Academia.edu Refused to Refund My Unauthorized Premium Charge
I have been an Academia.edu user for approximately eight years, and my payment history clearly shows that I have never had an annual subscription with the platform. About two months ago, I signed up for a Premium membership for a small fee. However, I was never given a clear, transparent, or prominent notice that I would later be charged approximately $67 for a Premium subscription.
On June 25, 2026, at approximately 2:39 a.m., a charge of $67 appeared on my girlfriend M****** Ç****'s** Yapı Kredi Bank credit card with the description "epos academia subscrıpt."* I did not explicitly authorize or approve this transaction, and I was unaware that it would be processed. The bank's electronic transaction record contains the full details of the charge.
As soon as I noticed the transaction, I contacted Academia.edu by email. I was informed that, due to the company's refund policy, my request would be denied and that no refund would be issued. No meaningful solution or assistance was offered.
I do not accept this charge because it was processed without my clear consent and because the subscription pricing and renewal terms were not disclosed in a sufficiently clear and transparent manner. I request that Academia.edu thoroughly review this transaction and the subscription process, provide me with a clear written explanation, immediately issue a full refund of the $67 to the credit card that was charged, and cancel my Premium membership. I also urge the company to improve its subscription and billing disclosures to help prevent similar situations for other customers.
