Published On: April 26th, 2020Last Updated: March 25th, 20222 Comments on SCARS™ Scam Basics: Trial Subscription Scams1113 words5.6 min readTotal Views: 1825Daily Views: 1
Reported Scammer Email Addresses - SCARS Archives on RomanceScamsNOW.comReported Scammer Email Addresses - 2020 Part 4
SCARS™ Scam Basics: Trial Subscription Scams 1Información de SCARS™ : Infografía Sobre El Estado De Las Estafas Y Delitos Cibernéticos Internacionales
SCARS Institute's Encyclopedia of Scams™ RomanceScamsNOW.com Published Continuously for 25 Years

SCARS Institute’s Encyclopedia of Scams™ Published Continuously for 25 Years

In 2025 the SCARS Institute will enter its 11th year of Supporting Scam Victims Worldwide. Please let us know how we can better help you? Thank you for supporting our organization. SCARS Institute © 2024 www.AgainstScams.org

SCARS™ Scam Basics: Trial Subscription Scams

Scam Alert: How to Recognize and Avoid a Subscription Trap

You’re reviewing your bank or credit card statement when you stumble upon a charge that you can’t recall. The description doesn’t help either. The following month, the same charge appears, and again the next month. You may have fallen into a subscription trap.

Subscription Traps Entice Consumers To Sign Up For A Free Trial To Access A Limited Time Offer, Or An Online Service, A Publication, Etc.

You might see them in advertisements on social media, sponsored news articles, or pop-up surveys on websites. The companies may offer a variety of goods like health or beauty products.

Dishonest companies may sign you up for a monthly subscription without your knowledge. They may hide the link to the terms and conditions or pre-check sign-up or acceptance boxes. Others resort to strict cancellation clauses that make it difficult to stop delivery and billing.

WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU SIGN UP FOR A FREE TRIAL:

  1. Research the company. See what other people are saying about the company’s free trial. Many complaints from other customers might be a warning that it’s a subscription trap.
  2. Read the terms and conditions. Look for information about how to cancel an order or return a product, time limits, or charges for more products. If you can’t find or understand the terms, don’t sign up.
  3. Check if the signup form has pre-checked boxes. These may sign you up for unwanted products and charges. If you see them bail out!

WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU SIGN UP FOR A FREE TRIAL:

  1. Know when the trial offer ends: Mark the date so you know when to cancel to avoid unwanted charges.
  2. Read your credit card statements and look for unauthorized charges.
  3. If you have difficulty canceling your subscription, you can contact your credit card provider, your local consumer protection organization, or your local law enforcement agency for help.

However!

Many times your financial institution will not be able or not willing to provide significant help to stop a specific charge. In these cases the most effective solution is to report the charge as FRAUD to your financial institution and change your card number – if it is an ACH that comes directly out of your checking account ask you bank to change the account number – just remember that important payments or deposits could be linked to this. If you change numbers remember to notify your business or government entities for the new numbers immediately to avoid interruption of important services.

Remember that YOU are responsible for the charges that appear in your account and active review is essential to avoid fraud!

 

TAGS: SCARS, Important Article, Information About Scams, Anti-Scam, Scams, Scammers, Fraudsters, Cybercrime, Crybercriminals, Credit Card Fraud, Trial Subscriptions, Financial Fraud, Financial Abuse, Fake Trial Offers

SCARS the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Incorporated

SCARS™ Editorial Team
Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
A Worldwide Crime Victims Assistance Nonprofit Organization
Visit: www.AgainstScams.org
Contact Us: Contact@AgainstScams.org

PLEASE SHARE OUR ARTICLES WITH YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY

HELP OTHERS STAY SAFE ONLINE – YOUR KNOWLEDGE CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE!

 

 

 

 

 

The Latest SCARS Posts:


END


MORE INFORMATION


– – –

Tell us about your experiences with Romance Scammers in our
« Scams Discussion Forum on Facebook »


– – –

FAQ: How Do You Properly Report Scammers?

It is essential that law enforcement knows about scams & scammers, even though there is nothing (in most cases) that they can do.

Always report scams involving money lost or where you received money to:

  1. Local Police – ask them to take an “informational” police report – say you need it for your insurance
  2. U.S. State Police (if you live in the U.S.) – they will take the matter more seriously and provide you with more help than local police
  3. Your National Police or FBI « www.IC3.gov »
  4. The SCARS|CDN™ Cybercriminal Data Network – Worldwide Reporting Network on « www.Anyscam.com »

This helps your government understand the problem, and allows law enforcement to add scammers on watch lists worldwide.


– – –

To learn more about SCARS visit « www.AgainstScams.org »

Please be sure to report all scammers
on « www.Anyscam.com »

 

Disclaimer:

SCARS IS A DIGITAL PUBLISHER AND DOES NOT OFFER HEALTH OR MEDICAL ADVICE, LEGAL ADVICE, FINANCIAL ADVICE, OR SERVICES THAT SCARS IS NOT LICENSED OR REGISTERED TO PERFORM.

IF YOU’RE FACING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY SERVICES IMMEDIATELY, OR VISIT THE NEAREST EMERGENCY ROOM OR URGENT CARE CENTER. YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER BEFORE FOLLOWING ANY MEDICALLY RELATED INFORMATION PRESENTED ON OUR PAGES.

ALWAYS CONSULT A LICENSED ATTORNEY FOR ANY ADVICE REGARDING LEGAL MATTERS.

A LICENSED FINANCIAL OR TAX PROFESSIONAL SHOULD BE CONSULTED BEFORE ACTING ON ANY INFORMATION RELATING TO YOUR PERSONAL FINANCES OR TAX RELATED ISSUES AND INFORMATION.

This content and other material contained on the website, apps, newsletter, and products (“Content”), is general in nature and for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice; the Content is not intended to be a substitute for licensed or regulated professional advice. Always consult your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider, lawyer, financial or tax professional with any questions you may have regarding the educational information contained herein. SCARS makes no guarantees about the efficacy of information described on or in SCARS’s Content. The information contained are subject to change and are not intended to cover all possible situations or effects. SCARS does not recommend or endorse any specific professional or care provider, product, service, or other information that may be mentioned in SCARS’s websites, apps, and Content unless explicitly identified as such.

The disclaimers herein are provided on this page for ease of reference. These disclaimers supplement and are a part of SCARS’s websites Terms of Use

Legal Notices: 

All original content is Copyright © 1991 – 2020 Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. (D.B.A SCARS) All Rights Reserved Worldwide & Webwide. Third-party copyrights acknowledge.

SCARS, SCARS|INTERNATIONAL, SCARS, SCARS|SUPPORT, SCARS, RSN, Romance Scams Now, SCARS|WORLDWIDE, SCARS|GLOBAL, SCARS, Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams, Society of Citizens Against Romance Scams, SCARS|ANYSCAM, Project Anyscam, Anyscam, SCARS|GOFCH, GOFCH, SCARS|CHINA, SCARS|CDN, SCARS|UK, SCARS|LATINOAMERICA, SCARS|MEMBER, SCARS|VOLUNTEER, SCARS Cybercriminal Data Network, Cobalt Alert, Scam Victims Support Group, are all trademarks of Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Contact the law firm for the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Incorporated by email at legal@AgainstScams.org

-/ 30 /-

What do you think about this?
Please share your thoughts in a comment below!

Article Rating

0
(0)

Table of Contents

ARTICLE CATEGORIES

POPULAR ARTICLES

Rapid Report Scammers

SCARS-CDN-REPORT-SCAMEMRS-HERE

Visit SCARS www.Anyscam.com

Quick Reporting

  • Valid Emails Only

  • This field is hidden when viewing the form
    Valid Phone Numbers Only

Subscribe & New Item Updates

In the U.S. & Canada

U.S. & Canada Suicide Lifeline 988

U.S. & Canada Suicide Lifeline 988

RATE THIS ARTICLE?

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 0 / 5. Vote count: 0

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

As you found this post useful...

Follow us on social media!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

LEAVE A COMMENT?

  1. SCARS™ Scam Basics: Trial Subscription Scams 2
    Steve Whipkey May 26, 2020 at 5:56 pm - Reply

    I found out from jessica brasel who i found online that was the stolden pictures i got scammed from real identity name “tammy white” being fake name,that fbi contacted her email to tell her she was a victim of the Nigerian scammers caught.there is 7.2 million recovered from the scammers.she has my pictures the scammers sent me from 2017 to 2018.i gave uour place all info and wondered if iam going to be compensated also since they scammed me out of funds.i still have receipts mule addresses names.

    • SCARS™ Scam Basics: Trial Subscription Scams 3
      SCARS™ Editorial Team May 26, 2020 at 8:42 pm - Reply

      You can only recover money if you signed up for the Western Union Remission Program that resulted from a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. That program closed in early 2018 – so unless you signed up for it then, you missed out.

      There is a commercial recovery program through MyChargeBack.com in the case of Western Union payments. Visit our website http://www.AgainstScams.org for the details.

Your comments help the SCARS Institute better understand all scam victim/survivor experiences and improve our services and processes. Thank you


Thank you for your comment. You may receive an email to follow up. We never share your data with marketers.

Recent Comments
On Other Articles

Important Information for New Scam Victims

If you are looking for local trauma counselors please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org or join SCARS for our counseling/therapy benefit: membership.AgainstScams.org

If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

A Note About Labeling!

We often use the term ‘scam victim’ in our articles, but this is a convenience to help those searching for information in search engines like Google. It is just a convenience and has no deeper meaning. If you have come through such an experience, YOU are a Survivor! It was not your fault. You are not alone! Axios!

A Question of Trust

At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.

Statement About Victim Blaming

Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.

These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.

Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org

Psychology Disclaimer:

All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only

The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.

While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.

Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.

If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.

Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.

If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.