There is frequently a snag, and free trial promotions can be complicated. However, if they provide a complimentary trial duration prior to your commitment, numerous subscription offers are alluring.
Here are three facts to understand about complimentary trial offers:
If you don’t want to be charged, the company can cancel the trial period before it ends. Usually, you have to provide your credit card number for a “free trial.” If you cancel on time, you won’t be charged. However, if you don’t want the subscription or product anymore, dishonest businesses will make it difficult for you to cancel and keep charging you.
Tip: Make sure you’re clear on the terms of the trial period. If you sign up, make a note on your calendar to remind you to cancel. If you can’t cancel, call your credit card company and ask them to stop the payments.
You may think that if you order or want products, you might see higher charges on your credit card than expected, but after the trial ends, there is no big deal. However, you may have to pay a small fee for shipping costs or something else. It’s not really free, as you have to pay for shipping fees. The offer may say that you can try the product for free, but it’s not really free.
Tip: Free means free. Be suspicious of companies that offer something free but say you have to pay to get it. You may be dealing with a scammer.
When you click on ads created by dishonest affiliate marketers, you may encounter misleading information or exaggerated claims. These marketers are paid every time you click on their ads, and they create many ads to promote a product and offer free trials. However, it is important to note that the product being sold may not necessarily be from the company whose ad you saw online.
Tip: Remember that some ads may be designed to make you click, not tell you the truth about the offer. So think before you click on that online free trial offer.
Before you sign up for a free trial offer
Discover the terms and conditions for the promotion. The terms and conditions ought to inform you.
People are saying what they see about other companies offering a free trial. Make sure to compare online reviews from a variety of websites, but considering the offer, user reviews can give you a good idea. Search for the company’s name with words like “complaint” or “scam”. Other customers can tip you off to catches that might come with the trial, based on their complaints.
Have you ever had to respond to a time constraint? Sometimes, you may not need a service or shipment, but you don’t want to cancel it completely. Is it possible for you to skip shipments if you don’t want them anymore? Is the process clear and straightforward? If you no longer want the service or product, how do you cancel it? Take a look for information on how to cancel future services or shipments.
Make sure to uncheck the box if you don’t agree with it. The company may give permission to continue charging you for the free trial you signed up for, or to share your information with others, or to sign up for more products for a fee. If you want to sign up for a free online trial, make sure to look out for boxes that are already checked. Be cautious of pre-checked boxes.
After you sign up for a free trial
Additional products or services and additional payments. Once the deadline to cancel has passed, you may be responsible for them. Remember that your free trial offer is time-sensitive, so make sure to note it down on your calendar.
If you are aware that you have been charged for something you did not authorize, and you want to know how to dispute the charge and stop any further subscription, please refer to the “See section” in your debit and credit card statements to monitor your transactions.
Negative Options Explained
Offers and trial subscriptions are frequently provided by businesses that commonly practice it. When you are automatically billed for something, you have the option to not specifically say that you didn’t want it.
For example, you agree to try a box of products free for a month. After that month, you’re charged automatically for monthly shipments until you cancel. Or you get a magazine subscription that renews automatically when it expires. Those are negative options. Your silence is taken as consent to be charged.
The issue with negative options arises when the business fails to cancel or creates obstacles that make it challenging or impossible for you to take action, unless you explicitly state that it will continue to charge you.
Prior to providing your credit card information for a complimentary trial offer or subscription.
Immediately, contest the transaction (commonly known as a “chargeback”) with your credit or debit card issuer if the company refuses to reimburse your funds and you are billed without your authorization.
How To Stop a Subscription
If you wish to cancel a subscription that you are currently registered for:.
Please ensure that you keep a copy of your cancellation request, including any notes or conversations about it. If the company has provided instructions on how to cancel, please follow them accordingly. If you wish to cancel a subscription that is still active, please contact the company first.
If you have attempted to cancel a subscription and the company continues to charge your account, you should file a dispute, also known as a “chargeback.” Make sure to monitor your credit card or bank statements for any charges after attempting to cancel the subscription.
It is advisable to send your letter by certified mail and request a return receipt in order to have evidence of what the creditor received. You can use our provided sample letter for billing disputes or errors. To safeguard any rights you may have, send a written follow-up letter to the address provided, and also follow up with a letter to your credit or debit card company.
Preserve your records in case the credit or debit card company has any inquiries; retaining any correspondence, memos, or electronic messages pertaining to the fraudulent activity may assist in substantiating your eligibility for a reimbursement.
Discover further information regarding your entitlements at ftc.Gov/credit.
Advice on Auto-Renewals
If you are happy with your subscription and want to continue with it, the subscription will be automatically renewed for another term on the expiration day of your subscription, and your debit or credit card will be charged for it. Auto-renewals can be convenient.
Here are three points to remember regarding auto-renewals:
When your subscription comes to an end and you will be charged automatically, a renewal notice serves as a mere reminder. It should not require your credit card details, hence it is not considered a bill or an invoice. Prior to automatically renewing your subscription, a company must send you a renewal notice.
Tip: If you get a renewal notice that asks for your credit card information, stop. Read the notice carefully. The company may be trying to get you to renew an old subscription that you canceled. Or it could be a scammer lying about the renewal notice to get your credit card information.
If that is your desired outcome, inquire about the possibility of a reduced rate or the cancellation of your subscription. Immediately contact the company if it does not meet your expectations, or if the notice fails to provide information regarding the exact amount you will be charged. Thoroughly examine the notice to verify that the rate you are being offered aligns with your initial expectations upon receiving the renewal notice. This scenario may occur if you were initially offered a promotional rate. Occasionally, during the automatic renewal process, you may be charged a higher amount compared to your previous billing cycle. Ensure that the cost matches your anticipated amount.
Tip: Sometimes you can cancel a subscription and re-subscribe for a better promotional rate. Just make sure that you know exactly when that promotional period ends, and mark it on your calendar. Also be clear when and how much you’ll be charged when the promotion ends.
Avoid contacting the number provided in the notice or interacting with any email or text message link. In the event that you receive a renewal notification for a subscription you do not possess, it is likely originating from a fraudulent individual or an untrustworthy organization attempting to acquire your credit card details or other personal data. Fraudsters occasionally distribute counterfeit renewal notices with the intention of obtaining your financial information.
Tip: Search online for the company name with the words “scam” or “complaint” to see if other people got the same fake renewal notice. If it’s a company you do business with, contact the company at a number you know is correct to see if the renewal notice is real. Otherwise, just ignore it.