Every so often, I get news that a subscriber has “initiated a dispute.” It goes something like this:
“A $5 USD payment for Free Thinking Through the Fourth Turning is being disputed by Bank of America because your customer says they didn’t initiate this purchase (this is known as a fraudulent transaction).
If you don’t agree with this dispute, you can submit evidence to counter it. A dispute countered fee applies to counter this dispute, in addition to the dispute received fee. If you win the dispute, the dispute countered fee is returned to you.”
Stripe says I can dispute it, but it doesn’t matter. They always side with the bank, and then I am charged a $15 fee. Since I do not charge people to read my stuff and put almost nothing behind the paywall, this seems to be undue punishment for me.
I would never fraudulently charge anyone for anything. And if anyone is accusing me of that, they are either mistaken or lying.
But please, just send me an email if you’d like your $5 back. I’d rather send it to you myself than pay an extra $15.
I understand that mistakes happen and people might not remember what the $5 charge was for. But there are easier ways to get a refund or cancel your subscription. I have given detailed instructions here:
How to Unsubscribe/Manage Subscription
Here is how to subscribe and unsubscribe. To become a subscriber (and here it offers the option of paying):Free Thinking Through the Fourth Turning with Sasha Stone is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
I don't want to sound paranoid; nonetheless it did cross my mind that the demand for refund which winds up costing you $15.00 plus the original charge amount could be a deliberate way of causing you financial harm. Yes, I know that it is very unlikely, but much more unlikely events have proven to be authentic in the last 8 years when people have been driven by rage in their bubbles to do the unlikely. I love your work, think it a necessary public palliative, and will soon upgrade when my ongoing bills recede a bit.
It is unfair. They are scum. You are great.