Soldato
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
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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