How to deal with unauthorised recurring charges on your card 💳

Yesterday I had one of those frustrating experiences that I’m sure many people have faced.

A company I had not used for 3 years suddenly took a payment of £44.99 from my account, claiming it was an automatic payment I had previously set up.

What shocked me was that there was no reminder, no warning, and no communication that this payment was about to be taken.

I immediately sent them a formal letter laying down the law, challenging the payment, and demanding a full refund. Within 5 hours I received confirmation that the automatic payment had been cancelled and a full refund was issued.

It made me think — how many people are having money taken from their accounts by companies they no longer use, simply because an old subscription or payment agreement was left active?

If this has happened to you, don’t just accept it. Challenge it, contact the company, and demand answers.

Here is a copy of the email I sent:

Dear Support,

I am writing regarding a payment that has recently been taken from my account for a SliqTools subscription which you took today

I have not used your services years and was completely unaware that any subscription remained active. Furthermore, I did not receive any advance notification or renewal reminder advising that this payment would be taken.

As I have had no use of the service for a considerable period, I request that you:

Cancel my subscription with immediate effect. Refund the full amount of the recent payment to my original payment method. I trust that this matter can be resolved promptly and amicably. However, if I do not receive confirmation that the subscription has been cancelled and the payment refunded within 7 days, I will have no option but to pursue the matter further. This may include initiating a chargeback through my bank or card provider and, where appropriate, referring the matter to the relevant consumer protection authorities.

I look forward to your prompt response and confirmation that this issue has been resolved.