Charges reversed
Subscriptions & bills
Auto-renewals you never agreed to, gyms that won't let you cancel, phone and cable bills with surprise fees, robocalls you can be paid for. How to cancel, get refunds, and claim statutory damages.
- SubscriptionsCharged for a subscription you canceled or forgot? How to cancel for real and get the money backFree trials that auto-renew, "cancel anytime" that takes five screens, charges after you canceled: what the FTC's negative option rules and state auto-renewal laws require, how to cancel so it sticks, when you're owed a refund, and how to use a chargeback when the company won't budge.
- SubscriptionsGym won't let you cancel? Your state law probably says otherwise (and when you're owed a refund)Gyms are one of the most complained-about industries for a reason. Most states have health club laws with mandatory cancellation rights: moving away, disability, the gym closing or relocating, a 3-day cooling-off period, and caps on contract length. How to cancel for real, the certified-letter method, and how to get charges refunded.
- SubscriptionsRobocalls and spam texts can pay you $500 to $1,500 each (TCPA): how to collectThe Telephone Consumer Protection Act gives you a private right to sue for every illegal robocall, prerecorded message, or marketing text sent without your consent, and for calls to a number on the Do Not Call Registry: $500 per violation, tripled to $1,500 if willful. How to identify the caller, what to log, sending a demand, and when a lawyer takes the case for free.
- SubscriptionsWrong charges on your phone, internet, or cable bill: how to get them refunded (and the FCC complaint that makes carriers call you)Unauthorized add-ons, promotional rates that expired early, equipment fees for returned boxes, early termination fees after a price hike, cramming: what the rules say, the 30-day dispute steps with AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Comcast, Spectrum and others, and how an FCC informal complaint gets you a callback from the executive team.
Subscriptions, gyms, phone bills, and robocalls
Recurring charges are designed to be easy to start and hard to stop. Federal and state rules push back:
- Cancellation: the FTC's rules on automatic renewals and the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act require clear disclosure of recurring charges and a simple way to cancel. Many states (California, New York, and others) require online cancellation if you signed up online and a reminder before annual renewals.
- Gyms: most states have health club laws with a short cooling-off period and the right to cancel if you move or become disabled.
- Phone, cable, and internet: carriers can't bill for services you didn't order ("cramming"), and the FCC accepts complaints that carriers must answer.
- Robocalls and spam texts: the Telephone Consumer Protection Act lets you sue for $500 to $1,500 per illegal call or text from companies you can identify.
Getting money back
- Cancel through the same channel you used to sign up, and keep the confirmation.
- Ask in writing for a refund of charges after cancellation or for renewals you weren't told about.
- If the company refuses, dispute the charge with your card issuer, and report it to the FTC or your state attorney general.
The guides below cover the charges people complain about most.