Free Trial Offer. Deceptive . A recent crack- down by the Federal Trade Commission has convinced some online marketers to at least be a touch more up- front about the fact that you might get charged if you don't cancel. But a quick look at some of the companies that caused many of last year's complaints found plenty of continuing abuses. But flip to the bottom of the page where you can link to the . If you don't cancel within 1. Will you know their initial ship date? Not likely. But that's not all. Lucky duck that you are, by taking this free trial, you'll also be signed up for a free- trial of a weight loss program that will cost you $9. Let's say that you want to whiten your teeth. Teeth. Whitening. Star (a Google ad) offers a . It doesn't matter that you probably haven't received the product yet. After that, they'll charge you for . Meanwhile, this teeth whitening company has thoughtfully signed you up for several more free(!) offers from third- party affiliates, who will also slam your credit card for a raft of charges. Call your credit card company. Subscribe to Sky & Telescope, the essential magazine for astronomy. Free trial offer, digital subscriptions, special deals for astronomy clubs, and more. We currently have fantastic Autocar Magazine Trial Offer. Take our trial offer today and we’ll send you the next 6. Exclusive subscriber offers and competitions; A magazine subscription. Ask them to reverse the charges. Visa recently expunged 1. If they get enough complaints like yours, they'll not only reverse the charges, they'll make it impossible for these crooks to take credit card payments. 1 site for 1,200+ discount Magazine Subscriptions. SAVE up to 94% off shop prices - free UK delivery. Free gifts, special offers and exclusive deals on. Misleading free trial offers continue to victimize consumers, who don't realize that they' re about to. Have you been taken by a free trial offer? Please tell us about it here to help warn other consumers before they get taken too. What have you got to lose? If you're interested in a particular product or service, trying before you buy might seem like a no- brainer. But what starts as a free trial — or for a very low cost — might end up costing you real money. The Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, wants you to know that some companies use free trials to sign you up for more products — sometimes lots of products — which can cost you lots of money as they bill you every month until you cancel. Whiter Teeth? Shinier Hair? Whether it's for a teeth whitener, vitamin or kitchen gadget, all free trials eventually end. And typically, if you don't want to buy what you've tried, you need to cancel or take some other action before the trial is up. If you don't, you may be agreeing to buy more products. But some dishonest businesses make it tough to cancel, hiding the terms and conditions of their offers in teensy type, using pre- checked sign- up boxes as the default setting online, and putting conditions on returns and cancellations that are so strict it could be next to impossible to stop the deliveries and the billing. Or, the . You think you're only paying a couple of dollars, but you're really giving over your credit card information, resulting in much higher charges after the trial. Strings Attached. Other . For example, a company might offer you an introductory package of free books, CDs, magazines or movies. If you sign up, you may be agreeing to enroll in a club that will send you more products and bill you until you cancel, or to a subscription that's automatically renewed each year. Here's What To Do. So how can you avoid the costs that might be hiding in free trials? Research the company online. See what other people are saying about the company's free trials — and its service. Complaints from other customers can tip you off to . That includes offers online, on TV, in the newspaper, or on the radio. If you can't find them or can't understand exactly what you're agreeing to, don't sign up. Look for who's behind the offer. Just because you're buying something online from one company doesn't mean the offer or pop- up isn't from someone else. Watch out for pre- checked boxes. If you sign up for a free trial online, look for already- checked boxes. That checkmark may give the company the green light to continue the offer past the free trial or sign you up for more products — only this time you have to pay. Mark your calendar. Your free trial probably has a time limit. Once it passes without you telling the company to cancel your . If you don't want them, do you have to pay? Do you have a limited time to respond? Read your credit and debit card statements. That way you'll know right away if you're being charged for something you didn't order. If you see charges you didn't agree to, contact the company directly to sort out the situation. If that doesn't work, call your credit card company to dispute the charge. Ask the credit card company to reverse the charge because you didn't actively order the additional merchandise. Where to Complain. If you've been wrongly charged for a free trial offer, report it to the FTC. You also can contact your local consumer protection agency, and file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
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