quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

If you are going to sign up for subscription services that bill monthly to a credit card simply go get a pre paid visa card, put enough funds in it to pay the term membership, when they try to renew it, boom, declined, no funds on account, puts you in control especially if you wish to cancel.

Don't use your debit or regular credit cards.

Agreed.

There is another path to the same end, that I use. Virtual credit cards, via Capital One (many other credit cards offer a similar service). Create a card for any merchant. That card can be enabled or disabled at will, or can be deleted.

The advantage of a virtual card vs. a pre-paid card: a pre-paid card can be hacked, just like any other card. Loss is limited to the pre-paid balance, but it's still a loss.

Virtual card is only valid for the merchant for which is was created, so even if it's hacked, odds are that the bad guys are going to try to use it for a different vendor, and that won't work.

'Nother thing -- isn't there a fee to use a pre-paid card? Virtual cards do not have fees, at least my Capital One does not.

I long ago adopted a "check only" policy with them. That way when I chose to leave them I don't have to call and fight with them to cancel. If I chose to renew (after the stupid annual fight with them) I insist that they send me a bill that I then pay by check.
Horrible business model IMHO.

I use a prepaid Visa or MasterCard to take advantage of the promotional rate. If I decide not to keep the service, they can hit up that card and get nothing. If I decide to continue, I just go online and update my payment card to a new prepaid card.