Before money changes hands
Read the promise beside the payment.
Bring the payment terms into view before agreeing. Ask what happens if the visit, product or plan does not go ahead.
Turn a headline into clear payment and exit terms.
Keep the quote, the included items and the terms together. Ask which terms apply to the exact offer you are considering.
For an introductory offer, check what you would pay once it finishes. For prepay, ask what the payment commits you to.
For a renewal, ask what renews and how to end it. Request a copy of the answer before paying.
Ask what happens when plans change.
- What happens to my payment if no treatment is proposed?
- Can I end the plan before the prepaid term is over?
- Is any unused amount refundable?
- What is the deadline for stopping a renewal?
- How will I know that a cancellation was received?
- If insurance says no, what amount would still be due?
Ask for any unclear term to be explained using the offer you are considering. Leave room to think about the answer.
Pause over restricted payment methods.
Crypto means digital money.
A demand to pay only by wire, bank transfer, crypto, payment app or gift card is a scam signal, says the Federal Trade Commission. This guidance was checked September 26, 2026.
The warning is about being told these are the only ways to pay.
Official-looking seals and money-back claims on health websites can be faked, the commission warns. This guidance was checked September 17, 2026.
Keep the payment question beside the licence checks. A reassuring design is not a substitute for reading the terms.
The consumer-protection sources.
The Federal Trade Commission explains the payment-method signal and the limits of seals and guarantees.