Company Won't Let Me Cancel? Here's What to Do

You've decided to cancel. You clicked the button. And then... nothing. No cancel option. A phone number with a 45-minute hold time. A “retention specialist” who won't take no for an answer. A chatbot loop that goes nowhere.

You're not imagining it. Companies deliberately make cancellation difficult. It's called a dark pattern, and it's increasingly illegal. Here's exactly what to do when a company won't let you cancel.

Step 1: Know your legal rights

The FTC's Click-to-Cancel rule (effective 2025) requires that canceling must be as easy as signing up. If you subscribed online, you must be able to cancel online. No mandatory phone calls. No retention gauntlets.

Many states have additional protections:

• California (ARL): Must offer online cancellation. Violations can result in $2,540+ fines per incident.
• New York: Clear and conspicuous cancellation methods required.
• Illinois: Auto-renewal terms must be clearly disclosed before purchase.
• Colorado, Vermont, Virginia: Similar consumer protection laws for subscriptions.

See our full breakdown: Subscription Cancellation Laws by State.

Step 2: Document everything

Before escalating, create a paper trail:

1. Screenshot the cancellation page (or lack thereof)
2. Save emails — your cancellation request AND their response
3. Record call times — date, duration, hold time, what they said
4. Note the dark patterns — hidden cancel buttons, guilt-trip language, forced phone calls

This documentation becomes your leverage for chargebacks and complaints.

Step 3: Send a written cancellation request

Email creates a legal record. Use our cancellation email templates or send something like this:

Step 4: Use the nuclear options

If the company still won't cancel after a written request, escalate:

Option A: File an FTC complaint

Go to reportfraud.ftc.gov and file a complaint. The FTC can't resolve individual cases, but they use complaints to build enforcement actions. Companies that get enough complaints face investigations and fines.

Option B: File with your state attorney general

Every state has a consumer protection division. Search “[your state] attorney general consumer complaint” to find the form. State AGs have sued companies like Planet Fitness and Comcast over cancellation practices.

Option C: Chargeback through your bank

If you've requested cancellation and they keep charging you, call your credit card company and dispute the charges. Key phrase: “I revoked authorization for recurring charges and the merchant continued billing.”

For debit cards, see our guide on stopping recurring debit card payments.

Option D: Block the charge

Ask your bank to put a stop payment on the merchant. Or get a new card number — this forces all recurring charges to fail. Use a virtual card for future subscriptions to avoid this problem.

Step 5: Find all your subscriptions

If one company is giving you trouble, others might be quietly charging you too. Upload your bank statement to Just Cancel to find every recurring charge — we'll show you exactly what you're paying for and give you direct cancel links for 440+ services.

The worst offenders

These companies are notorious for making cancellation difficult:

• Planet Fitness — requires certified mail or in-person visit to cancel
• Xfinity/Comcast — aggressive retention, long hold times
• Adobe Creative Cloud — early termination fees up to 50% of remaining contract
• SiriusXM — phone-only cancellation with extreme retention pressure
• New York Times — requires chat or phone call to cancel
• LA Fitness — in-person or certified mail only

See the full list: Dark Patterns Hall of Shame.

Prevent this from happening again

• Use virtual cards — create a unique card number per subscription, pause or close it anytime (guide)
• Set calendar reminders for free trial expirations — don't fall for the free trial trap
• Do a quarterly subscription audit — here's how
• Screenshot your confirmation when you do cancel — companies sometimes “lose” cancellation requests

Bottom line

Companies that make cancellation hard are betting you'll give up. Don't. The law is on your side, and you have real leverage: chargebacks, FTC complaints, and state AG complaints cost companies far more than just letting you cancel.

The fastest path: Send the email template above. If they don't respond in 48 hours, file the FTC complaint and initiate a chargeback. Most companies fold when they see you're serious.