How do I get out of a dubious dating subscription?

Memberships are often offered on both large and smaller dating platforms these days. They come in a variety of options, functions and running times. Of course, providing a dating app or website costs money. The best way for operators to cover their costs is, in addition to running ads, a corresponding subscription. Most websites can initially be tested free of charge and then offer the option of a subscription for expanded functions and more options.

There are numerous reputable providers of dating websites with appropriate subscriptions, but there are also websites that simply want to exploit users. Cancelling a subscription should be quick and easy online. However, dubious providers’ subscriptions often come with very complicated cancellation options. This leads to an extension of the subscription and very high costs for the user. The following article will explain in more detail how such a dangerous subscription can be recognized and what steps you can take to cancel it quickly with little loss of money.

Detecting a subscription trap early

A possible trap can be identified before you even subscribe. There are various signs to look for. If the homepage of the selected platform appears dubious and contains little information, caution is advised. The small print on these websites often states if fictitious profiles are used. So, despite a subscription, no real-live meetings are possible. Some websites have a link to the Terms and Conditions right on the landing page. Always review those, you can often find more extensive information about the conditions of the subscription using the search terms “notice period”, “term”, “subscription” or “membership”.

If you miss these clues or don’t recognize them, don’t worry. Registration is free on most websites. Further signs can then be found in the members’ area of ​​the website. For example, if you receive numerous messages from other profiles immediately after registration, it can be assumed that fictitious profiles are being used. Most of the time you cannot send messages without a subscription. Reading news and other important functions of the website are also often blocked. The operator wants to ensure that you start a subscription.

The dangers of dubious websites

Avoiding starting a subscription might not be that easy for inexperienced people. The aforementioned information is not clear to everyone, and the operators use a wide variety of offers to encourage people to subscribe. Very often, dubious dating sites offer subscriptions with some sort of discount. A test or trial subscription can also be found. These subscriptions only run for a few days and promise a comprehensive insight into how the website is used before you decide on a longer subscription.

However, these short subscriptions always extend automatically. The trial subscription of a few days is then quickly converted into a monthly or even annual subscription with very high prices. This information is often deliberately hidden during the ordering process. Only the supposedly low costs and extensive functions are prominently presented on the payment page. If you don’t look close enough here, you won’t find the trap.

Difficulties with termination

Once you’ve started a subscription, it’s not that easy to get out of it. The conditions of the subscription are usually not clearly visible and are only mentioned in the terms and conditions. Notice periods of several weeks can then be specified here. Anyone who misses this will have to pay more money again. The supposedly short trial subscriptions usually cannot be canceled in time and are always converted into a longer period subscription with a high price.

But even if you do cancel in good time, it won’t necessarily be easier to get out of your subscription. Very often, operators of dubious dating sites do not respond to cancellations. In addition, cancellations are often not accepted online and must be sent by regular mail. Many providers are located abroad. Only the receipt of the respective letter by the operator counts as the termination date. However, this can only really be verified with a registered letter. Otherwise, the operator can take a lot of time to cancel and, in principle, extend the subscription artificially.

Options for canceling the subscription

Terminating the subscription the traditional way doesn’t seem to have much success. Stopping making the upcoming payments seems to be the best option. However, reminders are often sent out. At least your own bank should be notified of a dubious subscription. It is possible that a solution can be found that way. In addition, you can make use of the right to object. Even operators from abroad must comply with this. If you haven’t had your subscription for too long, you can use this right within 14 days of starting it. Termination should then be possible.

The best way to resolve the problem quickly is probably to contact a lawyer. A lot of information about dubious subscriptions can already be found online, which provides initial instructions for cancellation and offers support. A lawyer who specializes in this niche can be contacted directly here. You should be able to get out of the subscription fairly quick with the help of your lawyer. Whether a refund of the lost money is possible depends very much on the respective case.

Conclusion

Anyone who is active on dating sites must be careful when entering the website. If you find relevant information about a dubious website, such as a subscription with dangerous conditions or fictitious profiles, registration is not recommended. If you quickly receive messages from various members on the website, then caution is also advised. The lack of the ability to send or just read some messages for free can also indicate a dubious subscription trap. Blocked communication options and functions are a clear indication of a nasty trap.

Once you start a subscription, termination is difficult. High prices and long notice periods then cause frustration. Terminating the traditional way does not always seem possible. This can be remedied with the help of a lawyer. After just a short online search, you will find numerous lawyers who specialize in exactly this problem. If you are unsure about the reliability of a dating site, you can also look for reviews and experiences from former users of the website. This way you can avoid a dangerous subscription.