Process Servers: Check your PayPal auto payments for forgotten subscriptions
A few days ago, I received an email from PayPal indicating my credit card had expired. It went on to say a subscription payment had been funded by this expiring credit card, and would not be completed unless updated. Upon looking into the matter, I found this was for an annual payment of $49.95 for a listing on www.legalprocessservers.net.
We had been subscribers back in 2009, but then seemed to discontinue service in 2013 after not being able to contact the vendor. Then, all of a sudden, this year we get an unexpected subscription renewal failure notice. I’m sure it wasn’t fishing or spam – I logged on directly to PayPal and checked my auto payments, I did not click links in email.
After reviewing www.legalprocessservers.net, I found it’s no longer functional. The database seems to present an error no matter what state you pick. There are no listings, and no matter what state you pick, a NOT FOUND error is returned. I attempted to contact the vendor multiple times over 2 week period but received no reply.
I suppose this is likely a small mom-and-pop operation. Perhaps someone fell ill or another family emergency occurred. We wish them the best, but do not want to send them money for nothing. If our secondary payment method hadn’t expired, the auto payment would have been paid to them anyway. Thankfully, my secondary payment method expired, and we caught this payment in time to cancel without hassle. (Actually, PayPal has typically been without hassle all around – we highly recommend the service, when compared to other options.)
Have you subscribed to membership websites that are now defunct, but still charging you?
How to Check your PayPal subscription payments:
Over the years, it seems they hid them. To view your PayPal Automatic Payments (previously called Subscriptions):
- LOG IN to PayPal.com;
- Click the GEAR symbol in upper right hand corner, near the Profile option;
- Select the GEAR symbol again, Profile and Settings;
- On the left, select My money;
- Select Manage Automatic Payments.
(Things seem to change quick, even with well known vendors like PayPal. These instructions are good as of date of this writing, 2/26/2018.)
