Linkedin Premium Upgrade

ms_frustrated

Can anybody help me please?

I recently started using Linkedin and they sent me an email offering me a month's free subscription to their Premium Account. I read the small print in the email which stated that the first month is free and then I would be charged the standard rate until I renewed my subscription or cancelled the Premium upgrade.

I entered my credit card details firmly believing I had the option to cancel. I have taken part in similar free trials with other services and cancelled before the free month is up. However, I didn't realise until I was immediately sent a confirmation email that they had immediately taken £442.06 out of my account with a notice stating that no refunds are applicable. It charged me a business rate, when I am not a business at all.

I was understandably shocked as I wasn't expecting a year's subscription to be taken from my credit card account immediately. I had understood the offer to mean that I had a month free to trial the service.

I straight away tried to call Linkedin and searched their website thoroughly. It appears it is not possible to speak to an operator. I called my credit card company within 10 minutes but the money had already been debited and they said I had to contact Linkedin to request a refund.

I haven't used the service, don't want the service and thought it was a trial. Can anybody tell me whether it is possible for me to claim my money back please?

Many thanks.

Carol

bod1467

It would seem you're not alone.

http://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/list/search/1/kw/premium%20refund

http://community.linkedin.com/questions/23268/how-do-i-get-a-refund-for-unused-linkedin-premium.html is exactly your situation.

Remember that they are an American company, so UK law may not apply.

wealdroam

It seems that what you have purchased is a year's subscription which includes one month free.

Or put another way, twelve months for the price of eleven, or maybe thirteen months for the price of twelve.

Anyway, you are not the first to suffer this way.
Here is quite a good explanation about how people get caught...
http://www.michielgaasterland.com/online-reputation/try-linkedin-premium-for-free-but-read-the-fine-print-17571/

Also, it appears that you were offered an upgrade to one of the following account types:
Business- for general business users
Job Seeker - for job seekers
Sales Navigator - for sales professionals
Talent Finder - for individual recruiters and employers
Recruiter - for enterprise recruiters

I imagine the default was Business, and you did not change that.

Have you contacted Linkedin for a refund?
It's not clear from your post.

trulys

Sorry to hear you were caught out - that's totally scandalous they can do that. It seems that they won't give you any refund according to their website, but I sure hope you can find a way to get it sorted out - its daylight robbery!

LinkedIn Premium Refund Policy

What is LinkedIn's premium account refund policy?
Last Reviewed: 03/28/2013
Report Answer Inaccuracies

Sorry, but we can't offer refunds on any fees and charges related to your Premium account - including partially used periods. Also, please note that all of your Premium features expire immediately after you cancel your account, so make sure you use all your InMail messages before deciding to cancel.

ms_frustrated

Thanks for your prompt responses. Yes, I did try to contact Linkedin and sent them a couple of online responses asking them to contact me urgently. There is no way of phoning them, although I did see somewhere that they were registered in Northern Ireland.

I agree it is scandalous and they shouldn't be allowed to get away with it. it is a huge amount of money to basically pay to send and receive emails.

Would Section 75 apply in this situation? My credit card company have said I have a month to try and get a refund before trying to claim through them. Not sure if I am covered with Mastercard either. It is all very frustrating and the small print in the email was certainly not cleat at all. In the meantime, I will be stung for the whole amount, which I can ill afford.

Shouldn't there be some sort of grace period when purchasing online? I tried to cancel it as soon as I realised the payment had gone through - i.e. within 10 minutes of the transaction.

wealdroam

From their user agreement it appears your contract is with:
LinkedIn Ireland Limited,
77 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay,
Dublin 2,
Ireland

I.e. not Northern Ireland

ms_frustrated

I have just posted a petition on FB and also contacted the BBC's Watchdog to see if there is anything that can be done. It is a disgrace that large multinational and multi billion dollar companies are allowed to get away with this kind of thing. The public should make a stand!

Agricolae

Okay, so basically the contract was (I think) made in the UK. The company may be based in Ireland but UK jurisdiction should also apply.

This means you do have section 75 rights, so long as you pass all the "tests".

It will probably boil down to just what the terms and conditions say.

pinkshoes

I looked at the Linked-in trial, but decided against it as I couldn't work out what you are actually signing up to.

It reads as if you're getting a 1 month free trial, then can cancel, but what you seem to be subscribing to is a year contract with one month free!!

I would write to them telling them that unless you receive a full refund, you will doing a charge back on your credit card for misleading promotion.

Simon_Radcliffe

I managed to get my money back, took about 3 days bouncing emails back and forth. I just got them to check that I hadn't used the premium features and they were fine.

bluep

Glad I read this as I've been tempted to sign up for the "1 month free trial"...phew, won't touch it with a bargepole now. I agree it is completely misleading - hope you have success in getting your money back.