Diego Vega is signed up for Uber One. He has no idea how he's been enrolled in the monthly $9.99 membership, but he does know one thing: He wants to un-enroll. But how?
Question
I received an offer and an unsolicited credit for an Uber One membership through Capital One. I never asked for it, and there is no way I can reject it.
Now Uber is charging me $9.99 per month for something I didn't want, and what's worse, I can't cancel it because Capital One and Uber are unresponsive. Please help me find a solution. -- Diego Vega, Miami
Answer
Uber One shouldn't have enrolled you in its program unless you signed up for it. So how did you end up with a membership that you didn't want?
I wasn't there when you clicked "accept" -- but when I first saw your case, I thought I knew. Uber makes it so easy to become an Uber One member. I've seen the "sign up" button on my app almost every time I hail a car. Often, Uber offers a discount on your ride if you sign up. And if you're in a hurry to get a ride, you might overlook the fine print.
What is Uber One?
Your Uber One membership offers 5 percent off eligible rides and orders on food, groceries, and alcohol. You also get priority pick-ups and access to special offers. If you're a heavy Uber user, it might be worthwhile, but for you, it probably wasn't.
But your experience with Uber One was torture. According to the paper trail you provided, Capital One not only signed you up for a $9.99 monthly membership that you didn't want, but it also made it impossible to cancel. (Related: Uber owes me $100. Can you help me get it back?)
And then -- and here comes the torture part -- it also sent you solicitations asking you how you liked the $9.99 membership that you neither wanted nor could cancel. Come on!
I think it's fine to make it easy to sign up for a program like Uber One, as long as it's something you want. But it's not fine to make it impossible to leave the program. Again, I wasn't there when you tried to unenroll. But companies should make it as easy to leave as they do to sign up.
What to do about an unwanted Uber One subscription
Uber One costs $99.99 per year (or $9.99 on a monthly basis), but it comes with a free one-month trial for new members. If you signed up for the free month but see a recurring charge, here's what to do:
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Cancel your subscription in the app
You can cancel your subscription in the Uber app up to 48 hours before your next scheduled payment to avoid new charges. Tap the profile icon, then click Uber One and scroll and tap Manage Membership. Select End Membership and then Leave Uber One to cancel your subscription. After canceling your subscription, you’ll have access to your subscription benefits until the end of the current billing period.
If you're within 48 hours of your next payment, contact Uber support
If you are less than 48 hours before your next renewal, you can still cancel your subscription by contacting Uber support. You can do this by visiting help.uber.com, selecting Uber One, and then tapping Contact Support. You can also call Uber’s toll-free number at (800) 353-8237. Explain your situation and request a cancellation and a refund.
Report any unauthorized charges
If you notice any charges from Uber One that you didn't authorize, you can report them to Uber and your bank or credit card company within 60 days. You can use help.uber.com to report any unauthorized charges and request a refund. You can also dispute the charges with your bank or credit card company and ask them to reverse the transaction. Here's our guide to credit card disputes.
Use our executive contacts
And what if none of those work? Well, I list the names, numbers and email addresses of the Uber customer service executives and Capital One customer service executives on my consumer advocacy website, Elliott.org. A brief, polite email to one of them might have gotten you off the hook. I also publish a few helpful strategies for resolving your own customer service dispute on my site, and those could have helped you get this fixed.
What really happened to your unwanted Uber One account?
A closer look at your case suggests you didn't join Uber One. Rather, you signed up for a Capital One card that came with six "free" months of Uber One membership. The fine print noted, "Reminder—once your credited membership period expires, unless you cancel your Uber One monthly membership, your card will be charged each month for membership and you will no longer receive a statement credit. To avoid charges, cancel in the Uber One section of the Uber app or by contacting Uber Support."
I contacted Capital One on your behalf. A representative reached out to you and helped you cancel your membership. Capital One processed a full refund for your membership fees, too.
About this story
I'm sure Capital One thought it was enrolling Vega for his "convenience." Hmm, his convenience? I've heard that phrase before. I wonder how much money companies like Capital One and Uber make because people don't pay attention to their credit card bills. So, of course, I had to pursue this case. And by the way, if you're dealing with a similar situation, please reach out to my advocacy team and we'll do our best to help. Many thanks to my friends and fellow advocates who made this story happen: Dwayne Coward and Mel Smith in advocacy, Andy Smith and his editing team, Will Leeper in the social networks and my brother Dustin Elliott for the illustration. And a hat tip, also, to the readers who have supported stories like these with their comments and suggestions. You guys are the best!
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes three nationally syndicated columns. He also publishes the Elliott Report, a news site for consumers, and Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter. He is based in Santiago, Chile.
