Advice please.Unable to stop direct debit

[gardener2]

I took out a 7 day free trial on a website and had to give my credit card details for subscriptions after the free trial period.On day 6 the website's link to cancel the subscription could not be used. I contacted my card company to cancel payments but they refused saying I could only stop payments with the website-they could not stop direct debits being taken. Is this true?

[Ethel]

You cannot have direct debits with your credit card, it is totally different to your current account.

What you have done is grant the company a continual authority to make a charge to your credit card. A direct debit authorises the bank to make the payment.

It is impossible for the credit card company to refuse to make the payments - you have to instruct the company to stop.

[Ethel]

There is a discussion here about 'continuous payment authority'

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread .html?t=256

[gardener2]

Thanks Ethel for your very helpful advice. Have read the link you sent I will now report my card as stolen.

[Ethel]

That doesn't always work though, so take proper measures to cancel it with the company that offered the free trial

[gardener2]

But that's just the problem,the link to cancel doesn't work and there's no response from the website.

[Ethel]

What is the website?

[R1Geezer]

Never sign up for these "free" trials, they are a total nightmare to cancel. You''' have to close the account if the company won't cancel it themselves

[Ethel]

If you know what you are doing, free trials are excellent.

I get my credit report once a year with the free trial, and had a free trial with Which when I wanted to buy a very expensive item.

Just use direct debits from your current account and make sure you follow the proper procedures to cancel them.

[R1Geezer]

yes well what I meant was never let anyone set up a credit card type regular debit.