Free Trials Can Cost You | Federal Trade Commission

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Transcript:
Many of us want to have more energy, be more organized, or simply save money.

Maybe it’s a new vitamin, a color-coded calendar, or an all-purpose kitchen gadget.

It could be almost anything.

So when you hear about a Free Trial that could let you try a product before committing to buy it -- well, what've you got to lose? 

Sometimes, there’s a downside to those offers… Some companies use free trials to turn you into a long-term customer rather than a trial subscriber.

Other companies may use free trials as a way to sign you up for other products than the ones you wanted to try. 

They might hide the terms -- deep within the fine print -- that allows them to bill you every month until you cancel.

And that means they’ve enrolled you to receive other products -- sometimes LOTS of products -- which, in turn, can cost you LOTS of money you hadn’t budgeted for.

There are other things that might cause a headache, if you’re not careful.

How can you avoid the costs that might be hiding in some Free Trial programs?

First, research the company online. See what other people are saying about their Free Trials -- and about their service. Complaints from other customers are a red flag.

Second, if a box is pre-checked for you– UNCHECK IT.

That little checkmark can be the symbol that gives the company the green light to continue the offer past the free trial or to sign you up for additional items… which would make that free trial offer anything but.

Third – Mark your calendar. Your free trial probably has a time limit. And once it passes without you telling them to cancel your “order,” you may be on the hook for more than you bargained for.

Fourth – Read your credit card statements carefully to make sure you’re not being charged for something you didn’t order.

Okay, so what happens if a Free Trial enrolls you without your permission?

Here’s what to do: Contact the merchant directly for help to sort out the situation. If that doesn’t work – call your credit card company to dispute the charge. Your goal is to have the credit card company reverse the charge because you didn’t actively order the additional merchandise.

They say the best things in life are free – and free trials can be great. But won’t you feel good knowing that you’ve done everything you can to get exactly what you want?

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The Federal Trade Commission deals with issues that touch the economic life of every American. It is the only federal agency with both consumer protection and competition jurisdiction in broad sectors of the economy. The FTC pursues vigorous and effective law enforcement; advances consumers' interests by sharing its expertise with federal and state legislatures and U.S. and international government agencies; develops policy and research tools through hearings, workshops, and conferences; and creates practical and plain-language educational programs for consumers and businesses in a global marketplace with constantly changing technologies.

Comment Moderation Policy
We welcome your comments and thoughts about the information on this page. If you do have something to say, please be courteous and respectful to other commenters. We won't routinely review or edit any comments before they are posted, but we will delete any comments that:
1) contain spam or are off-topic
2) use vulgar language or offensive terms that target specific groups or contain personal attacks
3) are sales pitches, promotions, urls or links to commercial sites
4) spread clearly misleading or false information
or
5) include personal information, like home addresses

[HeatherWalt]

If it requires a credit card, its almost never going to be free. The terms and conditions always state something shady.

[Louizalass]

A company I (and many others) signed up for a free trial with, got their money from us by waiting almost a month before sending out the product - which meant that by the time you get it, it's gone over the 14-day trial period and the company automatically take money out of your account. I got mine back - not from the company but from the bank. I complained to FTC - twice - but heard nothing back.

[ThePeterDislikeShow]

I have a credit card I use just for this purpose. Before the month ends I go to the credit card's online banking and hit lost or stolen card. It's a lot easier than hassling with the company.

[staydowngetdown]

I went to codding town mall located in Santa Rosa California. I seen the machine and look at my video

[drderp]

This video contains animated characters so you will get a fine of $42 000 ^_^

[sogoodspoon]

The Federal Trade Commission deals with issues that touch the economic life of every American. It is the only federal agency with both consumer protection and competition jurisdiction in broad sectors of the economy. The FTC pursues vigorous and effective law enforcement; advances consumers' interests by sharing its expertise with federal and state legislatures and U.S. and international government agencies; develops policy and research tools through hearings, workshops, and conferences; and creates practical and plain-language educational programs for consumers and businesses in a global marketplace with constantly changing technologies.

Comment Moderation Policy
We welcome your comments and thoughts about the information on this page. If you do have something to say, please be courteous and respectful to other commenters. We won't routinely review or edit any comments before they are posted, but we will delete any comments that:
1) contain spam or are off-topic
2) use vulgar language or offensive terms that target specific groups or contain personal attacks
3) are sales pitches, promotions, urls or links to commercial sites
4) spread clearly misleading or false information
or
5) include personal information, like home addresses