+Tim2AKAT2 Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 I was sent a code for a 7 day free trial but when I signed up you are required to sign for an auto-renewal which you can cancel. I was charged immediately. Seems this was just a bait and switch to get your money. I sent an email out but don't expect any results will probably have to take this up with my card company. Beware of the supposedly "FREE" trial. Quote Link to comment
+Isonzo Karst Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 You can stop recurring payments from your account settings: Help Center article on this -> link Your account settings, edit membership Quote Link to comment
+Tim2AKAT2 Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 1 hour ago, Isonzo Karst said: You can stop recurring payments from your account settings: Help Center article on this -> link Your account settings, edit membership I did that but if was suppose to be a 7 day free trial and they charged me right away. This was not a free trial as they stated. Quote Link to comment
+cerberus1 Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 Remembered others mentioning something like this before. No one said where they actually got this 7-day code from. After an overly-popular (now closed) thread, I thought Groundspeak was sending codes for 30 day free trials, with a request to their Help Center. Curious, Tim2akaT2, did you ask for that 7-day offer from Geocaching.com, something you saw posted by a GPSr manufacturer, or by someone else online ? Thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment
+Tim2AKAT2 Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 geocaching@communication.geocaching.com was the email address and it checks to their website. Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted February 3, 2019 Share Posted February 3, 2019 (edited) Here's a thread from another cacher who "got a free trial in email". There's not any info in particular about the offer (Email source, not just display address. Content of the email. Stuff like that. It might have not originated where you think.). It would help future recipients figure out what's going on. It may be good to contact HQ as mentioned in the other thread. Most of us can't fix membership issues in the Forum, even with specifics. If you're feeling really brave, forward the entire email to me. My address is in my profile (at least it is in the "old profile page experience"). Scammy emails are kind of my hobby. It might be good to know: Was this an authentic-looking "Geocaching.com" email? Any typos or giveaways that it may be questionable? Did the email include other info about you, such as your username or real name? Did you request a free trial? Is this likely due to a purchase ("free 7-day trial included with GPS purchase" or whatever)? Was the "code" accepted when you entered it? "7-Day Free Trial Accepted" kind of verification? Because if the code was accepted, you are using your free trial. At 7 days, be sure to cancel the charge (contact HQ today, be sure you know how to cancel it). Assuming that's your plan. Here and in that other thread, the code recipients entered credit card info and signed up for Premium Membership. It might be good to start a new thread about just that one thing (I may do that once I have enough info to start the thread), because if you pay for a Premium Membership, that prevents a "free trial". PM doesn't get free trials. A requirement to sign up for PM therefore prevents chaining free trials, you get one free trial and that's it. So there's at least a sequence of events that must be made more clear when redeeming any free trial, if that requires a credit card. I would agree that requiring subscription purchase for a year, just to acquire a "free trial", without clear info on how to cancel (how to make it truly a free trial) is a bad business practice. I wish I could say that Geocaching.com wouldn't deliberately make it hard to cancel, but, let's just say, I've been around the block a few times. Edited February 5, 2019 by kunarion 2 Quote Link to comment
+Hynz Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 (edited) On 2/2/2019 at 3:28 PM, Tim2akaT2 said: I was sent a code for a 7 day free trial but when I signed up you are required to sign for an auto-renewal which you can cancel. I was charged immediately. Seems this was just a bait and switch to get your money. I sent an email out but don't expect any results will probably have to take this up with my card company. Beware of the supposedly "FREE" trial. FWIW I also received such 7-Day offer and used it successfully last Friday using PayPal. I then immediately opted out under my GC-Settings Settings > Membership > Manage Premium Membership I also logged in to my PayPal account and canceled the "Automatic Payment" entry for Groundspeak which apparently is always generated in conjunction with such activity but I'm sure leaving this entry active on PayPal would be no harm as long as you cancel the automatic GC renewal. Edit: The subject of the inviting mail was "There are 1696 Premium-only geocaches near you!" Edited February 5, 2019 by Hynz Quote Link to comment
+Hynz Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 On 2/2/2019 at 3:28 PM, Tim2akaT2 said: I was charged immediately. I think I know what happened. Clicking on the link in the mail you land here: https://payments.geocaching.com You should have just entered the "Gift or Promo Code" without checking one of the above radio buttons and I agree this is not fully transparent. You are forced to provide PayPal or CreditCart info (which to a degree is understandable). Quote Link to comment
+thebruce0 Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Tim2akaT2 - if you've canceled the mishap and still want a free trial, shoot me a message, I've got a few 1 month trial codes and I can send you one. But you have to trust me lol Sucks when something like this happens. But maybe the trail will convince you that it is in fact worth it! Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 5 hours ago, Hynz said: FWIW I also received such 7-Day offer and used it successfully last Friday using PayPal. To be clear, you in fact first 100% requested a "free trial", and were expecting the email? Because if it's a surprise, and tends to get people paying for a year (and recurring years), that's more like a scam and needs to stop.* *Free stuff is cool. The scammy activity which is the Topic of this thread is not cool. 1 Quote Link to comment
+Hynz Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 12 minutes ago, kunarion said: 5 hours ago, Hynz said: FWIW I also received such 7-Day offer and used it successfully last Friday using PayPal. To be clear, you in fact first 100% requested a "free trial", and were expecting the email? No, I just received this mail without requesting it. My PM lapsed about one month ago but it seems this is not related to receiving this mail. Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Hynz said: No, I just received this mail without requesting it. My PM lapsed about one month ago but it seems this is not related to receiving this mail. You had PM and when it lapsed you got a free trial? Weird. I would have thought folks previously having PM would already have tried PM. Well, it's free. And people tend to not realize they get charged for a year when redeeming the free trial, and it creates issues, it's a thing and it's all Groundspeak's idea. I'm just gonna sit back and let this situation work itself out. Edited February 5, 2019 by kunarion 2 Quote Link to comment
+Tim2AKAT2 Posted February 9, 2019 Author Share Posted February 9, 2019 (edited) Groundspeak made it right they reimburse my money and left me with a 90-day free trial so they did make it right. Edited February 9, 2019 by Tim2akaT2 Can't spell 1 2 Quote Link to comment
+K13 Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 16 minutes ago, Tim2akaT2 said: Groundspeak made it right they reimburse my money and left me with a 90-day free trial so they did make it right. Good for you - and for them for making things right by you. Thanks for letting everyone here know the resolution. 1 Quote Link to comment
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