Apple Store customers were allegedly subscribed to Apple services without their consent

Some Apple Store employees are being accused of signing up customers for Apple services subscriptions without their knowledge, an activity known as cramming. The accusation is being made by consumer rights advocate Louis Rossmann, who previously made attacks against Apple's repair policies.

Apple Store staff accused of "cramming" customers

In a recent video, Rossmann accused Apple Store staff of signing up Apple Store customers to free trials of certain Apple services without the consent of the customer. When you go to an Apple Store to set up your device, Rossmann says that the staff carries a device with two buttons on the screen with one saying "Accept" and the other, "Decline."

According to Rossmann, these customers are told that the free trials and subscriptions are gifts, without explaining to them that two to three months later their free trials will transition into paid subscriptions that charge them $20 to $30 per month.

Rossmann's video outing the practice was posted on October 30. After that date, one of his anonymous sources told him that Apple had banned the practice.

Apple reportedly sends regional managers important instructions

The source said that the tech giant issued an instruction that was to be read by all regional managers. While the text of this instruction has yet to be leaked, it supposedly reveals Apple's demand that the "Accept" button be pressed by customers only.
Additionally, Apple is reportedly no longer counting the number of customers who have subscribed to a trial for each staff member. If this is true, Apple has removed this as a monthly performance goal or "metric."

Many wireless carriers also have metrics that their reps must meet every month, and the pressure to meet these goals has led some reps to add accessories to customers' invoices without their permission.

Apple Store customers are now safe from being a cramming victim for the rest of 2026. But it doesn't guarantee that Apple won't bring back the metrics in the future.

By the way, those purchasing a new iPhone are eligible to receive the following free three-month trials:

Apple TV+
Apple Music
Apple Arcade
Apple Fitness+
Apple News+

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