Academia.edu charged me €234 after a €1 paper — dark pattern warning

I went on Academia.edu to access a single paper, which was listed as €1. I never agreed to any subscription, never saw clear terms, and never received a confirmation email. A few days later, I was charged €69 and then €165.60 — a total of €234.60 — without my consent.

This is not a mistake — it’s a dark pattern. I only realized what happened because I checked my bank app. Academia.edu never warned me, and I had no idea I was being enrolled in a recurring subscription. To make matters worse, I’ve now seen many users reporting the exact same experience.

I’ve contacted their support and blocked them through my bank. If I don’t get a refund, I’ll escalate this further. Academia.edu should not be allowed to continue using deceptive billing tactics like this. Avoid this platform at all costs.

Has anyone else dealt with this?