The cell phone subscription trap: “ZDFzoom” about customer deception

Thousands of mobile phone users are being tricked with mobile phone subscription traps:

One wrong click and fees will apply. “ZDFzoom” is taking aim at “The Cell Phone Subscription Trap” Wednesday, May 31, 2017, 10:45 p.m. Marc Rosenthal's film sheds light on “how customers are tricked”. Since 2012, an online ordering process must be clearly marked with the “Buy” command. But the “button law” is apparently being circumvented again and again. The receipt will then come with the next cell phone bill:

“Special third-party services” often include exotic-sounding services, mainly with headquarters in a tax haven. The weekly costs for their subscription services, often in the erotic or gaming sector, are usually between four and ten euros.

But who are these so-called third-party providers?

Many cover their tracks, use mailbox addresses and straw men. “ZDFzoom” looks for the real people behind it and comes across a company network that runs from Germany to England to Switzerland to Austria.

Consumers can protect themselves against the cell phone subscription trap by setting up what is known as a “ third-party lock ” on their cell phone. Consumer experts have long demanded that this lock should be included in the cell phone contract from the outset. Instead, it must first be claimed by the customer - usually after the damage has occurred.

Mimikama tip!

The telecommunications providers allow so-called third-party providers, i.e. companies that offer services that are not provided directly through the telephone provider, to be billed via the monthly bill. These services are usually referred to as “value-added services”. In bad hands, however, the added value can be reduced to a subscription trap or rip-off .

We therefore strongly recommend that you have a block set up.

This block is regulated by law and is set up by the provider free of charge upon request. We have described how this works .