Dangers of Auto Renew

[AugieTN]

About 10 years ago I signed up for Spirit Airlines perks program. It was $69 a year. The only way to sign up was with auto-renew. I forget to cancel the auto-renew and got a $69 charge today, my fault for not cancelling auto-renew.

When I go to cancel the auto-renew I noted the credit number was one I used 10 years ago and have had several new cards with new numbers issued over the past 10 years. So I started Googling the issue and discovered banks will accept your old credit card number if the business had you sign up for auto-renew. They said, so it wasn't an inconvenience to the customer.

Not all businesses with auto renew will do this, but Spirit Airlines does. I think it's extremely dangerous for a bank to do this

 

[ocnbrze]

Not to mention Spirit is a shady airline to begin with.

 

[Bearsyzf]

I've also heard that, i don't fly but if i did it wouldn't be with them.

 

[AugieTN]

Not to mention Spirit is a shady airline to begin with.

I'm sure you know more about it than I do.

The reason I got the Spirit account was their rate Chicago to Phoenix. All my wife's relatives are in Phoenix or Tucson. I used it once flying from Chicago to Nevada to visit an old high school buddy. It didn't seem any different than flying with Delta or United. That's all I know about them

 

[AugieTN]

I talked to the woman in charge of my credit union. She had no idea that a bank would do that with auto-renew, but she understood why they would do it, being not to inconvenience the customer. She did think it was dangerous

 

[ocnbrze]

Spirit is known to be cheap. they are also known to jack up the fees other than the price of the ticket ie extra for baggage check in vs carry on. i have not flown with them in years, but that is all i know. just do not expect anything nice from them. cheap is cheap.

 

[Hadron]

When I go to cancel the auto-renew I noted the credit number was one I used 10 years ago and have had several new cards with new numbers issued over the past 10 years. So I started Googling the issue and discovered banks will accept your old credit card number if the business had you sign up for auto-renew. They said, so it wasn't an inconvenience to the customer.

I've never heard of this before: is it a US thing?

I've had important things fail to renew because the card had expired and the company made no serious attempt to tell me that the renewal had failed (sending an email whose subject line is "Your policy renewal" on the day you expect the renewal confirmation email is not a serious attempt to warn you that the renewal has failed...). I've never had anything renew on an expired card.

 

[treb1797]

This is crazy, I thought once a credit card was compromised the account number is completely closed out and shouldn't roll over to the new number. Very disturbing.

 

[AugieTN]

I've never heard of this before: is it a US thing?

I've had important things fail to renew because the card had expired and the company made no serious attempt to tell me that the renewal had failed (sending an email whose subject line is "Your policy renewal" on the day you expect the renewal confirmation email is not a serious attempt to warn you that the renewal has failed...). I've never had anything renew on an expired card.

I have no idea if other countries do this.

Like you, I've had credit cards expire and I get a notice. I have auto renew with Google Fi and if my card expires or the number change I get an email from Google Fi saying I have 5 days to add a new card or my phone number will shut off.