FRAUD FRAUD And collusion in fraud by O2

[Anonymous]

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!
PLEASE SHARE!
I never ask for anything to be shared but for your own sake YOU NEED TO SHARE THIS and get this fraud stopped!
If you own a smart phone; and have direct debit then you are WIDE OPEN to be defrauded by a SCAM and your bank account pillaged & emptied, and there is currently absolutely NOTHING you can do about it! 
The scam is run by a company called KKO Mobile, also known as MyDoo and is owned by another Company called CellFish. 

In some way, either by a virus, hidden button in an app or other subversive method, they subscribe you to a premium rate service. This can be £5 a week but could change to any time period like daily/ hourly etc. 
This is billed directly through your mobile operator in my case O2; and O2 have direct access to my current account via direct debit. As it turns out you have no protection against fraud committed in this way at all believe it or not, I couldn't believe it! 
So in effect KKO Mobile can make an app, that subscribes you to their service, empties your bank account and walk away! They are based in France. 
After calling O2, they will not accept any responsibility for the fraud, even though it was facilitated through the O2 payment system! O2 refuse to pay back money stolen using their system. 
As I have found out O2 and the other operators apparently have no interest in closing this loophole as conveniently they receive a percentage of the profits! 
For the record, I categorically did not enter into any form of contract with KKO Mobile, and have not accepted any agreements, like thousands of others, basically was completely unaware of the scam!
As it appears O2 have completely failed to ensure any form of due diligence in protecting my finances, and they are not to be trusted at all. 

I've called them to remove my bank account details with immediate effect ! 
There is a regulatory body called PhonePayPlus that appear utterly useless; both them and O2 have had complains since 2010 and have done NOTHING! Conveniently they are also funded by the networks...

This situation is completely unacceptable. A criminal, bogus and fraudulent 3rd party should not be able to scam your finances and this be facilitated by the network provider, with no redress. This is effectively colluding in fraud! 
I've made an official complaint to the police, theft through fraud, and to phonepayplus.org.uk and passed this onto my solicitor.

IN ORDER TO PROTECT YOURSELF, THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF IS DO WHAT I HAVE DONE, AND THAT IS CANCEL THE DIRECT DEBIT AND PAY EACH MONTH. 
THAT IS UNTIL I FIND A WAY TO STOP THIS LOOPHOLE.

In the mean time be very vigilant of any texts that say you are subscribed to anything, although sending stop is most likely another scam! 
There's no way O2 aren't aware of this!!! you only need to google KKO Mobile Scam

Utterly disgraceful of O2. 

It would be only reasonable to trust O2 with regard to my finances; and to expect them to excersise a level of due diligence with regard to protecting me as a customer; unfortunatly O2 have shown absolute disregard, and complete neglegence in allowing a 3rd party to perpetrate a criminal and fraudulant activity. In effect O2 facilitated the crime, and allowed direct access to my fiances to unscrupulous 3rd parties and are fully aware of the level of complains raised against KKO Mobile. There is a very real danger of KKO mobile completly clearing out  your current account, and no-one is accountable! 

Return my stolen money O2...!

Utterly disgusted O2 customer!

[Anonymous]

Like the thousands of others scammed in this way; I can assure you that I have categorically not in any way shape or form, agreed to, subscribed to either implied or otherwise entered into any contract with this company. 

I have never heard of, or seen any information regarding KKO Mobile. And one other thing, as with most of these scams they purport to provide ring tones, even those with a very limited intelegence would not subscribe to such a service. They are quite simply a front to effect a scam.

The method used to subscribe unsuspecting users is either by virus or bogus button, or trojan within an app.

Please don't try to insult my intelegence in the matter; I'm reasonably qualified to make a statement in this respect, being a network security specialst, being police, MOD and government security cleared and having some idea what I'm talking about. 

Again if you had your credit card skimmed, is that not like saying to you: you must have obviously given them security code; therfore it's your fault... 

There are thousands of cases directly relating to the same scam; almost none of them report having any idea how the subscription was done.

I can write a malicious code and place it on your pc within 10 mins, get your bank details and hijack your acount; you wouldn't know. But lets say then credit card company said to you, well that tough becouse you must have done it.... 

This scam is purpetrated by a trojan or malicious app code. end of! do not try and insult my intelegence with stupid comments! I wouldn't be wasting my time with the Police, and O2 or the fairies at phonepayplus for £50 otherwise.  It's hardely over an hours pay, and I have better things to do. 

I'm livid that this has not been stopped; I don't like being stolen from, and I don't like devious scammers!

I also do not like companies who profit from, and facilitate fraud and conveniently then swerve any kind of accoutnabilty, while it's them who make it possible for the fraud to take place! 

[anticpated]

The best line of defence is to be proactive in the first place. Never have your mobile number on social network websites, check the permissions of apps on social networks and if unless you really need to, use the desktop version of them rather than the mobile app. These services survive by passing your "personal" information between different companies - nothing is free or wthout sacrifice.

Never reply STOP to these SMS messages, just block them.

And I know internet security is essentially pointless if you use easy passwords and quickly crackable brute-force type utilities to steal information from Wi-Fi networks or Bluejacking hacks (bluetooth hacking). However for most people who are a bit savvy when it comes to doing things they shouldn't fall into the trap so easily.

As I much as I hate to be a killjoy, anybody (in the general sense) who displays on the internet for everyone to view shouldn't be surprised and forget Facebook for information being used wrongly and doing anything abouy it.

If it happened to me I would be angry as well.

[viridis]

Call 08458341119 and ask them to blacklist your number.
That's the number for payforit, they are the ones who authorise your payments, not o2.

[ewanrw]

I guess we will just have to disagree, but I do wish you the best in your endeavours. Hopefully you have more luck than the thousands before you.

May I take this opportunity to suggest that someone of your intelligence and expertise should know how to better protect yourself against these things in the future.

ewan

[Anonymous]

I don't want to get embroiled in what is obviously quite a serious situation for some users. However, I think we all need to be careful when reporting what we consider to be scams, illegal practices etc - there are such things as libel laws.  We may not like how certain companies operate but that in itself does not mean they are doing anything illegal. 

I Googled KKO Mobile and almost the first thing I found was "Thousands hit by text 'scam' after downloading free apps"  see http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/thousands-hit-by-text-scam-smartphone-1430461  in which KKO are reported as saying "Users must perform three actions to subscribe including clicking a billing page where the price and nature of the subscription is clear. We comply with the PhonepayPlus code of practice."    There  are at least two sides to every story.    I am not condoning or excusing KKO, nor am I accusing them since I don't know enough about their operations.   But I do thank you @Anonymous for drawing attention to this matter.   I for one will be a lot more careful and attentive in future when I am downloading apps or browsing unfamiliar websites.

I wish you well in your efforts to have the issue resolved to your satisfaction.

Gerry

[Cleoriff]

@Anonymous  I must admit, I clicked on the links provided by the OP (which led me to the same story as the one you posted)

I read the part about  'users must undertake three actions to subscribe'....which initially made me wonder whether @Anonymous had done that inadvertently but he is adamant he did not.

Now I am certainly a 'bit of a muppet' myself with app downloading...and tend not to do any such thing unless the apps are recommended by experts....or I ask someone whether an app I may want is a good one.

I just think this post should serve as a warning to us all about the practices employed by some companies

[Anonymous]

The more digging around I do regarding this fraud the more scandalous it appears to be; with thousands hit by the same fraudulant scam. 

I'll be chasing O2 now to see how they are not complicit in allowing this KKO Mobile scam to be so prolific with their customers... O2 have a duty of care to ensure checks and procedures are in place to prevent fraud using the Payforit payment system, and yet there appear absolutly NONE! With thousands having money stolen from their accounts. 

yet another interesting thread. https://tinyurl.com/ndn89u8

beggars belief this... scandalous

[viridis]

I have posted the number for payforit and told you how to stop this, yet you still insist on chasing o2 up for answers.
O2 have an agreement with all the other networks on allowing payment for items online with the end users mobile phone. Charges and as such you are notified of any billed amounts at least 7-14 days prior to your account being "raided".
You need to turn your attention to payforit and phonepayplus as payforit are the ones who are actually charging the funds, o2 are just billing it as per the UK networks agreement.
I also find it scandalous though, that someone with MOD, Police and government clearance in the field of NETWORK SECURITY of all things, fell victim to what is in most part, an easily avoidable scam.
I do hope you get it sorted, but again the most you can get out of o2 is a refund AFTER they get it from payforit. I strongly suggest you start looking toward payforit.

[Anonymous]

Hi @viridis   I was just wondering if Banks have any role in this matter?  Don't they have some sort of Direct Debit guarantee that will ensure restitution of any funds that are wrongly take?   Perhaps the OP's best chance of getting the issue resolved would be to contact his/her bank for advice as regards cancelling  the DD on which O2 is claiming monthly payments.

Gerry

[viridis]

Basically the chain is this.
Scam company use whatever method (most likely an app with PERMISSIONS to view phone state, number and user data)and harvest your info they then, by law, send you a text notifying you of a service or sub. They then send authorised info to payforit who in turn pay the scammed. Payforit then send o2 etc a payment request that simply states -payforit services- and the amount. O2 etc then pay payforit and apply the requested funds to your balance. Your are sent a bill 14 days before due and bill states in extra charges -mobile payment -- payforit then the amount. It's at this point most become aware and should contact payforit as they are the service chargers or contact o2 and ask them about the charge and ask for refund.
The direct debit guarantee will only cover debits taken without notification. I.e if payforit or stammers take money direct without notification from o2.
They dodgy as hell and wouldn't surprise me if the 3 forms of authentification are:
Downloading the app and giving the quoted permissions.
Clicking back or x on a popup.
Replying or not replying to the service text.