Swiped at the Car Wash? You Might Be Paying Every Month
By Carol A. Gasser Moore |
LAKELAND, Lanier County, Georgia – Lanier County Sheriff Nick Norton is alerting residents to be cautious when using automatic car washes, warning that some companies are allegedly enrolling customers into recurring monthly payment programs without their knowledge or consent.
In a Facebook post this week, Norton said many newer, high-end car wash chains — some costing millions to build — have been accused of using what are known as “negative option features.” These features allow businesses to interpret a customer’s failure to cancel a service or reject an offer as consent to continue billing them.
“Basically, use your card and you agree to be charged every month,” Norton wrote. “From now on.”
According to the Federal Trade Commission, negative option billing is a common tactic used in subscription-based services, but it often becomes problematic when companies fail to clearly disclose the terms or make it difficult for consumers to cancel. Customers may not realize they are enrolled until they notice recurring charges on their credit card or bank statements.
Norton advised residents to carefully monitor their accounts to detect unauthorized charges and to immediately contact their bank or credit card company if they suspect fraud.
“It is essential to remain vigilant and proactive in protecting yourself from carwash and other scams,” Norton said, adding that the only reliable way to verify if a consumer has been unknowingly charged is to check their monthly financial statements.
The sheriff’s office encouraged anyone who believes they have been a victim of such a scam to file a complaint with their bank and report the issue to the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division or the Federal Trade Commission.
