HACKER Q&A
📣 akudha

How do you handle hard to cancel subscriptions/donations?


In November last year, I had made a donation online, to a non-profit.

Fast forward today, I notice the monthly donation and want to cancel it going forward. There is no way to do it online. So I call them up, the person says they can't help and I should leave my number and they'd call back. I ask them politely why they make it so easy to give money, but so difficult to cancel. They give some word-soup answer, a collection of words which sounded like a sentence but with zero meaning or usefulness.

By now, we are all familiar with this "model", the most (in)famous example being the NT Times. Looks like non-profits have started doing it too, which is depressing.

How does one handle these, short of stopping use of credit cards completely online? Is there any recourse at all?


  👤 PaulHoule Accepted Answer ✓
I'd had trouble canceling a Planet Fitness membership in the past. There would always be some excuse like the manager who processes cancellations was out, etc.

Last time I brought some muscle: my 6 foot 4 son with terrible acne and a friend of the family who hasn't had a shower in years. It was all too clear that we'd be crowding the front desk until I got satisfaction and we experienced 0% bullshit.


👤 impendia
If you are in the US, here is the CFPB's advice on how to handle the situation. In short, contact your bank if the nonprofit refuses to help.

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-stop-autom...


👤 arkitaip
Shame them publicly on social media.

👤 groffee
Just cancel your card and use a virtual/private one instead.

https://privacy.com/


👤 emteycz
Virtual cards