Recurring charges are more often than not automatically updated when the card expires.

https://mobile.datamation.com/columns/executive_tech/article...

Even when you report the card as lost or stolen, sometimes recurring charges can somehow still be charged. Hulu was able to change my Citi card that I reported lost for three months. They sent me an email saying it was a courtesy and please update my payment to ensure no loss of service. I let it go to see how long it would change it.

This is a risk decision. I’ve been buying games on steam with a credit card that expired 5 years ago. Just did it last night. I chuckle everyone I see the address pull up. I get the game and when I check my real, diffrent numbered card from the same provider, the charge is there.

I also have a perfect payment history with Steam dating back to the day it rolled out. I’m sure I could buy a game, initiate the easiest charge back of my life, and then enjoy my steam account forcing me to update my card the next time I try and make a purchase.

If you issue a chargeback my guess is they lock your account immediately.

Since the credit card issuer just provides a new card with a new expiration date when the expiration date approaches, many payment processors have a facility for auto-updating cards upon expiration. I believe the subscription business I work for has a 75% recovery rate for those cards.

Isn't the CVV/CVC updated as well?

It's not needed for recurring charges once the processor already has the card number, any more than you have to re-enter it each month to authorize the ongoing charges.

Or PayPal. When NYT wouldn't let me cancel without a phone call, I simply canceled the sub via PayPal. They sent me nasty collection agency-style "your account is past due" emails before finally canceling, 2 months after I stopped paying them.

I now pay careful attention to cancellation procedures when signing up for stuff.

> When NYT wouldn't let me cancel without a phone call, I simply canceled the sub via PayPal. They sent me nasty collection agency-style "your account is past due" emails before finally canceling, 2 months after I stopped paying them.

I don't know how widespread problem this is, but definitely affects Germany too: companies have asymmetric requirements for signup and cancellation. We should get legislation that lets consumers cancel with the same method they used to subscribe.

In Germany companies won't accept non-payment as cancellation though, and will send your bill to collections.

I had the same issue with NYT. I find it terrible services that doesn't allow you to cancel subscription without talking to someone.

PayPal is a great option for services that support it. At least you can cancel whenever you want.

One of the banks I work with let you create a virtual credit card number associated with your physical credit card. You can remove it and create a new one at any time, without having to request a new physical card. So I try to use it strategically nowadays. In the worst case, I just cancel the virtual card.

Bojack Horseman had a whole episode partly about the lengths newspapers will go to to keep you from cancelling your subscription.

The person on the phone ended up being a ridiculously empathetic and impromptu therapist for most of the episode, but here's the punchline: https://youtu.be/Ml94NgOFxxE?t=1m22s

This is the only way I could get amazon to stop charging me after I lost my 2FA token.

Reminds me, I still haven't figured out how to unsubscribe from Amazon Video (the thingie that can let you stream shows, but is not Amazon Prime, as the latter is not available in my country). I've been paying ~$5/mo for the past few months for nothing, just because I can't find the appropriate area in account settings. Fortunately, my card expires soon.

It's the second thing on the first page of "Account and Settings', 'End Membership'. Hoping the below link takes you straight into the process.

https://www.primevideo.com/settings/your-account/confirm-can...

Didn't lead me directly, but I managed to click around that page and end up at the right page where there was "End Membership" button that finally worked. Thanks! I owe you a coffee.