Warning - PLUS members

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ANFD
This is a notification for the GT Community and not a GT game related item. There seemed to be no other catagory to provide this information so I apologize if it's inappropriate.

Background .... when PLUS membership was first launched, there was speculation that a demo of GT5 would become available only to PLUS members (well before GT5 launch date) which enticed me to plunk down my $50 and sign up for it. The demo never materialized and since I only play racing games, the PLUS offerings never offered me anything of value and it was a total waste of money (for me).

In order to facilitate purchasing DL content for GT5, I had set my profile to "automatically add funds to my wallet" for these types of purchases (car packs etc.).

Then recently, I received an email from Sony informing me that they had automatically charged my credit card ($50) for the renewal of the PLUS membership. No notification of any kind was given by Sony. I contacted Customer Relations to see if I could get the charge reversed and they informed me that since they have PLUS membership set to default to automatic renewal and since I had set my profile to automatically add funds to my wallet, they were within their right to charge my credit card without informing me first or asking my approval. The contact was quite sarcastic and although he conceeded that he understood that this might be frustrating for me, there was nothing he was willing to do to help me.

I've now wasted $100 on something I've never used nor ever will use. Congratulations to Sony for ripping off a longtime 30 year customer whose home is filled with Sony products. I will be replacing them with their competitors products over time and vow to never purchase Sony again.

I just thought other PLUS members should be made aware of this situation. The only way to circumvent being charged for auto-renewal is to not select the option to "automatically add funds to your wallet".
 
Post this in the Console and Gaming Section with a PS3 section tab noted.
 
You have to read that fine print. Its like when you sign up to get a trial subscription to a magazines. They are automatically going to charge you,unless you cancel it
 
This is a comon pratice in most monthly/weekly fees stuff. Magazine, Xbox gold sub, psn + subs, etc.. Same goes for your insurance, phone sub etc..

Well you learned something :D
 
It's unfortunate to hear, but ultimately I don't see how Sony are at fault. You had your PSN Plus membership set to automatic renewal, and you allowed funds to automatically be charged to your card. I know it sucks but you should have taken care on your end to prevent this from happening. I never allow my cards to be charged automatically, for reasons just like this.

Just so you know, Sony is not the only company that does this. Xbox charges automatically as well for their Live! service unless you state otherwise.


Parker
 
If you have the Auto subscription and auto deduct funds then PS+ will auto renew. It happened to me. I remember when I set up PS+ it DID mention it, but I was always under the impression I would figure it all out at a later date, which I never did.

I got billed $50 too, but it was all my own fault, live and learn. Good warning though, I could have done with this about a month ago :)
 
You know there is a button in the Account Managment section that says "Do not Auto-Renew plus subscription"...

It's not Sony's fault, it's your lack of effort to not realize that almost 99.9% of companies that charge subscriptions will auto-renew, because they assume you want that service still, as you never said "Cancel" or "Do not auto-renew"...
 
You should have had your XBox Live Gold renewed by MS chasing down my new card info. This is the ONLY time this has ever happened. Every other biz pestered me to give them the new number. Not Micro$oft, they just take stuff...
 
That happened to me,hadn't played Xbox for months and bam, I was still gold! Was auto charging me for the last few months..
 
Bet you never read the small print. Sorry but no sympathy here. You pre- authorised sony to charge your card. How much will you lose in the long run by replacing your working sony products just cause you failed to read the small print?
 
I must agree here :) simple business. You unthinkingly say "YES! auto renew that will be easier" But infact it is just a simple business, despite being cheeky, method of getting your permission to give them you money for nothing :) Why wouldn't they?
 
Yep I bought plus pretty recently and it's written in big letters in the description that it will auto renew unless you say otherwise... Netflix, amazon, gyms, magazines and almost anything else with subscriptions will do this too.

Except GT Planet I believe :sly:
 
I beleive Sony are being nicer about it than Microsoft were for Live Gold, so don't hate Sony for that.

They i think offered a box to tick saying 'do not automatically renew' or something like that.

Whereas to cancel the Live Gold subscription i had to ring up a call center (no other way to do it) and then explain to the guy why i wanted it cancelled...
 
It's not Sony's Fault and you are crazy for essentially paying for a DEMO. Now you have paid for a $100 Demo that never existed. I was well aware of the auto renewal when I signed up. It was clear and not hidden.

There is an easy box to check to end your auto renewal.
 
Whilst it is in the smallprint, I have to sympathise with this. When you buy a 1-year subscription to something, you expect it to be for just one year. When the subscription ends, the default position should be for the service to end, not for the service to continue and further payment sought, without consulting the customer or informing them ahead of automatic renewal (Like a reminder) so that they have the option to have it renewed or not.

My gym membership ran out last month, did it auto-renew? No, because my university has ethical values.

PSN is the least of your worries though, Insurance companies are the worst. My Brother's car insurance doubled when it was auto-renewed without his permission, which put him several hundreds pounds beyond his overdraft limit into the red, which caused him significant hassle.

Subscriptions like this should not be renewed unless they ask for your explicit consent via a phone call, email or letter a few weeks in advance, rather than burying it under a load of rubbish in the T&Cs.
 
Last edited:
SkylineObsession
Whereas to cancel the Live Gold subscription i had to ring up a call center (no other way to do it) and then explain to the guy why i wanted it cancelled...
Click to expand...

You can cancel auto-renewal of Live via Xbox.com, I know because I've just done it (many thanks to the OP for reminding me I needed to do so).

Not sure if its just a UK option, but it can be done via the website.

Its found on the My Account option after you sign-in.


Scaff
 
You do get a lot of free stuff as a Plus member, its not that bad. You can't really say Sony ripped you off. It was just a careless mistake on your part.
 
Scaff
You can cancel auto-renewal of Live via Xbox.com, I know because I've just done it (many thanks to the OP for reminding me I needed to do so).

Not sure if its just a UK option, but it can be done via the website.

Its found on the My Account option after you sign-in.


Scaff
Click to expand...

Ah, i think i remember reading/hearing about them giving users other ways to unsubscribe recently.
 
You can cancel your auto subscription on ps+ from your account management menus.
I got hit with the auto renew as well. What pissed me off was that on the ps store they have a 2 year subscription for the same price that I got for one year with the auto subscription.

From now on I will not keep anymore money in my wallet until I buy something.
 
ANFD
This is a notification for the GT Community and not a GT game related item. There seemed to be no other catagory to provide this information so I apologize if it's inappropriate.

Background .... when PLUS membership was first launched, there was speculation that a demo of GT5 would become available only to PLUS members (well before GT5 launch date) which enticed me to plunk down my $50 and sign up for it. The demo never materialized and since I only play racing games, the PLUS offerings never offered me anything of value and it was a total waste of money (for me).

In order to facilitate purchasing DL content for GT5, I had set my profile to "automatically add funds to my wallet" for these types of purchases (car packs etc.).

Then recently, I received an email from Sony informing me that they had automatically charged my credit card ($50) for the renewal of the PLUS membership. No notification of any kind was given by Sony. I contacted Customer Relations to see if I could get the charge reversed and they informed me that since they have PLUS membership set to default to automatic renewal and since I had set my profile to automatically add funds to my wallet, they were within their right to charge my credit card without informing me first or asking my approval. The contact was quite sarcastic and although he conceeded that he understood that this might be frustrating for me, there was nothing he was willing to do to help me.

I've now wasted $100 on something I've never used nor ever will use. Congratulations to Sony for ripping off a longtime 30 year customer whose home is filled with Sony products. I will be replacing them with their competitors products over time and vow to never purchase Sony again.

I just thought other PLUS members should be made aware of this situation. The only way to circumvent being charged for auto-renewal is to not select the option to "automatically add funds to your wallet".
Click to expand...

Does this include game consoles? I once had everything Sony, but over time I've replaced it all with various other brands (mostly Samsung and Logitech at the moment), but I can't replace the PS3 - Will you be going Xbox next time?

And no offence, yes they should refund your money, but you did set it to automatic, so, if their contract covers them for that instance + they weren't doing it to be corporate bullies, but because you 'did' ask them too, I don't think its really cause to blame Sony for caring out a standing order which you didn't revoke.
 
Yep auto renewal option should never exist but everyone does the same. PS+ is good if you buy stuff for PS store as they get discount and lot of free stuff, beta invitation and so on.
 
Conza
Does this include game consoles? I once had everything Sony, but over time I've replaced it all with various other brands (mostly Samsung and Logitech at the moment), but I can't replace the PS3 - Will you be going Xbox next time?

And no offence, yes they should refund your money, but you did set it to automatic, so, if their contract covers them for that instance + they weren't doing it to be corporate bullies, but because you 'did' ask them too, I don't think its really cause to blame Sony for caring out a standing order which you didn't revoke.
Click to expand...

It's not really an option if it's automatically enabled and you aren't aware of it, it's very easy to overlook it in your account management menu. Nothing can be done as it will be listed in the T&Cs somewhere, but it is unfair to some extent, he lost his money when he didn't want to renew his subscription. He just wasn't aware that the subscription renewal was automatic, he assumed (and rightly so) that you should have to request a renewal.
 
Does this mean you don't have any insurance?

Most insurance is auto renew. It's your job to tell them you no long want the service your getting. If you don't read the T&Cs it's your own fault. Sorry.
 
priesty_lfc
Does this mean you don't have any insurance?

Most insurance is auto renew. It's your job to tell them you no long want the service your getting. If you don't read the T&Cs it's your own fault. Sorry.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming this is directed at me? My brother cancelled his insurance with Direct Line and went with Admiral instead, which saved him about £1400, but he still had to pay part of the bank charge levied because of going over his overdraft (After many complaints the bank eventually reduced the initial charges as he explained how the insurance company had doubled his payment). Had the insurance not increased the cost of his insurance despite having another year of no-claims, he wouldn't have went over his overdraft and the auto-renewal wouldn't have been a problem.

He wasn't notified of the increase until after they renewed it. I personally don't think auto-renewal is justified in any circumstance, it should be the providers job to ask for the customer to continue with the service (And to continue paying them money), the burden should not be placed upon the customer, that's just my point of view.
 

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