Ask HN: How do you handle hard to cancel subscriptions/donations? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How do you handle hard to cancel subscriptions/donations?

2 pointsakudha8 comments

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?

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.

who hasn't had a shower in years

lol, this is a creative solution. Thanks for the chuckle. Assuming you're not joking, how does one live in a city without showering for years?

It limits what you can do.

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...

Shame them publicly on social media.

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

https://privacy.com/

or call the card company and say your card was stolen. You'll get a new one.

Virtual cards

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