A VIP Survival Academy charge on your credit card or bank statement is almost always a recurring monthly membership fee that was attached to a promotional purchase, often a “free” or deeply discounted tactical item where you paid only shipping. To stop it, you will most likely need to work through your bank or card issuer rather than the merchant, because consumers report that VIP Survival Academy is difficult to reach directly.
Why the Charge Is on Your Statement
The pattern is consistent across consumer complaints. A shopper sees an online ad for a free or discounted survival product, places an order, pays a small shipping fee, and then finds monthly charges on later statements. One consumer told the Better Business Bureau the original offer was for “1 free backpack only pay shipping,” followed by monthly credit card charges that continued for four to five months. Another described a “not advertised subscription scam when purchasing an item advertised on-line.”1BBB. VIP Survival Academy
The line on your statement may not read “VIP Survival Academy” at all. Consumer reports indicate the recurring charges are often processed through ClickBank, which can appear as “CLKBANK” or a similar descriptor.2SmartCustomer. VIP Survival Academy Reviews If you see an unfamiliar CLKBANK charge in the weeks after ordering a discounted survival or tactical product, that is likely the connection.
Trying to Cancel With the Merchant
VIP Survival Academy is listed with the BBB at 19655 E 35th Dr, Suite 100, Aurora, Colorado 80011, with a phone number of (720) 712-7206. Reviewers, however, say the company does not respond to emails and that the listed phone number does not work, with one consumer calling it “not real.”1BBB. VIP Survival Academy A contact option through the BBB platform is available, but reviews suggest neither route reliably produces a response.
Because of that, most consumers who have successfully stopped the charges did so through their bank or credit card company. Some asked their bank to block future charges from the merchant or the payment processor. Others filed formal chargebacks. Outcomes have been mixed. At least one consumer reported obtaining a refund and cancellation after working with their bank, while another said their card company denied the dispute after VIP Survival Academy produced documentation showing the buyer had agreed to the monthly charge during the original checkout.2SmartCustomer. VIP Survival Academy Reviews
Disputing the Charge With Your Card Issuer
Federal law gives you a structured way to challenge the charge. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you can send a written dispute letter to your credit card issuer at the address it designates for billing inquiries. Include your name, account number, the amount and date of the charge, and why you believe it is an error. The letter must reach the issuer within 60 days of the statement date on which the charge first appeared.3FTC. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
Once your dispute is received, the issuer must acknowledge it in writing within 30 days and resolve the matter within 90 days. You can withhold payment on the disputed amount during the investigation without being reported as delinquent, and federal law caps your liability for unauthorized charges at $50.3FTC. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
One practical point matters here. If the merchant can show you agreed to subscription terms during checkout, the issuer may side with the merchant. Consumers who have faced that outcome recommend keeping screenshots of the original order page and any confirmation emails, which can help show whether the recurring charge was clearly disclosed at the point of sale.
If Your Dispute Is Denied
You can appeal by writing to the issuer again. You can also file a formal complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and you can report the business to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.3FTC. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
Why This Kind of Billing Is Regulated
The model at issue, a low-cost or free product that quietly enrolls the buyer in a recurring subscription, is known in regulatory terms as negative option marketing. The Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA), enacted in 2010, requires online sellers to clearly disclose all material terms of a subscription before collecting billing information, obtain the consumer’s express informed consent before charging, and provide a simple way to cancel.4Federal Register. Negative Option Rule
In October 2024, the FTC finalized a click-to-cancel rule that updated its longstanding Negative Option Rule. Under the updated regulation, phased in through mid-2025, sellers must make cancellation at least as easy as signing up, cannot misrepresent material facts about the subscription, and must obtain unambiguously affirmative consent before billing begins.5FTC. FTC Announces Final Click-to-Cancel Rule If the sign-up flow you went through did not meet those standards, that context can support your dispute and your complaint to the FTC or CFPB.