A free trial offer allows you to try a product or service for a specific period without paying upfront. Sounds great for consumers interested in products or services from legitimate companies. But other companies take advantage of consumers by automatically signing them up for high-priced subscriptions that are difficult to get out of. Learn how to avoid free trial scams through in-depth research, understanding the fine print, and what to do when signing up for one.

Research the Company and Product

Don’t be impulsive about signing up for a free trial offer. Thorough online research can determine what others say about their free trial experience with the company and its products or services. Consumers may have had undesirable experiences with the company’s free trial offer policy and have reported the scam to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Other consumers may have filed a complaint against the company on the company’s BBB page. Still, others may have shared their experiences by writing reviews on the company’s website, Google Business Profile, or Facebook page. By checking these sources, you can verify if the free trial offer you’re interested in is legitimate.

Take Notice of Any Fine Print

There’s a reason why a company will put terms and conditions and pertinent information on how to cancel your free trial offer in tiny fonts and place it at the bottom of the page. They know you’ll likely sign up without seeing or paying attention to the written terms. So it’s important to look for fine print and learn what it conveys. Don’t sign up if you can’t find or understand the terms and conditions or specifications for canceling the subscription.

You may also notice fine print statements with check boxes marked by default next to them. Take notice of these declarations. If you disagree with them, uncheck the boxes before proceeding.

Deciding to Sign Up For a Free Trial Offer

So you’ve done the research, checked for the fine print, and decided to proceed with the free trial offer. You can take some steps to protect yourself further when taking advantage of these offers.

Giving Account Information

The company will likely ask for credit card or debit account information when you start a free trial offer. They may require this for several reasons, such as:

• The product is free, but you’ll have to pay for shipping and handling
• To help limit free trials to one per person
• Reduce spam registrations
• To avoid any interruption of service once the trial period has expired

Check the statements regularly if you give your credit card or debit account information. Checking these will ensure the merchant is not charging for products or services they shouldn’t.

If you’re uncomfortable giving them your personal account numbers, you can use a virtual or prepaid credit card. A virtual card masks your actual credit card number and prevents the merchant from storing your information. A prepaid credit card will no longer be of use when the prepaid balance is gone. These credit cards will prevent fraud if that’s what the merchant intends.

Mark Your Calendar

Usually, free trial offers are for a limited time. If you don’t cancel the subscription before the time ends, the company can start charging your credit or debit account. So to make sure that you have the option to cancel before the time is up, mark it on the calendar, or set a reminder of when the trial offer expires.

Recognize and Steer Clear of Free Trial Scams

Free trial offers can benefit the company and the consumer, especially when conducting business online. However, some merchants will try to take advantage of this marketing tool for fraudulent financial gain. You can avoid free trial scams by doing your research and taking steps to protect yourself when signing up for a free trial offer. If you suspect you are a victim of one of these scams, you can report it to the BBB or the FTC.