Beware the Experian free trial is actually a monthly subscription (Experian)

Member Name: William

Product:	Experian
Date:	23/02/09 (280 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Can't think of any

Disadvantages: They take your money for nothing and without you expecting it.

Well not a happy experience. I received a series of direct marketing emails from them advertising their free trial. I am kicking myself that my suspicions were not raised by the following paragraph in their initial email "Let us assure you that there is no catch and no commitment to the free trial, you will not be charged and there is no obligation to continue beyond the 30-day free trial period." I didn't think I would have any credit record problems, but I thought it might interesting for a free look. So I signed up for the trial and gave them my credit card details (mentally I assumed they needed this for doing a credit check). Well the report was not that interesting and I forgot about it. Then a few weeks later reviewing my credit card statement I saw that they had taken a monthly subscription from it and on querying it with them I found that I had signed up for an automatically renewing monthly subscription. Wow! I should have read the small print. I have cancelled the subscription and asked for a refund. The refund was refused because apparently it should have been clear what I have signed up to. Yes I should have read the small print and I am angry with myself for not doing that, but their direct marketing is certainly misleading. Legally they may be OK, but I think its really unethical behaviour.

I would have cost Experian £6.69 to refund a month's subscription and improve their reputation. I have to assume that they do not value their reputation that highly.

Summary: Beware the Experian free trial is actually a monthly subscription