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WHAT TO WATCH FOR

When the choice to stay is already selected

A choice is selected in advance, making the company’s preferred outcome happen unless the customer notices and changes it. Defaults become problematic when they quietly preserve renewal or add another commitment.

1companies shown1examples reviewed1current or recent examples

Each example names its source and date. We also tell you whether it comes from today’s company instructions, a regulator, customer reports, or an older record.

HOW IT SHOWS UP

What you might run into

A retention offer, pause, marketing consent, or continued renewal may already be selected.

HOW TO HANDLE IT

What to do next

Review every selected option and confirm that auto-renewal is off before leaving the page.

COMPANY EXAMPLES

What this looks like in real life

Open a company to see the full cancellation guide, or follow the source link to check the record yourself. Labels make it clear whether an example is current, reported by a regulator or customers, or drawn from an older source. No single example sums up everything a company does.

1 of 1 examples

Adobe Creative CloudRegulator allegation
checked August 27, 2026

FTC and DOJ allegations concerning hidden termination fees and cancellation hurdles

When
June 17, 2024
Source
Federal Trade Commission
Type
Preselection

The pending federal case alleges that Adobe obscured an early termination fee, preselected an annual plan billed monthly, and placed multiple hurdles in cancellation paths.

SPOT IT EARLY

Signs to look for

  1. Pause for three months is selected before the final confirmation.
  2. A box agreeing to a replacement plan is checked automatically.
  3. The customer must actively deselect continued renewal while completing another account change.

Use these signs as a quick check. The company records above show where similar behavior has been documented.

BEFORE YOU START

Leave with proof, not a promise

  1. Identify the company or app store that actually bills you.
  2. Record the renewal date, notice deadline and current plan name.
  3. Choose cancellation rather than pause, downgrade or a reminder.
  4. Check add-ons, financed equipment and separate subscriptions.
  5. Save the confirmation, effective date and final amount.
  6. Review the next statement and escalate with your evidence if another charge appears.
YOU MAY ALSO SEE

These problems often appear together

When the cancel option is hard to seeThe design draws attention toward the company’s preferred choice and away from the option the customer is seeking. Size, color, spacing, order, contrast, and placement can all change how easy cancellation is to find.→When a recurring charge was not clearA recurring payment begins without a sufficiently clear, deliberate understanding that the transaction will renew. The customer may believe they are buying one item, accepting a free trial, or selecting a one-time add-on.→When important terms appear too lateImportant terms are hidden, delayed, or introduced after a person has already invested time or money. The missing detail changes the real cost or consequence of cancelling.→

Pattern names draw on the Deceptive Patterns taxonomy. We wrote the explanations, examples, and practical advice for this site.