At a trade fair in Arnhem…
At a trade fair in Arnhem (Netherlands), my wife requested a free information package. To verify her identity, she paid €0.01 via Apple Pay and assumed that was the only cost. The next day, €49.90 was charged for a "24-hour trial subscription" that automatically converted into a paid subscription. No service was ever used.
The terms and conditions (section 11, which ended up in our spam folder) state that the company offers a full refund if the subscription is cancelled within 14 days. Despite this, customer support has twice refused a refund with a standard reply, without addressing that clause.
Update (9 October): After I disputed the charge with my bank, reported the case to the Dutch consumer authority (ConsuWijzer) and pointed out section 11 of their own terms, the company finally reversed its decision and refunded the full €49.90. The membership has been cancelled.
I’m glad it was resolved, but it took three emails and a bank dispute. If you ever sign up for a “free” offer that requires a payment method, read the terms carefully and check your spam folder for confirmation emails. I’d recommend that the company make the trial terms and the €49.90 price much clearer at sign-up.
