CHICO — How many subscription services are you signed up for?
Do you know off the top of your head or would you have to check your bank transactions? I’m sorry to say that up until the past couple of weeks, I might not have been able to tell you right away how many I have set to auto-pay.
Between streaming services like Netflix and Max, shopping subscriptions like Amazon Prime and fitness apps like Strava, the small monthly payments can add up. But what’s even more insidious are free trial offers that eventually start leeching money off of you.
This week we’re talking about companies that promote free products, only to slap you with hidden fees and sudden payments on your credit card. This time the warning comes from California’s very own attorney general’s office.
“This scam can take on various forms, but usually the company will let you try a product (such as a diet pill, anti-wrinkle cream, teeth whitener, etc.) for a small shipping fee or for your credit card information. They say, if you don’t like it, just cancel or return it before a certain time period,” reads a statement from the office.
The first problem comes when you try to cancel. It can be nearly impossible to find a webpage to cancel the order. Much of the time you have about a two-week window to cancel before you are charged, but as the warning points out you may not even get the product by then.
Topping it off, the company, which now has your card information, can also sign you up for additional subscriptions or products, building a hefty sum charged directly to your bank account.
A couple of tips for this one. I know I’ve been saying this a lot in the past few weeks but vigorously check your bank statements and note purchases that you don’t recognize. If you think it’s fraudulent, report it to your bank, but if it’s part of a subscription, ask your bank to stop payments.
The second one, and I know it’s a dredge, always read terms and conditions if you are serious about joining a subscription service. Be careful and read all the ins and outs. You can also check online forums such as Reddit to see what other folks are saying about these documents.
When signing up, make sure no boxes are checked that might add additional fees down the line. These scam companies, much like some politicians trying to raise money, will often add check boxes that, when ticked, sign you up for additional payments you probably don’t want to make.
Stay safe out there folks. Also, I finally got provision credit for that $900. Thanks for all the support from readers who reached out. Here’s hoping it’s finally resolved.
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Scam of the Week generally runs every Tuesday. Readers are welcome to contact reporter Jake Hutchison to report scams and potential scams they have come in contact with by calling 828-1329 or via email at [email protected].
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