ACM launches campaign to warn against commercial cancellation service providers

With the slogan 'Beware of cancellation service providers! Submit cancellations yourself', the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets () is warning against commercial cancellation service providers. If you search online for "cancel subscription", you often end up with a company that can cancel your subscription on your behalf, yet you have to pay up to 50 euros for that. Many individuals do not realize that they contacted a commercial cancellation service provider, whereas they can easily cancel their subscriptions themselves for free by contacting the businesses directly. In its campaign, ACM draws consumers' attention to these commercial cancellation service providers, and explains how consumers can prevent using such providers unwittingly.

Edwin van Houten, Director of ACM's Consumer Department, explains: "Over the past few months, we have received many reports from individuals that had unwittingly used commercial cancellation service providers. They believed they were simply submitting their cancellations directly to the business where they wanted to cancel, and were subsequently shocked when the bill came. That is why we launched this campaign to warn against commercial cancellation service providers. Submit cancellations yourself."

Service providers must be transparent

Cancellation service providers are companies that charge money to cancel subscriptions on people's behalf. This is not prohibited, provided that these service providers are transparent. They are required to clearly state that it is a paid service and what the costs are. If it is not clear that it is an intermediary, it is considered misleading.

Recognizing commercial cancellation service providers

Mr. Van Houten adds: "These service providers are willing to spend a lot of money to have their ads appear at the top of search results. The top search result is usually an ad, and therefore often not the website of the business where you want to cancel."

If you wish to cancel a subscription, do not immediately click on the first link in the search results. In this way, you avoid going to the website of a commercial cancellation service provider unwittingly.

On www.consuwijzer.nl/opzeggen (in Dutch), you can find tips on how to recognize a cancellation service provider. You can also find information on how to cancel your subscription with businesses yourself as well as useful sample letters.

Campaign material

ACM informs consumers about commercial cancellation service providers through ads in magazines and TV guides, an online advertorial, and a radio ad.