Beware of subscription traps! Installed the wrong app on your phone, opened the wrong link or clicked on a seemingly harmless button...
With your smartphone, it can happen very quickly that you end up in a subscription trap and your phone bill suddenly turns out to be significantly higher than usual, reports our cooperation partner Watchlist Internet . But don't worry: Even if money has already been debited, you can dispute the bill with your mobile phone provider.
Since the cell phone bill is usually a flat rate, it is usually the same amount. If the bill is suddenly significantly higher, there is probably a subscription trap for value-added or partner services behind it. We'll show you how quickly you can fall into such a subscription trap and how you can protect yourself from it.
How a seemingly harmless click can lead to the subscription trap!
A reader reports that she clicked on a Black Friday offer while shopping online on her smartphone. She didn't order anything, didn't give any declarations of consent or anything similar and yet she ended up in the subscription trap: A minute later she received an SMS with a contract confirmation, which said, among other things, the following:
You have purchased the 1Play service from the provider CFM at a price of €5.00/ once per week.
When placing your order, you expressly agreed to the immediate provision of services and the associated loss of the right of cancellation. You therefore have no right of withdrawal.
It is not clear to the victim how this contract came about. However, a possible explanation is that the dubious provider Content for Mobile Ltd (CFM) works with so-called clickjacking.
What is clickjacking?
With clickjacking, a website is overlaid with other content that is not visible to users. Apparently harmless clicks can lead to you unknowingly agreeing to a contract. This video clearly shows how clickjacking works:
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Subscription traps can also be triggered by apps!
Another source of danger for subscription traps are apps, which are also called fleeceware. These are usually applications with only a few functions, such as image editing apps, screen recorders or apps for creating photo collages.
The fact that there are costs involved is either not mentioned at all or is barely visible in the small print. These apps often offer free trial subscriptions that are automatically extended without the victim's knowledge.
In this video we explain the scam:
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We recently also reported on smartphone location services such as locating.mobi or geolite.mobi , which lead to a subscription trap after a one-time payment of 50 cents.
How to protect yourself from subscription traps on your smartphone!
There are different ways in which subscription traps come about through value-added or partner services. But that doesn't mean you can't do anything about it. Such services can be blocked with just a few clicks. To do this, log into your mobile provider's customer portal or app and deactivate the value-added services there.
Have you fallen into the trap?
If you have already fallen into the trap, there is no need to worry. Because: If you have not been adequately informed of the costs, no legal contract will be concluded and you can complain about your telephone bill. Proceed as follows:
- If the apps are fraudulent, you should uninstall them and cancel your subscription! You can find step-by-step instructions on the Google Play Help website or on the Apple Support page.
- Reclaim improperly paid amounts from your mobile operator by contacting customer service and describing your situation.
- If the mobile phone provider does not respond or the refund is refused, you can contact the arbitration board of Rundfunk und Telekom Regels-GmbH (RTR).
Related Links:
- Watchlist Internet: Value-added services from third-party providers on your cell phone bill are usually subscription traps
- Watchlist Internet: Beware of ping calls!
You might also be interested in: “Don’t get on my nerves with this nonsense”…TutTutTut
Source: Watchlist Internet
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )