BOUNCE.MOBI, O2 need to do more

[Anonymous]

I recently "interacted with a pop up advert" from a company called bounce.mobi. I have been subscribed at a weekly cost of £2.50 without my knowledge.

The interaction was as simple as pressing a button to remove the pop up, and this constitutes accepting their terms and conditions. I have a screenshot of the advert which has not got any option to decline or remove the pop up. If it pops up in an app, it cannot be removed even restarting the app. It is effectively ransomware.

I have contacted the phone charges content Authority, who are looking into my case, but after a discussion they advised me network providers such as O2 have a duty of care towards customers.

I cannot believe interacting with an advert that you can't clear constitutes accepting terms and conditions.

O2 must take some responsibility and protect their customers from unscrupulous 3rd parties who are exploiting O2 customers. After all the money is taken out of customers by O2, O2 should at least ensure that it's ethical.

O2 disagree with me, and I found O2 customer service shockingly poor when I called, accepted no responsibility and offered no advice. The very least that o2 should do is reffer customers to the mobile services content Authority.

[MI5]

Our community advice is here https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Pay-Monthly-and-Pay-Go/Have-you-fallen-for-or-been-conned-into-a-premi...

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous It's nothing to do with O2. You clicked on the link. You need to contact the company to refund the charges

[Anonymous]

That's where I disagree, spoken to regulator about this an emailing my MP. O2 Have a duty to ensure third party billing content is legal and ethical

[Anonymous]

Thing is though. You clicked on an internet link. O2 are responsible for your network service. Not what you do on the internet 

[MI5]

It's just a cop out from the regulator to say "network responsibility"
How is any network to know if customers actually want to sign up for services such as this.
What should happen is tighter regulation and a 2 step verification process so people aren't caught out unwittingly.

[Anonymous]

The advert that popped up was in an app. I had no way to clear the advert. I think if you see a pop up advert there should be two buttons one to subscribe one to remove ad.

My thoughts, then you should have to reply yes to the text message. What if it's a child who pressed wrong button while playing an app on your phone. If you miss the message you get billed.

Whatever happened to consumer protection, default with an advert should favour choosing to opt in to subscribe not to have to opt out

[Anonymous]

If not a two step process which we agree on MI5, shouldn't the mobile operators have a duty to their customers in the meantime while legislation is sorted out? Or is it a free for all until the government get round to tightening up the law?

[Anonymous]

Usually you get a X to click to get rid of the adverts at the top to carry on within the app then you aren't charged but obviously this hasn't happened here.

unless something changes then the rules will stay the same

[MI5]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Or is it a free for all until the government get round to tightening up the law?

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Sadly it is at the moment, at least until someone grows some balls