<p>I recently got an email from a gift basket company thanking me for my order last month, which was strange because I hadn’t purchased anything from them. When I read the message more carefully, I realized it was an automatic renewal for a membership I had purchased a year ago. I completely forgot about it and hadn’t used the service at all.<br><br>Fortunately, California law protects consumers like you and me. In July 2025, a strict renewal law went into effect that requires companies to clarify their auto-renewal terms when you sign up. It has to be easy to cancel without any trickery, and you can cancel using the same method you used to make the purchase. The business needs to give consumers an annual notice before the auto-renewal or continuous service plan, according to the State Attorney General’s Office.<br><br>When I complained to the gift basket company about the unexpected renewal, they claimed a notice was sent before they charged my credit card, but they also acknowledged it could have ended up in my spam folder. When I asked to cancel the membership, there was no sales pressure and I received a credit for $32.58 the same day. If you, however, have a problem stopping an automatic renewal, make sure to report it to the State Attorney General’s Office. <br><br><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/" target="_self">Use Diamond Certified Resource to find top rated companies.</a><br><br><strong>Related Articles</strong><br><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/Guide/Savvy-Consumer/" target="_self">Your Guide to Being a Savvy Consumer</a><br><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/find-expert-advice/" target="_self">Get Expert Advice From Owners of Top Rated Local Companies</a><br><a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/membership/" target="_self">Become a Diamond Certified Preferred Member (Always Free)</a>&nbsp;</p>