Three individuals detail their struggles with unwanted subscription charges following free trials and offer advice on how to manage recurring payments.
Key facts
- •Sophie Branscombe received an £89.99 refund via Apple after a photo editor app charged her following a free trial.
- •Hussein Zaaiter reported that a software company attempted to charge his card seven times after he tried to cancel his subscription.
- •Rosalinda Kwafo-Akoto spent 90 minutes on the phone with customer service to cancel a TV subscription and receive a refund.
- •The BBC has contacted the companies involved in these three cases for responses regarding the customers' experiences.
- •Common advice from the individuals includes setting calendar reminders, reading terms of service, and keeping written proof of cancellation.
As subscription services for products ranging from streaming to software become more common, some consumers report difficulty canceling free trials before being charged. Three individuals recently shared their experiences with unexpected fees and the challenges of securing refunds. Their accounts highlight issues with unclear trial deadlines, complex cancellation processes, and difficulty reaching customer support.
By the numbers
Challenges With App and Software Trials
Sophie Branscombe, 23, from Wirral, reported being charged £89.99 for a photo editor app after a free trial ended without a reminder. Unable to secure a refund from the company, she successfully requested one through Apple's "report a problem" feature. She advises users to set personal reminders for when trial periods expire. Hussein Zaaiter, 21, from West London, faced complications while attempting to cancel a software trial used for university work. After being charged £16 and then £32, he froze his card to prevent further attempts, noting that the company tried to charge him seven times. He states that he found the cancellation process nearly impossible and advises others to carefully read terms and conditions before signing up.
Navigating Customer Service and Refunds
Rosalinda Kwafo-Akoto, 22, from the West Midlands, signed up for a one-week TV trial that cost £9.99 per month thereafter. Despite attempting to cancel before the trial ended, she could not locate the subscription on her account and was subsequently charged. It took her an hour and a half to reach customer service, where she eventually secured a refund. She warns consumers not to assume a subscription has ended simply because it is not visible on an account and emphasizes the importance of obtaining a cancellation confirmation email.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC Business.
