Subscription traps – free products and sample packages

Rights when you order something online

• You have 14 days to withdraw from your purchase when you make a distance purchase, for example online or over the phone.

• You are not need to pay for something that you did not order.

• The company must provide you with clear information about the price.

• You have the option of challenging the demand for payment if a product that you did not order is sent to your home.

Examples of common subscription traps

Sometimes the consumer is tricked into a subscription they do not want. Subscriptions are often expensive and hard to get out of. Hygiene products, diet supplements and underwear are products that frequently occur in subscription traps. Companies that have lured you into so called subscription traps use different methods, some common examples are:

Sample packages and welcome packages

A common way to lure consumers into a subscriptions is that the company offers very good prices or free prices. They may offer you to try a product or the first package with the product is free. If it said sample package in the ad but then it says welcome package once the product is delivered, it may mean that you have ended up in a subscription. Instead of receiving a sample package where you may only be required to pay for postage, you may find yourself in a subscription that costs you money every month. Many consumer do not discover that they have ended up in a subscription trap until invoices start arriving by post or when money is suddenly deducted from their account.

Competitions and surveys

You may be lured into participating in a market survey online or participating in a competition. You will often find these surveys and competitions in ads or posts on social media, for example Facebook. When you click on a link you may be asked to answer different types of questions and provide your card details in exchange for a cheap product or entry in a giveaway. This may result in your becoming a subscriber and money being deducted from your account on a regular basis.

Text messages

You can be lured into a subscription by answering a text message. It may often appear that the text messages is sent by a serious company, but it often involves an unreliable company that poses as someone else. For example, the text message may instruct you to click on a link to participate in a competition. It may also contain information saying that you have been approved for credit and that you need to dial a number if you have any questions. If you click on the link or dial the number there is a risk that you get caught in a subscription.

You do not need to pay for something that you did not order

If you receive an invoice for something that you did not order you do not need to pay. Only because a company claims that you need to pay for something, does not mean you actually do. It is always the company's responsibility to prove that there is an agreement between you and what you agreed on when you placed the order. You are not obligated to pay for the cost of sending back a product that you did not order. If you receive an invoice that is incorrect it is always important that you contest it, in other words protest against it.

What applies when the company calls you

A company that sells products or service via telephone is legally obligated to receive written consent from you in order for the agreement to be valid. The company must send a written confirmation of its offer, and the offer needs to be approved by you in writing. The requirement of written consent applies if the company calls you, or if the company instructed you to call them. If you have not approved the agreement in writing it is invalid, and you have no payment obligation towards the company.

How does a written consent work?

A written consent can be provided in different ways. You can for example:

• sign a paper that is sent to you by post

• approve electronically via email or text message

• approve via e-identification, such as bank ID.

Approval must be given after the telephone conversation, so that you have time to think about the offer. Thus, it is not acceptable for the company to instruct you to approve the offer during the conversation. The company must be able to prove that you have given your written consent, and that it took place after the conversation. If you have received a demand for payment even though you have not given your written consent, you have the option of contesting the invoice, in other words protest against it.

Right of withdrawal for 14 days if you have ordered something

If you have ended up in a subscription that you do not want you can use your legal right of withdrawal. The right of withdrawal applies to distance purchases, for example online or over the telephone. The right of withdrawal is normally 14 days and applies throughout the EU. If you have accidentally ordered something that you are not interested in you can contact the company within two weeks from when you received the product and inform them that you have changed your mind. Withdraw from the purchase in writing, for example via email, and save a copy in your email as proof. Sometimes the right of withdrawal can be extended and you can have more 14 days to withdraw from the purchase. Read more about your options to withdraw

Contest an incorrect invoice

If you feel that you are not obligated to pay for a subscription you should contest the demand. To contest means that you contact the company and either inform them that you will not pay and why, or demand that the company refunds you for money has already been deducted. Always contest in writing, for example via email, and save a copy.

Read more about contesting a demand for payment

Complain to your bank if you have paid with a card

Has the company charged you incorrectly and you paid by card, you may have the opportunity to seek help from your bank, the one that issued the card to you. This is called making a card complaint.

What your rights look like depends on the type of card you used to pay for the purchase. You have stronger protection when you pay with a credit card. If you have paid with a debit card, the terms and conditions of the card govern what you are entitled to.

Read more about chargeback

Report to the Swedish Consumer Agency if the company violates the rules

If you feel that a company has violated the rules of the law you can bring it to the attention of the Swedish Consumer Agency by filing a report. The Swedish Consumer Agency will check to ensure that the company is complying with the rules of the law, and reports is an important basis of the work carried out by the agency. However, a report does not guarantee that your individual case will be assessed or decided on.

File a report on the Swedish Consumer Agency's website (in Swedish)