Dad Realizes He’s Been Auto-Paying For Netflix Twice Every Month For The Last 7 Years — ‘I’m Probably Out Over $1000’
It's way too easy to neglect checking your monthly statements.
EugeneEdge | Shutterstock A dad turned to Reddit to share that he recently realized he had been getting double-charged by Netflix every month for seven years, estimating he's out about $1,000. And while his oversight is frustrating, it's likely pretty common. Most of our bills, especially online subscriptions, are set up for autopay, and chances are, just like this dad, you aren't checking your monthly statements with any regularity.
Granted, seven years is a long time, and he probably should have known better, but if you're reading this, you're probably sweating just thinking about the last time you even seriously looked through your subscriptions. Netflix likely isn't going to reimburse him for his total loss, but better he found out now than in another seven years.
A dad realized he had been double-paying for Netflix each month for 7 years.
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV | Shutterstock
The man explained on Reddit that he's fully blaming himself for this issue. "This is what I get for not being good with money," he wrote, "and not paying attention to my accounts." To make matters worse, he confessed that he doesn't make that much money, so this was a lesson learned the hard way.
He shared a snapshot of about 9 months of double payments at $24.99. The reason it likely took him so long to realize was that the charges were on different cards and a day apart. "One charge was to my debit card and the other to my credit card," he wrote, "but on different days."
The dad was likely the victim of fraud since the double-billing was hidden as a separate account.
The dad said that he has both his credit card and his debit card with the same bank, and it was only when he spoke with Netflix that they mentioned one of the accounts had been compromised. The account was under a different name and language. The assumption was that somebody was simply getting free Netflix while the man was paying for both.
Risk management company Accertify explained, "Subscription services are as vulnerable to criminal scams as any other online business. Account takeover (ATO) attacks are a common threat to subscription service profits. This is where fraudsters take over an account after a data breach and order expensive downloads or products. It’s estimated that nearly a quarter of U.S. adults (22%) have been victims of an ATO attack."
The dad wrapped up his post by explaining that he hoped this was a lesson for people to remember to check their bank accounts. In total, he believes he probably lost $1,000.
Unsurprisingly, commenters were sympathetic but also blunt in their advice. Basically, they all agreed it was good that he finally caught the charges, but he should have been checking all along. As one commenter noted, "I'm a data nerd so I track every penny of earning/spending, but even if people don't care enough to do that I think it'd be beneficial to do a personal 3-month spending audit every year to evaluate any money 'leaks' and error payments etc."
There are ways to prevent unapproved purchases.
Miljan Zivkovic / Shutterstock
There's no denying that autopay is convenient, but it has also made many of us lazy when it comes to our bills. To make your autopayments as secure as possible, Bank of America recommends tracking each payment every month.
Write down each of your payments. Whether you use a spreadsheet, notebook, or your phone, ensure they're all in one place and easy to access. It's important to include the dates they're due as well.
A smart tip for keeping track of your recurring charges is to use an app that monitors your subscriptions. One popular option is Rocket Money. The app shows you what charges are being made to your cards, helps you create budgets, and even gives you the option to cancel unwanted subscriptions.
It's so easy to sign up for subscriptions, especially those free trials, and simply forget that you're suddenly on the hook for payments. Add to that the risk of fraud, and you might be losing a good chunk of your hard-earned money each month. For that reason, it's essential to check your statements.
Matt Machado is a writer studying journalism at the University of Central Florida. He covers relationships, psychology, celebrities, pop culture, and human interest topics.
