The Age Subscription Warning

sl17 on 16/02/2014 - 15:03

Hi all, recently i subscribed to this $1 one month The Age deal https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/131377.

I paid with PayPal and received an email that I had agreed to preapproved transactions to Fairfax Media. Nothing out of ordinary, i thought if i don't like/use the service i will just cancel.

Yesterday I looked at my preapproved payment agreements and there was no Fairfax Media there. I contacted PayPal to make sure that i won't be charged in the future and they told me that "There is indeed an active pre-approve payment in your account Fairfax Media. The cancellation of this is done from our end via a request" which usually takes up to 72 hours to process.

If this is how The Age is trying to get customers then good luck to them but I won't be paying them a cent anytime soon. Also, I never knew that PayPal did this kind of thing where they have to manually cancel an agreement.

This is just a warning to all of you if you got this deal not to wait to the last minute thinking you can just cancel it with a few clicks.

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Comments

  • iseenya on 16/02/2014 - 15:24

    I've always assumed those "taster" subscription offers were just the thin end of an expensive wedge. This is downright dodgy though - thanx for the heads-up.

  • RI4V4N on 16/02/2014 - 17:26

    This is how Microsoft used to (might still?) act with xbox live subscriptions when you buy them on the actual console (they used to have similar deals like XBOX LIVE GOLD ONLY 2 DOLLARS FOR THE FIRST MONTH!). The only way to stop the subscription was to ring up and cancel via phone. The other thing they did (maybe still do?) is let you use a month without paying, then demand the payment and freeze your entire account (not just the gold options) till you pay up.

    It's a dirty dispicable practice.

    • mintysaurus on 16/02/2014 - 22:11

      The one and only time I used one of those 2 dollar things, when I called up I got scolded! They suggested in future I use pre-paid gamecards :/

    • Linkwick on 17/02/2014 - 17:45

      1) Pretty sure you can cancel auto-renewal on the Xbox.com website now. Can also edit/remove payment options from there now without having to call the tedious "Support" helpline.

      2) The "freeze your account" is when you have auto-renewal on but your payment method is invalid (whether for over credit limit, expired or whatever). They make several attempts to charge you, but you're still Gold for that entire period. When they finally stop payment attempts (a few weeks later), they freeze the account until you've paid for that extra time they gave you grace before payment was completed. It's like other accounts in that sense, eg. tollway accounts, public transport cards, etc.

      I can understand that, but the frustrating part is you can't just use a prepaid code, you have to actually complete the voided transaction to get it to good standing. THAT'S the annoying part for me, and why I only use prepaid codes (as well as it being cheaper :-p).

  • Dorka on 19/02/2014 - 15:59
    +1

    Don't pay for that junk. Just use the Private Window in Firefox or Incognito in Chrome and its free!

    • Linkwick on 19/02/2014 - 17:11

      Or delete your browser cookies etc. if it does prompt you that you're over 30 articles per month (using a normal browser tab).

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