Free trial—then they charged me for a full year

I signed up for a seven-day fitness app trial from an ad; the checkout page had a pre-ticked annual plan below the fold.

On day eight my card was charged ninety-nine pounds for a year I did not intend to buy.

The receipt named a merchant string unrelated to the app, which made the charge hard to recognise in banking apps.

Support cited a no refunds on digital subscriptions clause in fine print.

Dark-pattern trials hide auto-renewal in layout and naming; app stores have tightened rules, but web signups can still bury continuity billing in long terms.

While I raced through signup I trusted that “everyone does free trials” without reading the cancellation path or unticking the annual box.

A lawyer friend helped me send a consumer complaint email with screenshots of the flow; the company issued a partial refund after public pressure, not because their policy was fair.

Hours on chatbots and chargeback paperwork cost more than the money I eventually got back; I still resent the time tax.

Before any trial I read how to cancel, set a calendar alert a day before it ends, and use virtual cards with tight limits when the law allows.

• Untick bundled renewals; screenshot signup screens if a dispute may follow.
• Report misleading subscription practices to consumer protection agencies.

For more help, see our Report a scam page and Spot and avoid scams guide.