Subscription traps – free products and sample packages
Abonnemangsfällor - gratisvaror och provpaket - Engelska
If you find yourself in a subscription without having approved an agreement, you have probably ended up in a subscription trap. If you are affected – do not pay for anything you have not ordered. Dispute any demands you receive and remember that you will not receive a record of non-payment if you can show that you disputed the incorrect demands.
Translated page: This text has been translated from Swedish. The text and appearance of the page may look different from the original page.
How you can end up in a subscription trap
Consumers can be tricked into subscriptions they do not want. They can cost a lot of money and be difficult to get out of. The companies that trick you into subscription traps use various methods and it is important to be careful. Here are examples of how companies trick you into a subscription:
Sample packages and welcome packages – A common way to trick consumers into subscriptions is offering inexpensive or free products. It may involve you getting the chance to test a product or that the first package with the product is to be free of charge. If the ad said test or sample package, but when the product is delivered it says welcome package instead, it may indicate that you have ended up in a subscription. Instead of receiving a sample package where maybe you should only pay for the postage, you may end up in a subscription that costs you money every month. Many consumers do not discover anything until invoices start showing up or when money gets withdrawn from their account.
Competitions and surveys – On the internet, you can be tricked into doing a marketing survey or to participate in a competition. They often use ads or posts on social media to get your attention. When you click on a link, you may be asked to answer various kinds of questions and provide your card information in exchange for receiving an inexpensive product or being able to participate in a lottery. This can lead to you becoming a subscription customer and money being withdrawn from your account.
Text message – You may be enticed into a subscription by answering a text message. It might look like the text message is coming from a serious company even though it is from a fake company. The text message may, for example, encourage you to click on a link to participate in a competition or it may say that you are granted a credit and that you should call a number if you have any questions. If you click on the link or call the number, there is a risk that you get stuck in a subscription.
Right of withdrawal for 14 days when you make a distance purchase
If you have ended up in a subscription that you do not want, you might be able to get out it by using your statutory right of withdrawal. The right of withdrawal applies when you have made a distance purchase, for example online or over the phone. The right of withdrawal normally lasts 14 days and applies within the entire EU. This means that you can contact the company within two weeks from when you received the product or bought the service and notify them that you have changed your mind. Do so in writing, preferably by email, and save a copy. If the company has not given you the right information about the right of withdrawal, it can be extended by up to one year.
Learn more about your right of withdrawal
You do not need to pay for anything you have not ordered
If you receive an invoice for something that you did not order, you do not need to pay. Just because a company claims that you are obliged to pay for something does not mean that you are. It is always the company that must prove that there is an agreement and what conditions you have agreed on. If you received something you did not order, you are also not obliged to pay the cost for sending the product back.
Complain to your bank if you paid by card
If you have paid by card, you can sometimes make a complaint to your bank if the company will not help you directly. This is called making a card complaint. It is important that you have first tried to resolve the problem yourself by contacting the company. Keep in mind to do so in writing so that you can prove what you have done. When you contact your bank it is important that you do so in writing. Explain the problem clearly and send copies of all documents that concern your contact with the company. Also, tell the bank that you have tried to solve the problems with the company by yourself, but have not succeeded.
Learn more about making a card complaint
Dispute an incorrect invoice
If you believe that you should not pay for a subscription, you must dispute the claim. Disputing means that you contact the company and either say that you will not pay and why, or demand the company to pay back money that has already been withdrawn. Do so in writing, preferably by email, and save a copy.
Learn more about disputing (information in Swedish)
Collection and the Swedish Enforcement Authority
You do not automatically receive a record of non-payment because you do not pay when you have received a payment reminder or an invoice from a collection company. If you believe that a claim or an invoice you have received is incorrect, you can dispute it. Disputing means that you contact the company and either say that you will not pay and why, or demand the company to pay back money that has already been withdrawn. It is important that you dispute the claim with both the company that claims there is an agreement and any collection companies. You must also answer the Swedish Enforcement Authority if the company has applied for a payment order. It is only if you do not protest when you received a payment order from the Swedish Enforcement Authority, that you are at risk of receiving a record of non-payment.
Report to the Swedish Consumer Agency if the company breaks the rules
If you think that a company is breaking the rules in the law, you can call attention to this by filing a report to the Swedish Consumer Agency. The Swedish Consumer Agency checks that companies comply with the law, and reports from consumers are an important input for the agency’s work. However, a report does not mean that your individual case will be assessed and decided.
Source: ECC SverigeKonsumentverket
Proofread: 14 February 2022