Help! I can’t cancel my Uber One membership

What if you fund a charge for Uber One on your credit card -- but Uber wouldn't let you cancel and get a refund? That's the issue Carl Helwing is trying to resolve. Can our team help him remove a $99 overcharge?

Question

I'm trying to resolve a problem with my Uber One membership and recurring Uber Eats errors.

I've been trying to cancel my Uber One membership. Uber wouldn't let me, so I disputed the charge with Amex, provided the documentation, and they gave me a credit. 

One month later when I urgently needed a ride, I discovered I was locked out of my account until I paid $99. After hours on chat with the customer service department, a representative told me to pay the $99, and then it would be credited back by Uber. Only if they did the credit back, would it unlock my account. 

I paid the $99, but upon getting a "pending" credit, later I reached out again and identified that only $56 had been credited back, not the full $99.

I then chatted again, and after a long back and forth, multiple contacts, and explaining the issue several times, I finally got a call. An Uber representative confirmed for me and documented in the chat that it voided the $99 charge from earlier along with the $56 credit.

But today I discovered that the $99 charge actually did go through. Uber didn't void it. The company now says it doesn't do live calls and refuses to resolve my problem. Can you help me get my $99 back? -- Carl Helwing, Antioch, Ill.

Answer

Uber should have refunded you without making you go through all that. This is some tangled mess.

First, let's get a few terms out of the way. Uber One is a subscription service that offers discounts on Uber and Uber Eats. A membership costs $9.99 per month or $96 per year. (Related: Uber banned him after he won a credit card chargeback. Is that allowed?)

You were experiencing problems with Uber Eats, so you decided to cancel your subscription. A representative told you that you would get a full refund for your annual subscription. But then you didn't, so you disputed the charge on your credit card. After you won the dispute, Uber locked your account until you paid up, but promised to refund you -- and then didn't.

How do you get out of an Uber One membership?

If you've found yourself stuck in a membership you never wanted, like Uber One, you're not alone. Many users sign up for services only to realize they don't need them -- or worse, they forget they signed up in the first place. Fortunately, canceling your Uber One membership is usually easy. (Related: I never ordered Uber One. Please help me get my money back!)

Here are the steps to cancel your Uber One membership

• Open the Uber App: Launch the app on your device. (Here is our ultimate ridesharing guide.)
• Access Your Account: Tap the account icon located at the bottom right corner.
• Find Uber One: Scroll down and select “Uber One” from the list.
• Manage Membership: Tap on “Manage Membership.”
• End Membership: Select “End Membership” and confirm your choice.

Yes, but ...

What if you're stuck with a charge and Uber One won't budge?

• Timing matters. Make sure to cancel at least 48 hours before your next billing date to avoid being charged for the upcoming cycle. If you miss this window, you may need to contact customer support for assistance.
• Trial periods. If you’re still within a free trial period, canceling will end your benefits immediately.
• Refunds: Depending on when you cancel, you may be eligible for a refund. If you're unsure, reach out to support for clarification or contact our advocacy team.

What Uber customer support can do

If you run into trouble while trying to cancel, don’t hesitate to reach out to Uber’s customer service. Most of Uber support is highly automated, so you will be talking to an AI at first. But if it's a serious issue, the AI will escalate your problem to a person.

Uber should be able to guide you through the cancellation process or help resolve any issues. (Related: Uber owes me $100. Can you help me get it back?)

In today’s subscription-heavy world, it’s easy to end up with memberships that don’t serve your needs. But with these steps, you can take control of at least your Uber One membership.

How about your problem with Uber One?

Credit card chargebacks are a last resort for billing disputes, for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons, which is not often discussed, is that it can lead to you being banned until you pay what the company says you owe. This is particularly problematic with ridesharing and car rental companies. You could win a car rental dispute and still lose because you're banned. I have more details on how to handle a credit card dispute in my free guide on credit card chargebacks on this site.)

You could have taken this to a higher level at Uber, especially after its refusal to discuss your case by phone. I publish the names, numbers and email addresses of the Uber customer service executives on my consumer advocacy site.

You contacted my advocacy team and I reached out to Uber. "It appears that there was a miscommunication regarding the refund process for Carl's Uber One membership," a representative explained. Uber refunded your membership fee, unlocked your account, and added a $25 credit to your account as an apology.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes three nationally syndicated columns. He also publishes the Elliott Report, a news site for consumers, and Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter. 

This story originally appeared in the Elliott Report under the headline, Help! I can't cancel my Uber One membership.