Unexpected debits to my account

CPTM · 23-09-2021 11:00pm #1

I'm really frustrated with websites which debit my account without me knowing it. Basically what happens is that I see a deal for a year's subscription to watch saying NBA basketball for 12.99 euro. A year later they send me an email in Spanish which I don't read because they've sent me 100s of emails which I'm not interested in. They tell me in Spanish (which I don't speak) that I'm going to be debited 130 euro for the next season. Suddenly the debit appears on my account.

Same with headspace. Buried in the terms and conditions is a year's renewal clause to which I lost another 70 euro.

Same with a newspaper I signed up to.

Same with Data camp.

I've lost over 1000 euro to these subscriptions so far this year.

I know with Android play store there is a way to see all my subscriptions. Is there any way to see who else is lining up to debit me, outside of the Android store?

It's annoying that when I go to buy an 11 euro pizza there are multiple hoops to jump through, but a company I interacted with a year prior can just casually debit my account any amount without any recent positive action from my side.

nothing · 23-09-2021 11:14pm

I think the cheapest solution is to set a calendar reminder for a few days short of a year when signing up to cancel before the next year's subscription is taken.

antimatterx · 23-09-2021 11:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117931227#Comment_117931227

That's what I do. It takes 30 seconds after you subscribe to something

Darc19 · 23-09-2021 11:21pm

Simple solution - read the terms and conditions rather than simply ticking the box.

robertcruickshank · 23-09-2021 11:27pm

Perhaps best not to subscribe to anything, look up whatever you need to know after the event. I am being hit for some premium texts which I never asked for on my Virgin media bill. I have spent the last month trying to get vm to do something about it, they use to have a pretty good customer support service but they are now appalling. As soon as I pay off the newish phone I got from them it's goodbye vm. I suppose whoever I take up next will be just as crap. Crap customer service all round, once they have your cash they really don't care about you...

F1ngers · 23-09-2021 11:27pm

I don't see this as a consumer issue - it's on you to cancel/not cancel when you subscribe to these plans.

Every single one of these offers have a "you will be billed full price when current plan expires".

Either cancel as soon as the money is taken, or as mentioned, set yourself a reminder to cancel nearer the end date.

On a personal note, I'd like to thank you and others like you who forget as that means the likes of Now TV will continue to offer discounts. :pac: #bringbackpac

CPTM · 23-09-2021 11:53pm

I probably will be more conscious of it going forward, and I'll cancel or set reminders but is there any way to see what else I've signed up to which might renew? Maybe I should just close all my accounts/cards and set up a new account.

swampy353 · 24-09-2021 5:33am

If you use revolut, sign up using a disposable card number. Sign up, pay and then in app kill off the card number. Saves all the hassle or calendars etc

Peregrinus · 24-09-2021 5:42am

Are these charges turning up on your bank account, your credit card account or your phone/data account?

CPTM · 24-09-2021 6:54am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117931560#Comment_117931560

Depends on the card I used at the time. The NBA subscription yesterday hit my paypal account which is linked to my kbc current account. Others like Datacamp a few weeks ago was a $399 hit to my debit card directly. For others I might have used a credit card. I might phone kbc to see if they can do something. I basically want a setting that cancels subscriptions unless I actively do something.

Peregrinus · 24-09-2021 7:02am

The terms of a subscription are set between you and the business supplying you with a service, not between you and the bank. You're basically asking the bank to remember to cancel your subscriptions for you unless you remember to tell them not to; they won't do that.

As others have said, you need a system for keeping on top of these things yourself. As I'm the disorganised type myself, my own system includes ignoring special offer introductory subscription rates and looking through to the normal rate; if I wouldn't be interest in subscribing at the normal rate then I won't take the introductory offer.

seagull · 28-09-2021 1:30pm

Quite a lot of these actually have a cancel period of up to two weeks after they auto-renew. As long as you get back to them within that time frame, you can cancel and get a refund.

mondeoman72 · 28-09-2021 1:49pm

This happened to me two weeks ago with Easynews.com

I emailed support and said to cancel and refund please. They did the same day.

Try asking politely.

CPTM · 28-09-2021 3:30pm

I asked for a refund on the NBA one and got it. It's a good tip.

I've also started using Google calendar now after signing up to a gas boiler service plan eith bord gais today, which they've said will auto-renew in a year!

Unexpected debits to my account

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