Misleading 'Complete Savings' ads BANNED after MSE complaint – check your statements NOW to ensure you're not unknowingly paying out

The ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) covers all "click to claim" adverts for the cashback site. The regulator has stated that such ads must make it clear that you need to sign up to a paid-for subscription and detail the steps to get any cashback, which can include making additional purchases.

The decision follows a similar warning issued by MSE in 2012 and comes amid a wider investigation by the ASA into online choice and whether consumers are being misled. As part of this probe, similar adverts for Complete Savings (which is owned by a company called Webloyalty International Limited) appearing on sites including Dominos and Moonpig were also banned for being misleading – something MSE had raised to the ASA too.

New rules on 'subscription traps' – including providing clear info when you sign-up – are set to take force as part of the long-awaited Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act. However, this isn't due to come in until 2026.

Martin Lewis: 'These ads are misleading – check you're not paying for this'

The regulator has BANNED these ads as a result of our complaint

Complete Savings is a cashback site that members pay £18 a month (previously £15 a month) to use. You can't sign up to the service directly – the only way to join is after making a purchase with one of its partner retailers. Argos, Papa Johns and Trainline all confirmed to the ASA that they received a commission fee for every shopper who signed up to Complete Savings through their website.

However, we argued that their ads were misleading. That's because we felt they implied cashback would be credited without the need to sign-up to a paid-for subscription and because they didn't clearly indicate that a further purchase was required (in some cases). We also questioned the ability of consumers to be able to make a second purchase and get this approved within the 30-day free trial period.

Here's an example of a pop-up ad we saw on Argos:

The ASA ruled in our favour, stating that the ads must not appear again in the form complained of. It said future marketing communications must:

• Make it clear to consumers that to obtain the free cashback or "Welcome Reward" they had to enter into a paid monthly subscription and actively claim the reward.

• Make it sufficiently clear that it is necessary to make a second purchase in order to be eligible for the reward.

'We lost nearly £1,000 after unknowingly signing up to Complete Savings'

Signed up to a subscription service without realising? How to try and get your money back

We've got a guide on checking and cancelling recurring payments, as well as on how to conduct a direct debit audit, but here are our top tips in brief – plus, how to try getting your money back if you feel you’ve been unwittingly caught out:

1. Check for unnecessary payments.

   To find a recurring payment, you'll need to check your bank and credit card statements manually. Payments made to Complete Savings should appear on your statement as one of the following:
   - WLY*COMPLETESAVE.CO.UK
   - COMPLETESAVE.CO.UK
   - CASH.COMPLETESAVE.CO.UK
   - GO2.COMPLETESAVE.CO.UK
   - WWW.COMPLETESAVE.CO.UK

   For other types of payment, most online bank accounts have a section that displays all your standing orders and Direct Debits.

2. If you find any unwanted payments, cancel them straight away.

   To cancel a recurring payment, you'll need to contact the company directly. With Complete Savings, you can cancel your membership anytime fee-free by emailing Complete Savings' complaint team or by calling 0800 389 6960 (8am-8pm Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm Saturday).
   
   For a direct debit or standing order, you can cancel this by ringing your bank or using its app or online banking.

3. Don't recognise a payment or feel you were misled into signing up? Complain – you may get your money back.

   There are no guarantees but it’s worth a try. You can make a complaint to Complete Savings by calling the number above or by emailing its customer services team. If you manage to get your money back, let us know in the Cancellation Successes MSE Forum discussion.

What did Complete Savings, Argos, Papa Johns and Trainline say?

A spokesperson for Complete Savings said: "Prior to the Council's decision, we had already amended our marketing to make our messaging even clearer and will continue to work to ensure our communications align with the Council's guidance."

When we put the complaints from our users to Complete Savings, it added that its sign-up process includes "multiple affirmative steps" and argued that membership fees are "clear and transparent" from the onset. A spokesperson added: "We pride ourselves on the standard of our customer service. If a member is unhappy, wherever possible we will try and resolve their queries."

Argos told us it is no longer displaying any ads from Complete Savings. Papa Johns said it's "taken steps" to update its policies, while Trainline told us it has removed the offending versions of the ads. All of the firms added that they strive to ensure their marketing is clear.