Every day, the Better Business Bureau serving the Snake River Region receives calls, emails and comments from individuals who are angry that they’re getting a bill for an offer to try something for “free.”

If you’re interested in a particular product or service, trying before you buy might seem like a no-brainer. But what starts as a free — or low-price — trial might end up costing you.

Whether it’s for a teeth whitener, vitamins or kitchen gadget, all free trials eventually end. And typically, if you don’t want to buy what you’ve tried, you need to cancel or take some other action before the trial is up. If you don’t, you may be agreeing to buy more products.

Dishonest businesses make it tough to cancel, hiding the terms and conditions of their offers in fine print, using pre-checked sign-up boxes as the default setting online and putting conditions on returns and cancellations so strict it’s next to impossible to stop deliveries and billing.

The “free trial” might come with a small shipping and handling fee. You think it’s a couple of dollars, but in reality, you’re giving out credit card information, and possibly face much higher charges after the trial ends.

Other “free” offers enroll you in clubs or subscriptions. For example, a company might offer you an introductory package of free books, CDs, magazines or movies. If you sign up, you may be agreeing to join the club, and more products will be sent and billed to you until you cancel. It could also be a subscription that’s automatically renewed each year.

Follow these tips:

Research the company online. See what other people are saying about the company’s free trials — and its service. Check a business out at www.BBB.org. Complaints from other customers can tip you off to “catches” that might come with the trial.

Find the terms and conditions for the offer. That includes offers online, on TV, in the newspaper or on the radio. If you can’t find them or can’t understand exactly what you’re agreeing to, don’t sign up.

Look for who’s behind the offer. Just because you’re buying something online from one company doesn’t mean the offer or pop-up isn’t from someone else.

Watch out for checked boxes. If you sign up for a free trial online, a checkmark might give the company a green light to continue the offer past the free trial or sign you up for more products — only this time you have to pay.

Mark your calendar. Your free trial probably has a time limit. Once it passes without you telling the company to cancel your “order,” you may be on the hook for more products.

Look for information on how you can cancel future shipments or services. If you don’t want them, do you have to pay? Do you have a limited time to respond?

Read your credit and debit card statements. That way you’ll know right away if you’re being charged for something you didn’t order.

Robb Hicken, 208-947-2115