Hi,

I am new to this forum. I have a critical problem. The message might seem a bit big,
but I have clearly explained my problem. I would be very thankful if someone could help me out by clearing my doubts.

I am working in a private company. Some few months before I have registered for a chatting website by paying 1 Euro valid for 7 days.

Since I haven't read the 'Terms and Conditions' (was written in German) throughly,
my account had been automatically extended for 6 months for a price of 150 Euros which they have
booked in my Bank account (The right of reclamation was already over by 2 days when I saw this). Then I realised that I was trapped and requested the chatting
company to cancel my account and I even told them that I am ready to pay half the money they have quoted (75 Euros)
and told them that I don't want to use the service anymore.

The company didn't accept and compelled me to pay the money and use their service. I immediately enquired the bank and asked them to cancel the transaction the company has booked. The bank has cancelled the transaction and the money
was back in my account. Some weeks later, the company has mailed me and remembered me to pay the money. I simply ignored that mail having in mind that they don't have the contact address or any other right identity apart from my full name.
(I even changed my bank account after this incident to be on the safer side).

Today I received a mail from the company threatening that I have to pay the money or else I need to face the consequences.

What can they do since they don't have
my address ?
If they can find my address (from my previous bank for eg.), how severe would be the action ?

Shall I ignore the mail from the company ?

I am really worried about this and its a lot disturbing me.

Is there a solution for this problem ?

I would really aprreciate any advice.

Welcome to the world of Capitalism!

Germany runs on stupid rules and regulations and consider that you are are not aware of the system. Any document you sign anywhere in Germany should be thorougly read and understood. Lots of local people too get trapped due to the lack of awareness. Now that you agreed to terms and conditions on their website unfortunately you have to pay the price. If you try something stupid now you will end up paying the merchant's lawyer fees and who knows what else.

Consider this your first lesson in Germany and forget about being robbed by the capitalists. There is no fair trial in Germany you have to follow the laws carefully otherwise you are considered to be handicapped. No point in taking a lawyer unless that was a fraud company.

Automatic renewal happens to many things that you apply. Some companies require min 6 months notice, generally 3 months notice. Often, you receive this renewal notice and has less than perhaps 1 to 2 weeks to cancel.

There is possibility that if the case end up getting serious - going to court, then you may need to pay what is stated now plus interest and plus additional cost for sending you reminder.

I will be interested to hear what others think of this

JIM

what are the cancellation condition(s) in their terms & conditions?

Almost every thing gets renewed automatically. The services which runs for a year ,usually,has to be informed minimum three months back.Yes, reading the small letters is the key.

Here are some of the automatic renewed services.

Bahn Card

Phone

Mobile Phone service provider

Credit Card

Versicherungen ( Insurances ) - Auto,Haftpflicht,Houserat etc.

DSL provider

ADAC

Annual Bus ticket

Steurverein membership

Health and Sport Club membership

I have read the terms and conditions only after I was trapped.
A very small fonted sentence stated that those 7 days were trial period after which it will be automatically renewed for next 6 months and the
reclamation should be done within the trial period.

Since it was my fault for not reading the conditions throughly, I wrote the company that I am ready to pay for 3 months as a penalty. They didn't even show any courtesy on me and insisted me to pay for 6 months.

Till now I have only mail contact with them. They don't have my address or any kind of personal contact details.

Anyhow this automatic renewal thing is killing.....

Not long ago, a friend received a call to get free software for web building for a DSL company for a period of 6 months. That person rejected as it is not easy to find the small print on how to avoid paying after 6 months. :-)

It is good to share related experience to everyone here.

Hi Spec55

Sorry man, but I don't see many alternatives in your case.

Maybe you didn't see the small prints, you received the email and was in german or whatever could be the cause but they did their part and you didn't do yours (pay the fee).

Is a very dirty trick but legal AFAIK.

You are still repeating they don't have any information about you but do you think you are anonymous in Germany? You should be registered, you should have a bank account etc etc. If the things continue in the line in which you are they will go to the justice and in 5 minutes they will get all the info "they don't have" and you'll have to pay not 150 Euro, maybe 3000 euro for all the stuff.

One very dirty trick I personally receive was an innocent telefone call of a Vorwahl telephone company (this prefixes you dial to save some money when you call by telephone). I should hear a lady 5 minute saying how wonderful whas the service and once I was tired and I told her very unpollaidly that I was not interested, she told me she will send me some "printed material" for me to read,

After two days I received one letter but I was not at home and I should went to the Post office to got it. I was wondering why they simply did not dropped the letter into my mailbox and when I was at the Post office the lady (thanks Frau XX from the Post office) told me that some companies found a kind of legal hole and they wrote a contract (the contents of the letter) in that way that if I sign the reception of the letter I automatically was accepting the company XXXXX as my official Vorwahl.

What I can do? I asked the lady and she suggested me to simply refuse to sign the reception (so I didn't actually receive the letter) and that was all. Two days later called me the same fu... lady of the company a little bit pis... off asking me why I declined to receive the letter and I simply hanged up the phone.

After a while I saw "my case" in one of the "Reportage" in TV as a kind of example of "legal trick" to attract clients.

Just one more story

Thanks YO for sharing your experience.

1 things you can do is to send the cancelation letter earlier before 3 months whenever you remember.

I have O2 contract that has been twice renewed because I forgot to terminate it 3 months before it finished. (it was a student vertrag).

Hi everyone,

Thanks a lot for your timely advices. Thanks YO for sharing your experience.
As per the suggestions I paid 150 Euros for worth nothing. Let it be a lesson for me.
I request you guys to share my experience to all your friends and be very conscious with the so called "Terms and Conditions" before signing any contract or registering ANYTHING over internet.

I also request you all to share such experiences so that an awareness can be created against such laws and regulations !

Thanks once again.

Hi Spec55

Why are you telling you are paying for nothing? Now you have payed, just use the chat 6 months long! ;-)

But anyway I agree with VP_2004 and strongly suggest that TODAY you give this guys your Kündigung. You need to add the paragraph "I quit using the service XXXXXXX TO THE CLOSEST POSSIBLE DATE" (this will bi in 6 months and of course in german) AND you add also the phrase that you want to receive written confirmation of that.

I would also confess that I did it with my Cell phone contract. I comunicated my decision to quit 8 months before the completion of the contract. Until that point so nice. But starting two days later my life becomes a nightmare (just to use an adjective) because two or three times a day I was receiving "Sonderangebote" from the people of Vodafone to extend my contract.

Just my 3rd and 4th cents of today

The only good thing I did was to make the Kündigung as soon as I was trapped... and I received the confirmation by email !

Good sharing all your experiences.
Not only such kind of stuff, but also be careful when any of your bank or any kind of "vermögungs" company contact you and ask you to make any kind of savings or insurances contract, unless you want to live rest of your life here in Germany. When they make the contract they tell you all stories and also they tell you (only word of mouth!) that you get your money whenever you terminate the contratc etc..
But once you want to terminate your contract then the problem starts. First of all they dont even want to give you an appointment, and once you get to talk to them then they explain all the problems involved and finally you will be able to get only 50% (if you are lucky) of "YOUR" money. I had one contract where I didnt get any money at all..
I would never pay even a single cent to any other insurance or savings in Germany, apart from the must stuff..