Fabulous SAS - Unethical app, please delete from App Store.

You made a website subscription so Apple is not involved in the purchase which is why you do not see it in your Apple Account. Cancelling the website subscription made directly with Fabulous is done here:

https://help.thefabulous.co/en/support/solutions/articles/101000405804-how-to-manage-a-premium-subscription

Many companies offer the ability to manage their own subscriptions and Apple is required to allow it. Years ago, Apple was sued for preventing an outside purchase and forced to pay fines and also fined again because they warned users about making an outside purchase. Apple would prefer that to not be the case, but they also cannot punish a developer by removing an app from the store because they allow outside purchases. For example, you can also have subscriptions with Amazon, Hulu, Walmart, Netflix, YouTube, TikTok, SnapChat, etc and they also have apps that can be used, but that does not mean Apple is managing the subscription.

Actually the Fabulous apps work just fine when downloaded from the App Store and the in-app purchase is made where it is managed by Apple and also easily cancelled by Apple. Some have found a link to their website on Social Media to create a subscription/free trial directly with Fabulous and just did not realize that meant they also have to cancel the subscription with Fabulous. You can still dispute the charge with your credit card as Apple is not involved in the purchase. In the future, stick to the in-app purchase for a subscription managed by Apple. Just because you can navigate to a web page and start a subscription does not make that an in-app purchase.

MEB25 wrote:

I am trying to get this charge ($39.99 monthly!) removed from my Chase credit card. I do not remember subscribing at all, the app is not in my phone app list or in my ios subscriptions. It is just on my credit card.

Since the subscription is not seen in your Apple Account, you inadvertently signed up for a Free Trial to their service, probably from a link on a Social Media account or phishing email. The charge has nothing to do with Apple.

You will need to dispute the charge with your Chase credit card. They will ask you to contact the merchant first for a resolution and that is standard procedure to request a refund from them. If you do not get a satisfactory response, then continue the dispute process with Chase.

Noextramoney wrote:

Deleting is not working. I am unsuccessfully locating the app too delete and cancel

No app is required for the subscription signed up on their website. You would need to cancel with them directly, as you would be charged whether you had an app or not. The charge would not be coming from Apple in that case or even managed by Apple.

https://help.thefabulous.co/en/support/solutions/articles/101000405804-how-to-manage-a-premium-subscription

PapaBearJ wrote:

l do everything through the App Store. This app goes around the store on its own. I have never been to its website. And it is trying to

charge me. I canceled it and it continues to try to charge me an inordinate amount You are wrong and have no clue what other people are doing.

If your situation is like others where it does not appear as a charge on your Apple Account and the description of the charge is Fabulous, then it has nothing to do with Apple and you are going to have to look elsewhere for the cause.

In any case the solution is the same and confirmed by others here too, dispute the charge with the credit card company and you will get your money back and they will block future charges. Your bank can also confirm if the charge occurred from an Apple Pay token or the actual card number had been entered. All you need to do is contact them. Arguing with me is not going to get your money back and Apple did not collect it to issue you a refund either.

You said "This app goes around the store on its own", so that would mean a person did download the app and you have been to that companies website because the app directs you there. Apple is required to allow companies to process their own subscriptions without any involvement by Apple. For example, that is how you subscribe to Amazon Prime or make Amazon purchases where it is Amazon that processes those transactions with the card information you give them. It was not Apple that gave them the card number and Apple is not charging you for those transactions either.

ThisisJude wrote:

Same thing happened to me; clicked on an ad, and downloaded the app to my phone, it offered me a £1 charge or something to get my results; and within 5 mins i realised the app was shockingly bad so i immediately cancelled the subscription.

Over a week later a charge has just landed on my card for £35 through Apple Pay.

The subscription is not showing in the app or on apple account. there is no way to cancel it more than i have already. I've never visited the website (til today trying to contact them)

I've now deleted my account and deleted the app. i will be contesting the charge with Amex.

Yep, Apple Pay does not bill to your Apple Account, it uses the linked card in your Wallet and gives the merchant your token that was provided to you from Amex when you added the card. Disputing the charge through Amex is the way to go, although they may first ask you to attempt to contact the merchant for a refund, but that is usually the first step when disputing a transaction.

MMBillante wrote:

Of course I have declined it I don’t know how many times and then today I get another fraud alert but this time it’s just from “Fabulous” for the same amount. I don’t have any emails from any type of company and can’t find anything in past subscriptions. I’ve even changed my card number and they’ve managed to try on the new card!!!!! Is there any way to stop this crap for good?? I’m so dang frustrated!!!

Yes! You have to dispute the charge with your bank where they also will need to block future transactions from them. Your bank along with the PNO (VISA, Mastercard, etc) participate in an Automatic Billing Updater program that transfers recurring charges to your new card. They claim they are doing that for your benefit to avoid subscription interruptions when a new card is issued, but it will also transfer those charges you are trying to avoid if they don't block them.

No app is needed for the subscription and they have a free trial that becomes a subscription on their website. It is possible you followed a link there from a Social Media post where you inadvertently subscribed or from an ad, but in any case the dispute process is the same for any fraudulent charge.

Your bank is required to follow the consumer protection regulations, but there are time constraints for reporting the issue to them and don't rely on declining a charge or requesting a new card to do that automatically.

https://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/october2018.html

If your bank is not providing the protections that they are required to do, you can also file a complaint with the CFPB. This is a government agency responsible for making sure banks are complying with the laws and the website where you report incidents claim that you will get a response within 15 days. Not sure if that response time is still accurate with the funding and employment cuts, but that is the purpose of the agency to protect consumers.

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

Mnky3377 wrote:

I totally agree with the guy above. I signed on with a 2 week free trial. I canceled the day it was to renew.

If your case is the same as the OP, they did not make an in-app purchase managed by Apple and the free trial was started directly with Fabulous. They would be attempting to bill you directly and it is not Apple as identified by the description of the charge attempting to be billed to your card. As in all cases such as that where Apple is not involved, you must first attempt to resolve the issue with the merchant and if unsuccessful then dispute the charge with the card being billed.

itzme123 wrote:

They give instructions to cancel via iTunes account- say to turn off auto renew- but I cannot find this in my account anywhere! How do I turn the auto renew OFF?

If the bills to your payment card are directly from the vendor, and if you provided your payment card numbers directly to the vendor, then you will have to pursue the cancellation with the vendor, and then potentially open a dispute with your payment provider if the vendor is unwilling or unable to cease billing.

If you engaged directly and provided your payment details directly, then Apple is not involved.

What reports at one site suggest about this:

• https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/lookupscam/1074094
• https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/lookupscam/1093050

There are other discussions elsewhere.

Providing payment info directly to the seller bypasses Apple App Store, even if the seller might use Apple Pay. The related transactions — and any disputes that might arise — that bypass the App Store are then entirely between the purchaser, the seller, and the purchaser’s bank. Not Apple and the Apple App Store. Yes, even if Apple Pay was used.

Got concerns with a purchase or billing? Contact the seller, and failing satisfaction then contact the payment card provider; the bank that issued the card, using the phone number in the back of the payment card. The bank contact info is also available in Apple Wallet for the card.

To investigate a purchase like this before buying, use your own Google searches for variations of the particular vendor name.

Got feedback for Apple? Y’all can report a concern via the App Store link (if the app was downloaded from there) and can also leave an app review, both on the App Store page for the app. And contact your bank, if you have wish to dispute a payment.

I contacted Chase and they are blocking the merchant and crediting me for the three times I was charged. I appreciate the feedback.

MEB25 wrote:

I contacted Chase and they are blocking the merchant and crediting me for the three times I was charged. I appreciate the feedback.

That is the correct course of action. Great Job!

Same thing happened to me; clicked on an ad, and downloaded the app to my phone, it offered me a £1 charge or something to get my results; and within 5 mins i realised the app was shockingly bad so i immediately cancelled the subscription.

Over a week later a charge has just landed on my card for £35 through Apple Pay.

The subscription is not showing in the app or on apple account. there is no way to cancel it more than i have already. I've never visited the website (til today trying to contact them)

I've now deleted my account and deleted the app. i will be contesting the charge with Amex.

I am trying to get this charge ($39.99 monthly!) removed from my Chase credit card. I do not remember subscribing at all, the app is not in my phone app list or in my ios subscriptions. It is just on my credit card.

The charge is for APP* FABULOUS SAS. I wrote to the Help bot for the company at the address given in this thread. They are asking me for credit card information and it's making me uncomfortable. They wrote;

"We looked into our system, but couldn't locate any active subscription under (my email entered here by me)

To further assist you, please provide the following details:

• 
  
• Subscription ID (located in the email receipt sent from no-reply@thefabulous.co on the day the subscription was created): (Note that I cannot find any email at all from this address, not in trash, spam, etc.)
• Full name:
• 
  
• The name of the app you are subscribed to:
• 
  
• The last 4 digits of the card used for the purchase:
• 
  
• Date & time of the charge:
• 
  
• Amount & currency of the charge:
• 
  
• Description of the charge:
• 
  
• List of other email addresses that could've been used:
• • If the payment was handled via PayPal, kindly provide the email associated with your PayPal account.
  • Additionally, if using an iOS device, please double check if you used Apple's "Hide my Email" feature. To learn how to, tap here. (note that I did not pay them with PayPal - I am using an iphone but not the Hide my Email feature).
• 
  

Please note that if you were charged via Apple or Google, you will need to request your refund through them directly. To do so, please visit this article to learn how.

We'll be waiting for your response!

Best,

Fable"

Even this bot person's name makes me nervous! How can I get rid of this?

I totally agree with the guy above. I signed on with a 2 week free trial. I canceled the day it was to renew. Days later they keep trying to charge my account. It keeps getting denied luckily. I canceled by the due date. Why do they keep trying to charge my account. It’s been twice now. I canceled- i don’t want their services!

l do everything through the App Store. This app goes around the store on its own. I have never been to its website. And it is trying to

charge me. I canceled it and it continues to try to charge me an inordinate amount You are wrong and have no clue what other people are doing.