howard says. He suggests reviewing your checking and credit card statements every three months to spot recurring charges you might have forgotten about. If there’s something you no longer use, cancel it.

Trying To Cancel A Subscription Via Text Message

Imagine Paying For A Subscription And There Are 5 Unskippable Ads In A Non-Live Show On Hulu

My New Truck Requires A $15/Month Data Plan To Use Features My Previous Model Did For Free (Maps, Basic Voice Commands, Text-To-Voice Messages)

More importantly, Howard urges consumers to research new services and their cancellation policies before enrolling. Look beyond the service’s website for its cancellation policy and see if there are any complaints about it. It might take some time, but it will save a lot of hassle in the future. “You have to look at how you get divorced before you get married,” he says.

The Color Scheme Of This Email Spotify Sent Me

Get Your 7-Day Free Trial For The Amazing Price Of 200 Dollars

I’m Not Paying A Damn Subscription To Watch DVDs On My PC

The FTC alsorecommendswatching for prechecked boxes when making a purchase online, as they may sign you up for products or services you don’t want unless you uncheck them. If you cancel a subscription but are still being charged, dispute it with your credit card company and file a complaint on the FTC’s website.

I called a customer representative and was told I had to pay a monthly subscription fee for that service (he told me the price was $12.95).

Can’t Reset My Yahoo Password Because I Have A New Number. Went Online And Read That It’s A Premium Feature Now

The Button To End Subscription Doesn’t Work

I Just Wanted To Cancel My Subscription, But Now I Have To Talk To Someone

So, the next time you consider starting a new subscription, remember to do your homework and stay vigilant about hidden charges. Hopefully, in the future, better consumer protection policies like the ‘click to cancel rule’ will make managing subscriptions easier and more transparent for everyone.

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