scammed / credit card fraud :(
- Thread starter bigmike20vt
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That points at it still being dodgy or at least a person at TVL being dodgy. Why is the blame directed at the Android app when they've admitted they shouldn't have taken the card details? 
3D Barcodes are actually a thing its just not widely used because of costs, and usefulness. QR codes, and Aztec and the like are two dimensional and can fit in quite a lot more data for the space it occupies. A 3D barcode could probably fit in the entire contents of a book.
TV Licensing didn't ask for card details because the OP wasn't on the TV Licensing website.That points at it still being dodgy or at least a person at TVL being dodgy. Why is the blame directed at the Android app when they've admitted they shouldn't have taken the card details?
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At this point i am somewhat guessing........
whilst i suppose it isnt entirely impossible that someone at the TVL is scamming people, i find this (extremely) unlikely.
So the only things i can possibly think of is that either the letter (not not email) I got which looks legit, from the TVL was fake with a dodgy bar code - but the TVL people on the phone said the letter was authentic.
OR
the barcode scanner app was dodgy and i ended up on the wrong site, either directly through fraud, or by making the app in such a way as to be deliberately confusing and me mistakenly going to an incorrect site after using the app, where i gave my credit card thinking i was on the TVL when i wasnt. (some of the less 100% legit free download sites sometimes do similar, hiding the actual links you want with other advertisment ones. i have never fallen for this before however.
I fully admit there is a 3rd option which is a possibility from your perspective.......... that i am a troll making a story up for some weird reason........ I know this is not the case however i would say that i guess if i was a weird internet troll
whilst i suppose it isnt entirely impossible that someone at the TVL is scamming people, i find this (extremely) unlikely.
So the only things i can possibly think of is that either the letter (not not email) I got which looks legit, from the TVL was fake with a dodgy bar code - but the TVL people on the phone said the letter was authentic.
OR
the barcode scanner app was dodgy and i ended up on the wrong site, either directly through fraud, or by making the app in such a way as to be deliberately confusing and me mistakenly going to an incorrect site after using the app, where i gave my credit card thinking i was on the TVL when i wasnt. (some of the less 100% legit free download sites sometimes do similar, hiding the actual links you want with other advertisment ones. i have never fallen for this before however.
I fully admit there is a 3rd option which is a possibility from your perspective.......... that i am a troll making a story up for some weird reason........ I know this is not the case however i would say that i guess if i was a weird internet troll
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Man of Honour
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Can't you scan the QR code with the same app and then scan it with the built in camera app and see if you land on the same site?
Would rule out the app, and see if the QR code itself was dodgy.
Would rule out the app, and see if the QR code itself was dodgy.
Soldato
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What was the app you used and can you provide the QR code ?
If the letter has been confirmed as genuine by using contact details not on the letter the app likely took the genuine url scraped the page in the background and pointed you to a fraudulent website where it looked like the one you were expecting then took your card details.
If the letter has been confirmed as genuine by using contact details not on the letter the app likely took the genuine url scraped the page in the background and pointed you to a fraudulent website where it looked like the one you were expecting then took your card details.
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so i have had it installed for a while and uninstalled it now with no intention of putting it on again... i *think* it is QR Scanner - Barcode scanner from Apps Wing.
and despite it having a decent app score i just noticed the top review done on 28/8/2022 from Charllotte Haw**** (blanked out her full name)
she had exactly the same problem as i had . "As soon as i scanned i needed to establish identity for a free account and then got charged $30"
I do admit i feel an idiot for falling for this. we all have bad days i guess. But at least i know where it came from.
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Soldato
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It's a bit cack how google get away with listing their "play protect" or whatever it's called, as many have known for a long time there's been a lot of dodgy apps on there. I think that having that listed gives a false sense of security.
I found it on the play store and put in an Objection for the app. It's had 10 million downloads, begs belief the company must be making a killing!
I like how that app on the playstore also has a nice big green tick on it as well to get users to install it.
I like how that app on the playstore also has a nice big green tick on it as well to get users to install it.
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That would be an interesting attack vector.
I always use Google lens for qr codes. If it doesn't read it then I'd leave it at that.
Not all phones have a QR code scanner in their built in camera app, so those would have to rely on a third party app which can be a vector if the app has a list of scam sites for specific services or accesses a server to find a scam alternative to redirect to.
Soldato
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If it's an Android phone then it should have Lens.
Soldato
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Is the £30 just a charge for the app, rather than a scam?
I appreciate that's a fine line...
I appreciate that's a fine line...
Not on go editions of android as my phone runs android 10 go edition and there is no option for QR code scanning in the built in camera app which resulted in having to download a QR code scanning app (at least in my case I downloaded one from a more known company rather then the first result).
Soldato
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It's not on the camera app, it's on the Google Lens app.
Soldato
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Oh dear!
Helping you avoid TV Licensing scams – and how to report one - TV Licensing ™
How to spot a TV Licensing email scam. Phishing emails rarely address you by your real name. Find out how to inspect links. Been on a fake website? Call Action Fraud.
www.tvlicensing.co.uk
QR codes in our communications
QR (quick response) codes, like the one shown here, are becoming increasingly common. They can help you reach a website more quickly, using your
mobile phone.
To check if a QR code is genuinely from us, open the camera on your mobile and hover it over the code. It it's from us, you'll see one of the web links below, so you'll know it's safe to tap through:
tvlicensing.co.uk
spp.tvlicensing.co.uk
75plan.tvlicensing.co.uk
And if you can't use the QR code, or you don't want to, we'll always show the full web address in the communication as well, so you can use that to access
the webpage.
Can you take a photo of QR code on the letter and then go to https://www.patrick-wied.at/static/qrgen/ and upload QR code there to decode QR code to text to see what it say.
If the text URL mentioned tvlicensing.co.uk, spp.tvlicensing.co.uk or 75plan.tvlicensing.co.uk then your tV licence letter is legit.
If the text URL mentioned v-ett.co or something else then your TV licence letter is FAKE!
I found details about v-ett.co:
v-ett.co Reviews | check if the site is a scam or legit| Scamadviser
Check v-ett.co with our free review tool and find out if v-ett.co is legit and reliable. Need advice? ✓ Report scams ✓ Check Scamadviser!
www.scamadviser.com
v-ett.co domain owner is Golden Seaside Ltd, director is Martin Dempsie.
Also I found details about Golden Seaside Ltd company and location:
GOLDEN SEASIDE LIMITED, WD18 0DY : Companies House Number 09532464
GOLDEN SEASIDE LIMITED England - 2024 Cash at bank £35,938 (2023: £7,834), Director MARTIN DEMPSIE. Find related and similar companies as well as key personal and contact numbers
www.companiesintheuk.co.uk
TV Licensing contact address details is:
0300 790 6112
tvlicensing.co.uk/info
TV Licensing, Darlington DL98 1TL
Which is NOT compatible with my device as going through the play store on the device shows nothing and going through the web version shows that none of my devices supports it.