MSE News: Been charged for unwanted Amazon Prime? Here's how to cancel

solentsusie

I have used Amazon for years. At no point have I been 'scammed' into signing up for Amazon Prime or had it come up as the default delivery method.

If people do not know how they managed to sign up for this service, or any of the other services people continually complain about being charged for such as credit reference agency monthly fees, then I am afraid that they really shouldn't be left unattended on the internet, particularly if they have access to a credit card or their bank details.

I hate this blame culture that a lot of people seem to willingly have signed up to as well. Glad I didn't get scammed into that one either!

YOU sign up for it, YOU do not cancel it - and yes it is YOUR responsibility to check when you free trial ends - then YOU pay for it.

Is there genuinely a problem with that?

Percy1983

I don't order from amazon too often but I have quite easily avoided signing up.

I didn't get years of free insurance on a loan because I was intelligent enough to read what I was getting and refused payment protection.

Reward for intelligence = nothing, Reward for stupidity, just about anything it would seem.

awolo1

Why does this need an article, really?

This applies to people who made a mistake. If you read carefully on the amazon website, it does state it is a free trial. Sorry, but anybody who signs up to a free trial (which is made clearly visible) and forgets to cancel, is asking for trouble.

It's not a con, it's a user mistake.

lynneee

Thanks for this, got my refund! Can't believe I was caught out by this, I rarely use Amazon, and never sign up to free trials for anything. Just glad I never used any of the benefits of prime. Will be even more careful in future. A lesson learned

Newt148

Yep same problem didnt ask for it and found it on bank statement but did get money back within 2 days after phoning (not the point) was very upset at even them taking the cash

custardy

We had an MSE thread in 2008.
I and many others have used trials for free in those years

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1800095


from back then

Get FREE One-Day Delivery on This Order with Amazon Prime™
Introducing Amazon's exclusive membership program that gives you and your household family members the benefits of unlimited FREE One-Day Delivery on eligible Amazon.co.uk purchases for just £47.97 a year.
AMAZON PRIME - FAST, FREE, NO-HASSLE DELIVERY Learn more
Place your order before the deadline displayed on the item detail page to get:
Unlimited FREE One-Day Delivery on millions of eligible items
Express Delivery (delivery before 1pm) for £4.40 per item
Evening Delivery for £7.34 per item (London and Birmingham addresses)
UNPARALLELED FLEXIBILITY
No Minimum Purchase - never worry about meeting a threshold to get free delivery on millions of eligible items
Share your benefits with up to four additional household family members and get even more value
UPGRADE YOUR ORDER INSTANTLY
We will upgrade your entire order to dispatch via Free One-Day Delivery, the moment you sign up
Click the button below to start your Amazon Prime membership. We'll charge your credit card (MasterCard/EuroCard***-****) £47.97 for the next year, and annually after that as long as you want to remain a member. Your membership will automatically continue. If you prefer, you can set Your Account to "do not auto renew" and your payment method won't be charged for the next year. You can always request a refund of the most recent charge if your benefits haven't been used in the new term. If we're unable to charge the credit card above, we'll charge another payment method we have on file for you.

By clicking the button below, you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to the Terms and Conditions, and authorise us to charge the payment method above or another available on file.

Turn on 1-click ordering using my default Amazon Prime settings
Upgrade my order and start my Amazon Prime membership for £47.97 now

anotheruser

Bluehoops wrote:

"I got an unexpected balance appear on an old credit card, and on investigation discovered that Amazon had deducted £79 from my card as an annual charge for their Amazon prime streaming TV and film service.

I never knowingly subscribed to Amazon Prime, and had never used it.

Clearly you clicked on the free trial button at some point. Amazon can't/won't just debit an account without cause.

kwikbreaks wrote:

I carelessly clicked what I thought was normal delivery as it was under a huge orange "Free Prime Trial" button. I realised straight away what I'd done and didn't complete the checkout but went back to the start. Too late – I was a Prime member.

You carelessly clicked?
Without care, you have now paid the price.

hubb wrote:

I just ordered a DVD and must have clicked accidentally on Prime delivery option. I immediately rectified it by selecting free normal delivery. Even though I changed my delivery option Amazon have already signed me up for a free Prime trial.

YOU accidentally clicked on a button?
If you click on the "YES START MY FREE PRIME TRIAL" button on the page while making the order, then you've become a Prime member, even though you can change the delivery back to free before placing the order.
You still clicked the trial button.

newt148 wrote: »

Yep same problem didnt ask for it and found it on bank statement but did get money back within 2 days after phoning (not the point) was very upset at even them taking the cash

Yep, you did.
When signing up for a free trial, it clearly says it will morph into a full membership at the end, unless you cancel.
By not cancelling, you automatically upgraded to full membership.

lynneee wrote: »

...I rarely use Amazon, and never sign up to free trials for anything. Just glad I never used any of the benefits of prime.

Clearly you signed up for a free trial this time around...

snowyw wrote: »

... shortly afterwards received an email from Amazon welcoming me to Amazon Prime! How had I subscribed? I do not know, obviously I didn't untick the Prime option that I normally do... Amazon is tricking people, without doubt!

Not really a trick though.
Just being "helpful" as some people would want the trial to continue into full membership.
There's no button to un-tick. You must actively click on the prime membership option. Yes, this is encouraged by default but that's just basic sales tactics.




All user error and people trying to blame someone else for their own incompetence if you ask me...

Why aren't people complaining about auto renew car insurance? That's worse as some insurers do, others don't and some will unless you contact them and cancel - it's a mess!

snowyw

I have just checked my order that I did yesterday and I didn't select Prime. It is being delivered by standard delivery. I genuinely have no idea how I ended up subscribed to Prime, but I cancelled it anyway. The confirmation email came before the confirmation for my order, which I find even more confusing!!

Ken68

Brilliant service from Amazon and even next day delivery anyway.
But am an oldie so have to take special care about clicking the wrong button. My verdict, good service otherwise but a bit sneaky of Amazon.

jon81uk

This seems to be a similar issue to those who complain about not being able to get a "free" box from Graze as you have to enter your credit card details (so they can bill you for the second box), you have the option to cancel before the end of the trial / after the free box.

Do people really think you can get something for nothing so easily?