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I want to buy some porn…now what? Ten things to know before you pay for online porn


If you've spent hours browsing through our free video and picture galleries, odds are you've found something you like enough to consider spending money on it. But what should you know about buying a porn membership?  Online porn can be intimidating and many concerns arise when using your credit card and email address for purchases on the Internet.  The following 10 tips will hopefully give you a comprehensive guide to buying a porn membership and help you sort out these concerns.


1. I don't want my email account to be spammed with non-stop porn ads. Will that happen?

Well…maybe. There's really no way to guarantee you won't receive ads, offers or other porn spam after you give your email address to a porn site. I know I get plenty of spam every day, just from signing up for information to review sites.  Some sites may not spam, but you should always be aware of the possibility of it happening.  It's tempting to use a fake email address to prevent this, but often a website will send you account verification, information and confirmation numbers that you will need. Instead of using a fake email address, you might want to create a separate free email account just for your membership.


2. Is it safe to use my credit card on a porn site?

The short answer is, it depends. If you've made any online purchases before, you know to look out for secure websites – the "https" instead of "http" at the beginning of a URL will tell you that.  Then you just need to make sure you know what you're buying. Many websites lay their charges out very clearly, while others have tons of fine print that can be easy to miss. Be sure to read everything carefully and make sure you aren't signing up for more than you ask for and you should be just fine. Read on for more info about this.


3. Trial memberships seem great! Are they?

Trial memberships are very popular. They give you a chance to sample a website without actually signing on as a permanent member, but there are several tricky maneuvers porn sites can use that you might not be expecting. First of all, many websites only offer a "limited" trial instead of a full trial – this means that you are only given some access to their members area, or even just sample material, instead of getting to enjoy everything on the site. Or, trials can give you a download limit, whereas an actual membership may be unlimited. Another thing is cost: trials can be very cheap, but often websites will charge you more after your trial is up than the standard monthly cost – sometimes way more. Finally, cancelling a trial membership typically requires at least 24 hours to process. This means that for one- and two-day trials, it can become very tricky to stop yourself from being charged a monthly fee.  We at Nude Reviews always try to note whether a trial is limited or full, as well as list the recurring monthly cost following a trial.

4. Just what exactly is a recurring cost?

Recurring charges are automatic charges made to your account – for example, if you sign up for a website that costs $30/month, you will have a recurring charge of $30 every month until you cancel.  Almost all porn sites use recurring charges and most will tell you exactly how much they will continue to charge you – although sometimes with very fine print.  Recurring charges are great for people who enjoy a website and want to continue being a member for an extended period of time. But if you change your mind or simply don't want money taken from your account on a regular basis, you need to be sure and cancel in time to stop any continued fees.  Memberships always need to be canceled at least 24 hours – but usually more – before the rebill date. Make sure you read the payment info on the site you sign up for to see when that is, and always read the Nude Reviews cost facts to know if a site uses recurring charges.

5. I've heard of people being charged for more memberships than they sign up for. How do I prevent this from happening?

Cross sales or cross promotions are probably some of the sneakiest ways a porn company can charge you more money than you expect to pay. These are additional memberships to sites – sometimes more sites within their affiliate, sometimes deals made with other companies – that you don't realize you're agreeing to. Cross sales are usually pre-checked little boxes at the bottom of your sign-up page.  Be sure you don't ever skim the sign-up page and uncheck any cross sales you don't want to be responsible for.  Nude Reviews always warns of pre-checked cross sales when possible.

 
6. What if I want to cancel my membership? Is it going to be a hassle?

No porn site wants you to cancel your membership, but it's never impossible to cancel if you're no longer interested in being a member. Many sites have an FAQ or support link, or you can go straight to the billing processing company (CC Bill, for example) and enter your info to cancel. You usually don't need to call anyone. Sometimes you might even get a bonus if you agree to stay on as a member! But always be sure to remember your billing processor – this will make your life much easier.


7. What if I still need help with my billing?

I'll say it again: your billing processor is your friend. Just like with a bank or credit card company, if you feel like you've been charged for something by mistake, make use of their customer service number and speak to a representative. But remember – it's not their job to uncheck cross sales or cancel trial memberships. That's your responsibility and they can't help you with that.

 
8. How do I know whether or not the porn I'm buying is legal and legitimate?

All legitimate porn sites have a "2257 Regulations" statement linked on their main page. This statement assures compliance with all child protection and obscenity laws and guarantees that all actors are of legal age when performing.  Just make sure you find one if you're concerned.

 
9. I want to buy a porn membership, but I have kids. How do I prevent them from accessing my account?

A huge dilemma with buying a porn membership is how to keep your children away from your fun. While there is no way for a porn site to 100% guarantee that your child won't access your account when you're not around, many have a "For Parents" link at the bottom of their main page with tips and controls that are helpful. Additionally, always log out of your account when you're done surfing and clear your browser history if necessary.

 
10. Should I really be giving my money to porn companies?

Sure, why not? Just like any other company, porn is a business and most of the people involved are your basic businessmen and web nerds. That isn't to say that some are more into their bottom line than the quality of their product, but in general porn companies are no more or less "crooked" than anyone else.  Many genuinely care about the quality of the porn they put out and take pride in doing a good job. Like any product, be an informed consumer and choose the site that seems best for your needs. You probably won't be disappointed.