Reclaim unauthorised mobile phone charges
TWENTY years ago, the idea that the most important item people would possess would be a mobile phone was inconceivable. Flash forward to the present and smartphones are such a part of our lives, it’s hard to manage without them.
The vast majority of people carry about what is essentially a super-compact computer, and increasingly we’re using our phones to pay for things.
It’s predicted that a quarter of the population will be paying for goods and services using ‘digital wallets’ and other phone-based payment systems within two years.
Yet most people don’t realise that their actual mobile phone bill can be used to pay for goods too. And often it’s for things you neither need nor want.
You can pay for a range of subscription services through your phone bill, like digital content, gaming services, music and film streaming and more. In the past, it’s been easy to sign up to these services – but not so easy to notice how expensive they are or even realise you’re being billed.
Because we’ve all been ‘encouraged’ to get online bills, most people don’t check what they’re paying for each month – which means millions of unwanted payments are slipping under the radar.
One of the biggest sources of complaint involves premium text charges. If you enter one of those ‘text to win’ TV competitions or sign up for a free offer from a firm, on the understanding they’ll text you every now and then, you might have unwillingly found yourself being billed up to £5 for a load of spam text messages that you don’t want.
In addition, Apple, Google, the big streaming services and many other businesses can charge you for services you’ve signed up to online through your mobile phone bill.
I have many concerns about how easy it is to sign up for something that over time can bill you hundreds of pounds.
If you spot charges for texts that you haven’t authorised, then fear not. There’s a regulator for this industry – the Phone-paid Services Authority introduced rules to stop these excessive charges:
1. A two-stage sign-up process has been introduced. So basically, you have to confirm you’re signing up.
2. Businesses should be clearer that you’re entering into an agreement or a phone-paid subscription.
3. A receipt must be issued after every charge.
How to deal with unexpected charges on your phone bill:
■ Don’t ignore your bill: It’s likely that the vast majority of people affected by dodgy phone charges don’t know it. The charges might not stand out if you pay by direct debit and your monthly bill varies. Get into the habit of scanning through your bill and questioning unexpected charges.
■ Set an online password you’ll remember: Lots of us don’t check our bills because we’ve opted for online billing but can’t remember our log in details. Get your mobile provider to
re-send or re-set the information, set a password you’ll remember and check each month.
■ Be a sceptic:
Don’t trust ‘text in’ premium rate competition numbers which can ‘mine’ your details. If you want to donate to a charity, check online to find out how you can make a regular payment that you can control. And if you’re using, ahem, adult services, don’t give your details at all.
■ Make a complaint to your mobile phone company. If you explain you haven’t authorised the payments, the business should block the charges and should consider a refund.
■ Failing that, take a complaint about a mobile phone provider to the ombudsman if they’ve failed to help you with your dispute.
Even though it’s a drag, we all need to take back control of our online bills. It only takes a few minutes, but you could save hundreds of pounds – and you could get a hefty refund too. ■