Unknowingly paying for a subscription to an online service: many of you have suffered this type of misadventure, the result of purchases on unscrupulous websites. Here are some tips to implement to avoid getting there.
This is a topic that comes up often in questions sent in by MoneyVox readers. Like the recent one from chantoux51: I have two payments going through my account and I don’t know the source. I don’t know which company does this, but one thing is sure: I never make any online purchases, so this is not mine. Help me please.
Many of you are experiencing, on your bank account, recurring card payments the source of which you do not know. Operations that resemble the payment of a subscription. Except you have no memory of taking it and no idea who took it from you.
Most often, these flows are the result of what is commonly called a caching subscription scam. When buying a service or a good on the internet, you have been brought subscribe, without being aware of it, to a service payable monthlyvia a recurring payment on your bank card.
These practices are not always scams, in the strict sense of the term. They are often on the side of misleading business practices. The service or good sold is real, but the fact that access to them is conditional on taking out a subscription is not not clearly displayedbecause it is in small, low-contrast characters (light gray on white, for example) or in a part of the page that does not appear on the screen without scrolling.
In this case, generally, you are possible to unsubscribe by contacting the seller, not without having previously suffered debits from your account, which will not be reimbursed.
Sometimes it is also real scams, without any compensation, and only intended to steal money from you. In this case, the case usually ends with an opposition on your bank card, your costs.
Fortunately, it is possible toavoid falling into tight traps. Here are 3 tips to achieve this.
1. Be vigilant when shopping online
The operating mode of hidden subscriptions generally begins with a offer you can’t refuse. You are dangled with a top-of-the-range smartphone, an electric bike, coffee capsules, discounted make-up… Or even affordable online services, allowing you to generate QR Codes, to geolocate smartphones, to find the manual your washing machine or to access legal documents… All means are good to encourage you to give your bank card number. So the first piece of advice is: beware of overly attractive offers.
Afterwards, Be careful, even if the site inspires confidence in you. Dig around a bit and check that certain information is included in its legal notices: the name or business name of the merchant, the address of its head office, its telephone number, etc.
At the time of payment, check that it is done well in two stages (we speak of a double click), with first a confirmation page summarizing precisely the order and displaying in a clear and precise manner the mention Order with payment obligation. Read all notices carefully, including small lines and scroll the whole page.
Bank card: how to avoid the trap of hidden subscriptions?
2. Check your accounts regularly
To avoid suffering excessive damage, it is a question of spotting the trick as quickly as possible. For this, there is only one solution: check your banking history regularly. With mobile applications, it has now become child’s play to access your statement, from anywhere and at any time. Don’t hesitate to take a look several times a week.
Unfortunately, the tracking exercise is not always straightforward. The denominations of card payments presented on account statements are often so obscure that it is difficult to identify the corresponding operation. And most banks make little effort to improve the presentation, while solutions exist.
Why account statements often remain unreadable
3. Give preference to bank card alternatives
As we have seen, there are nuances in the degree of dishonesty of merchants practicing hidden subscriptions. If you come across a real scammer, you will be difficult to suspend payments. In this case, you will have only one solution: to oppose your bank card. An operation that will deprive you of means of payment for a few days, even a few weeks, and which is often chargeable.
To avoid this, there is a solution: use virtual and revocable bank cards in one click. Unfortunately, not all banks offer this feature. However, it is found in the free offers of certain digital banks, such as Fortuneo, Revolut or N26.
Virtual bank card: how does it work and how much does it cost?
You can also choose to do not pay by credit card online, but to prefer other, more secure means of payment, such as digital wallets (PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay) or samples, whose mandates can easily be revoked. Unfortunately, again, these means of payment are far from being accepted by all merchants.
How to get a free credit card?