Payforit Scams

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Soldato
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Peoples Republic of Histonia, Cambridge
Has anyone else had any experience of this?

On Friday I rang my service provider (3) to enquire why my bills were higher than normal for the last few months. They said I'd been paying for a repeat premium rate subscription to a third party service (wallpaper and ring tones), "authorised" through the payforit system.

This system essentially requires the user to be forward to the payforit portal where they click a checkbox to authorise the subscription, and you are then billed via your network provider i.e. via direct debit if you have a contract or from your credit if on PAYG.

Only it seem it's easily possible to spoof this either by getting the use to click on a fake link or using scripts embedded in unscrupulous websites. If your browsing on 4G, they have access to your mobile number and that all they need to carry out the fraud. Apparently it's not possible when using wifi.

My network provide tried to fob me off saying the payforit system is run by ofcom, but the payforit website clearly states that the company and system is owned by the big 4 mobile operators three, O2, EE, Vodafone. And guess what, they get a huge cut of the transactions made through the system.

I won't go into all the details of my conversation with 3 but they offered me a partial refund and told me to get lost. What's worse is some of the operators also refuse to bar this service if customers request.

There is a community website setup to try and highlight the issue, but the regulators don't want to step in.

https://payforitsucks.co.uk/

I'm still finding it hard to believe it's possible.



UPDATE: If you are on O2, EE or Vodafone you can prevent these scams by enabling charge to bill barring.

Vodafone - Via the MyVodafone App

O2 - Call 202 and request

EE - Text BAR to 150

Three mobile and "piggyback" carriers don't currently offer a baring service.

If you are a victim make a complaint to the Phone-paid Services Authority

https://psauthority.org.uk/for-consumers/report-an-issue
 
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Well just contact your provider and have them bar 3rd party premium coatings.

On ee just text bar to 150 and your all set.
 
Destination said:
Report them to offcom, no matter what the website sayes in relation to the regulator.
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I have reported them. Tbh though, the blame lays entirely with the network provider imo. Unfortunately scammers are part and parcel of life on the internet. But you expect the big players (banks, ISPs etc) to put in place reasonable measures to protect themselves and their customers.

At best Payforit seems negligent, and at worst complicit. It's essentially zero factor authentication. It's requires no details that aren't in the public domain to access funds in a customers account. They don't need an address, postcode, password, pass-phase, even a name.
 
No word of a lie but Watchdog does a better job of sorting this kind of thing out than ofcom.

Worth an email to them, let them know that unless people are checking their bills there's likely many that don't know its even happening.
 
I had some fun with them a couple of years ago when my son must have clicked on something on his tablet whilst tethered to my phone.

After few emails back and forth informing them I would not be dropping the matter unless they were able to provide evidence of me signing up for and using the service, and that I would be charging them a £30 + £1/day admin fee until I had my money back, plus all court fees and costs, I had a cheque on its way within 2 days of me contacting them
 
For anyone on vodafone you can disable these via your the account once logged in. Go to "service and extras" then "Messaging Options" to disable premium rate information and then "Bars and Data Alerts" for "Charge to Bar Bill".

Not been hit by any of these but the thread was a useful reminder to check.
 
Contacting Ofcom is as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike what with the endless consultations, appeals and lengthy implementation periods they seem to have in regards to any issue, a toothless body set up by politicians to give the impression to us plebs that they care.
I am currently with 3 but moving very shortly as time and time again I have come accross practices which or though perfectly legal are morally bankrupt.
But I am mainly moving as they cannot provide a service in a major hospital complex up here in Edinburgh because, their words, the signal has to pass through doors and windows.
 
I have had the issue in the past with Vodafone. A number of £1 charges had appeared on my bill and according to Vodafone this was "Adult Premium content". I told them that I'd never signed up for anything and that this was not authorised.
Rather than them saying "IN that case sir, we will need to investigate" as far as they were concerned the only possible way I could be signed up is if I did it myself and that I should text STOP to the number and no, they wouldn't be refunding me.
Half an hour later and eventually speaking with someone higher up, I got credit back to my account for the spend - but still, it annoys me that they tell me the only way this could have happened is if I'd signed up.
Since then I've had premium bar on my phone, both Vodafone and now EE.
If it happens again they should be able to see I had a bar in place and couldn't possibly do it.
 
platinum87 said:
The money that was taken, who is getting it, what is the name of that company?

Who works for that company?

Take all of their money
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I'd love to say which company but I'm not sure if it's within the forum rules.

peterwalkley said:
For anyone on vodafone you can disable these via your the account once logged in. Go to "service and extras" then "Messaging Options" to disable premium rate information and then "Bars and Data Alerts" for "Charge to Bar Bill".

Not been hit by any of these but the thread was a useful reminder to check.
Click to expand...

It does appear that as of very recently, the only major network that doesn't provide a charge to bill bar is Three Mobile. Most of the smaller operator don't either.

stockhausen said:
Stop using 3?
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As much as it pains me to say it, they offer the cheapest unlimited data service, and have the best inclusive international roaming. I'm currently going through the motions with them to extract as much of my money back as possible (currently £100 of £150), but if at the end of that process I can't get them to agree to bar charge to bill, I will be cancelling and moving, probably to EE.
 
Never liked 3 since they tried to tell me i was on an 18 month contact when it was a 12, and sent me threstening letters to get my to pay 6 months of a contract i didn't sign up for, want or use. I eventually won but refused to ever use their services again
 
So, I've just has a call from the "service provider" and they refuse to offer a refund due to an "official ongoing dispute with three mobile".

What a crock of ****.

If it wasn't so serious it would be funny.

Three "don't offer a barring service", and can't offer any assurance if this happens again that will refund the money.
 
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