{"id":363496,"date":"2026-10-03T04:59:04","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T04:59:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/363496\/"},"modified":"2026-10-03T04:59:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T04:59:04","slug":"mayor-mamdani-tells-subscription-traps-click-to-cancel-or-pay-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/363496\/","title":{"rendered":"Mayor Mamdani Tells Subscription Traps: Click-to-Cancel \u2014 or Pay Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK \u2013 Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) Commissioner Lisa Gelobter announced that New York City\u2019s \u201cClick-to-Cancel\u201d rule<\/a> is now in effect, giving the City new authority to crack down on businesses that make it difficult for consumers to cancel subscriptions.<\/p>\n

The administration also launched a new online complaint portal, built in just 10 weeks by OTI\u2019s Public Interest Technology (PIT) Crew,<\/a> making it easier for New Yorkers to report subscription traps and seek help from the City.<\/p>\n

The rule follows Mayor Mamdani\u2019s Jan. 5 signing of Executive Order 10,<\/a> which directed DCWP to prioritize enforcement against deceptive subscription practices and consider new rules to stop them. Starting today, businesses that make it difficult for consumers to cancel a subscription can face restitution and civil penalties, with fines starting at $525 per violation. The Roosevelt Institute estimates the rule could save New Yorkers up to $162.5 million per year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

New Yorkers can file complaints at nyc.gov\/click-to-cancel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one should need 45 minutes of hold music to stop paying for something they never wanted,\u201d said Mayor Mamdani. \u201cNew Yorkers work too hard for their money to have it drained by a subscription they can\u2019t cancel. If a company can take your money with one click, you should be able to get your money back with one click. And now, if they won\u2019t let you cancel, the City is coming for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis administration is putting its enforcement power behind affordability for working New Yorkers,\u201d said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. \u201cThe rule gives DCWP the authority to hold businesses accountable, and the portal gives New Yorkers a straightforward way to ask for help. I thank Commissioners Levine and Gelobter and their teams for delivering both.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you signed up for a subscription online, you should be able to cancel online,\u201d said DCWP Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine. \u201cTo any company taking money from working people through subscription tricks and traps: you\u2019re on notice. And to New Yorkers struggling to cancel a subscription, file a complaint through our new portal today. We have your back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGovernment technology should work for the people, not against them,\u201d said CTO and OTI Commissioner Lisa Gelobter. \u201cBuilding this tool in house let us move quickly and design it around what New Yorkers told us they needed. We are proud to partner with DCWP to defend consumers in all five boroughs.\u201d<\/p>\n

What the Rule Requires<\/p>\n

The rule gives DCWP citywide authority to enforce simple cancellation practices for consumers. It targets practices including \u201cfree trials\u201d that quietly convert into paid subscriptions and cancellation processes buried behind unnecessary steps or unclear instructions.<\/p>\n

Under the rule, businesses must provide consumers with a straightforward, transparent way to cancel a subscription. Businesses must also provide clear disclosures when consumers purchase, enroll in, or cancel a subscription.<\/p>\n

The rule applies to subscriptions that qualify as automatic renewals or continuous service offers.<\/p>\n

New York City is the first municipality in the country to implement a Click-to-Cancel rule.<\/p>\n

File a Complaint at nyc.gov\/click-to-cancel<\/a><\/p>\n

OTI\u2019s PIT Crew teamed up with DCWP to build a new, easy-to-use way for New Yorkers to file complaints about subscription traps. The PIT Crew, launched in July<\/a> by Mayor Mamdani and CTO Gelobter, built the tool in just 10 weeks, designing and testing it with New Yorkers throughout development. The new portal is designed to make filing a complaint faster and easier, connect seamlessly with DCWP\u2019s enforcement teams, meet high accessibility standards and be available in every major language spoken in New York City.<\/p>\n

New Yorkers can file complaints online, by mail or by fax. After filing, they can check the status of their complaint using the complaint number they receive. In many cases, DCWP mediators will review the complaint and work with the consumer and the business to resolve it.<\/p>\n

New Yorkers should file a complaint at nyc.gov\/click-to-cancel<\/a> if:<\/p>\n

The business did not clearly explain the terms of the subscription.The business made it difficult to cancel. For example, requiring a consumer who signed up online to cancel by phone or in person.The business delayed canceling the subscription.The business sent products the consumer did not request and expected the consumer to return or pay for them.The business did not notify the consumer about changes to the subscription terms.The business did not disclose that the subscription would automatically renew.<\/p>\n

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