Risk: Elevated

Subscription traps & hidden costs

Category: Consumer warnings · Published: 06/07/2026 · Last updated: 22/07/2026

Summary

What is this about? Supposedly free services, prize draws or downloads lead into paid subscriptions with hidden clauses. Check price information and cancellation terms before signing up.

Who is affected? Consumers in Germany.

How high is the risk? Elevated

Why is this warning issued?

This warning has been included because it is based on a report from Verbraucherzentrale. It is intended to protect other users from this scam method. The classified risk level is elevated.

How the scam works

Consumers are lured to a website with attractive offers, free trials or filters.
When booking or registering, costs are concealed, for example through tiny checkboxes, pre-selected additional services or hidden fees.
In the fine print or in the terms and conditions, a subscription or recurring payment is hidden, which only becomes apparent at the next billing.
Cancellation is deliberately made difficult, for example through missing, hard-to-find or manipulated buttons.
Legitimate cancellations are ignored or delayed, resulting in further payments.
Reminder letters or debt collection demands put affected persons under pressure to pay the unjustified claim.

How to recognise it

Cancellation button is hard to find or contains misleading additional notes (e.g. reference to a contract pause instead of clear cancellation)
Online filters do not work as promised (e.g. Doctolib: despite a filter for statutory-insured patients, a Marktcheck test showed more than every third appointment as self-pay)
Additional fees only appear on the invoice without being clearly identifiable beforehand (e.g. impermissible print fee in energy bills from Voxenergie and Nowenergy)
Games or apps tempt users into repeated purchases without a clear overview (loot boxes)
Contracts are 'slipped in' through the fine print, during booking or with care services, without conscious signing
Providers pressure users with countdowns, aggressive advertising or questionable coaching to make quick commitments
'Free' offer with payment data request
Hidden contract term / follow-up costs

How to protect yourself

Before entering into a contract, read the terms and conditions, the fine print and the cancellation policy, and take a screenshot of them.
Keep evidence: save booking confirmations, invoices, emails and the state of the filter or cancellation function.
Check the cancellation button carefully and document the cancellation in a traceable manner (date, time, screenshot).
Use the Verbraucherzentrale's Fakeshop-Finder to check unknown shops before placing an order.
In the case of unjustified claims, do not simply pay but object in writing and, if necessary, use a template letter from the Verbraucherzentrale.
Report problems via the Verbraucherzentrale's complaint form or seek advice on site, by phone or online.

What you should never do

Pay unjustified claims immediately out of fear of late fees or debt collection.
Click on dubious links in reminder emails or disclose personal data.
Accept contract extensions or 'pause' offers without verification, which prevent a genuine cancellation.
Hastily submit personal data, ID copies or payment data to unknown providers.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay a claim from a subscription trap?

Not automatically. Courts have repeatedly classified impermissible fees or difficult cancellations as unlawful (e.g. the print fee from Voxenergie and Nowenergy). Get an overview of the claim and, if in doubt, seek advice from your Verbraucherzentrale.

What can I do if the cancellation button is missing or does not work?

Secure evidence via screenshot, cancel additionally in writing (e.g. by registered mail) and use the template letters from the Verbraucherzentrale. The Bundesgerichtshof has clarified that misleading cancellation buttons are not permissible.

Where do providers get my data from?

The data often comes from previous orders, prize draws, data leaks or resale by dubious address traders. It is therefore advisable to be sparing with personal data and, in the case of unexpected claims, to ask on what basis the contract was concluded.

What happens if I do not respond to a reminder?

Silence alone rarely helps. However, first check whether the claim is even justified before paying. If in doubt, the Verbraucherzentralen can help formulate a suitable response.

Can I take action against loot boxes or dubious financial coaching?

Yes. The Verbraucherzentralen are currently collecting experiences from those affected in order to take action against unfair mechanics in games and dubious offers from financial coaches and trading academies. Report your experiences via the complaint form.

Affected data

Scam type

Abofalle

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Original source

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Verbraucherzentrale ↗

Update history

22/07/2026Description updated, Characteristics added