Subscription Traps
A 'free trial' with tiny-print automatic billing. Canceling is deliberately buried, and charges continue for months before you notice. Skincare, diet pills, and CBD are the most common lures.
How it worksThe anatomy of the scam
Every case follows roughly the same playbook. Recognize the pattern, stop it early.
1. The free trial ad
'Just pay $4.95 shipping' for a free sample of a miracle product.
2. The tiny print
By accepting the shipping, you're agreeing to a $89/month recurring charge after 14 days.
3. Charges pile up
Many victims don't notice until several months of charges appear on their statement.
4. Canceling is intentionally hard
Phone only, long hold times, 'retention' scripts, claims they can't find your account.
Warning signsRed flags to watch for
If you're seeing two or more of these, assume it's a scam until proven otherwise.
Free trial that requires a credit card
Genuinely free samples don't need payment info.
Terms hidden behind tiny-print links
Always read the cart page carefully before submitting.
No self-serve cancellation
If you can't cancel from your account page, it's deliberately designed to trap you.
Protect yourselfDo this. Not that.
✓ Do
Use a virtual credit card number (Privacy.com, bank-issued) for trial signups — you can freeze it any time.
✗ Don't
Don't give your real card to any 'free trial' offer from an Instagram ad.
✓ Do
Dispute unauthorized recurring charges with your bank under FTC 'negative option' rules.
✗ Don't
Don't trust urgency counters or 'only 3 left!' banners on these sites.
RelatedIf this happened to you, also check
Has this happened to you?
Your story could stop the next person from losing their savings. Submit anonymously in about two minutes.