iStock Refusing Refund After Free Trial Renews Without Any Reminder Email

I downloaded four photos through iStock’s free trial and forgot to cancel the subscription afterward. As soon as the subscription renewed, I contacted customer service to cancel it and request a refund. They canceled the subscription (they claimed they normally charge for all remaining months but “as a favor” they did not do so) and informed me that they would not issue any refund.

The message sent by iStock states that the free trial is actually the first month of an annual subscription, that users have the opportunity to cancel the trial at any time during that first month, and that a reminder email is sent two days before the trial period ends. However, after checking my email, I found no reminder email whatsoever. They also stated that, according to their refund policy, charges that have already been billed cannot be refunded.

I completely reject this response. They are misleading customers and profiting from forgotten subscriptions. I demand an immediate refund. I will also file complaints with CİMER and the Consumer Arbitration Board.