Many US services ask for your card for a "free trial" and then charge you every month or year until you cancel. These charges add up fast in a new country.
A free trial becomes a paid subscription at the end of the trial, automatically.
Auto-renewal: a yearly plan renews and charges the full year again unless you cancel before the date.
Negative option: a legal term for "you agree unless you say no". Silence means yes.
Gym memberships may have a contract with a cancellation fee or a rule that you must cancel in person or by letter.
Read the price after the trial and the date it starts.
Put a reminder in your phone calendar two days before the trial ends.
Take a screenshot of the terms and the cancellation steps.
Ask a gym: "How do I cancel, and is there a fee?"
Phone app subscriptions: on iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions. On Android, open Google Play, tap your profile, then Payments and subscriptions.
Websites: look for Account, Membership or Billing, then Cancel. Keep the confirmation email.
By phone: ask for a cancellation confirmation number.
Deleting an app does not cancel its subscription.
A federal law, the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act, requires online sellers to clearly explain a recurring charge, get your consent, and give you a simple way to stop it. A broader FTC "click to cancel" rule was struck down by a federal court in 2025. Many states have their own auto-renewal laws. This differs by state.
A charge you did not expect
Contact the company and ask for a refund. Be short and polite, and give the date and amount.
If they refuse and you canceled correctly, dispute the charge with your card company. For credit cards, federal law gives you 60 days after the statement that shows the charge.
Report a dishonest seller at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Forgetting a trial you started at the airport or for one movie.
Thinking deleting the app stopped the charges.
Never reading your bank statement. Check it every month for small repeating charges.