I got an £89 refund – how to cancel and avoid unwanted subscriptions

## How to Cancel Unwanted Subscriptions and Avoid "Subscription Traps"

Many people have experienced the frustration of an unexpected charge on their bank statement, only to realize it's for a subscription they forgot about or didn't intend to keep. With subscriptions available for almost everything, from streaming services to meal kits and beauty boxes, it's easy to get caught in these "subscription traps." Often, an initial free or heavily discounted offer encourages sign-ups, with the intention of canceling before the deadline – a task that can prove surprisingly difficult.

Following Prime Minister Andy Burnham's initiative to address these issues, three individuals shared their experiences of navigating and escaping unwanted subscriptions.

**Sophie Branscombe, 23, from Wirral, received an £89 refund after a free trial.** She recounted signing up for a free trial of a photo editor app, only to find an £89.99 charge debited from her account. "It was a free trial, and they did make it clear I was signing up to a subscription, but there was no reminder of when [the free period] would end," she explained. Unable to secure a refund directly from the company, Sophie successfully submitted a refund request through Apple's "report a problem" feature, which resulted in a full reimbursement. The BBC has reached out to the company for comment.

Sophie's key advice is to **set reminders immediately upon signing up for a subscription, specifically for when the free trial period concludes.** She also recommends making it a habit to regularly check subscription end dates and to cancel any unwanted free trials right away.

**Hussein Zaaiter, 21, from West London, described his cancellation process as "near impossible."** He encountered significant difficulties when attempting to cancel a free software trial he was using for university work. "I tried online chat, email and even the phone at one point as they were constantly charging me," he stated. Hussein reported a £16 payment leaving his account, followed by another £32 charge, before he froze his card. He claims the company attempted to charge him seven times. He contacted his bank in hopes of a reimbursement. "I felt like it was marketed as a free trial that was easy to cancel. It was difficult to contact them, and the cancellation was near impossible," he said.

Hussein's tip for others is to **thoroughly read the terms and conditions and exercise caution before committing to any subscription.** The BBC has contacted the firm for a response.

**Rosalinda Kwafo-Akoto, 22, from the West Midlands, spent 1.5 hours trying to reach customer service.** She signed up for a one-week free TV trial, which would convert to a £9.99 monthly subscription. "I remembered before the end of the week that the trial was ending and tried to cancel it so I wouldn't be charged," she recalled. Unable to locate the subscription within her account, she mistakenly assumed it had automatically ended. However, a week later, she discovered money had been deducted from her account. It took her an hour and a half to connect with customer service and identify the subscription. Rosalinda successfully canceled it and received a full refund.

Rosalinda's advice is **not to assume a subscription will automatically cancel simply because it's not visible in your account.** She emphasizes that "These companies make it as difficult as possible for you to cancel so make sure you get a confirmation email of your cancellation." The BBC has contacted the firm for a response.