@Sam1306
This "service" (Wapstar) seems to be generating a lot of complaints currently, but unfortunately O2 don't seem to care. Your first step must be to send a "STOP ALL" text to 83463. This will stop any further fraudulent charges from this "service". Also ask O2 to place a "charge to mobile" bar on your account to stop you being caught by any further Payforit scams.
To obtain a refund, you will need to pursue Remote Games Ltd, the company responsible for the Wapstar "service". This company has a history of breaking the rules, and was fined £70,000 with £15,000 costs for cheating consumers in 2015.https://psauthority.org.uk/for-business/adjudications/2015/2/remote-games-ltd-18639-adjudication-by-...
It is disgraceful that O2 continue to allow this company to defraud it's customers.
Contact Remote Games Ltd and ask them to justify the charge they have made to your account.
You should ask for:
- Screenshots of the subscription workflow where you were alleged to have signed up for this service.
- A description of what the service you are supposed to have subscribed to provides? Is this a newsletter, access to a web portal?
- Any evidence that after supposedly signing up for the service, you actually used it
- The complete web server log of the subscription, including the User Agent strings containing all device details (browser, device type, device IP address) together with dates and times.
- If the subscription started after 11th May 2019, auditable proof of the additional authentication used (as required to comply with O2/GiffGaff rules)
- Full company details of the company operating the service, country of registration, full name of company, company number and registered company address.
- Details of the Accredited Payment Intermediary(API) which handled the payment
- Details of the company’s disputes procedure, including any ADR scheme you can refer the matter to if they fail to provide a full refund.
Make it clear that you are not going to go away, and that you will use the Small Claims procedure if necessary. Insist on a FULL refund. Full information on how to do this is on the Payforitsucks.co.uk website.
You need to be aware that O2 leak your phone number to third parties when you access the internet using mobile data, and this is probably how your number was acquired in order to make these charges. Changes made in May were supposed to stop "accidental" subscriptions for these "services" and have been largely successful. However Wapstar seem to have found a way round the new rules and @O2 don't seem to care!
Companies like Remote Games Ltd use vulnerabilities of the 'Payforit' system to obtain consumers numbers and sign them up to bogus subscriptions. Simply closing an innocent looking popup can pass your number to these scammers.
You should also report this scam to the regulator: https://psauthority.org.uk/for-consumers/report-an-issue.
Let me know if any further assistance is required. Payforitsucks can provide support for taking cases through the Small Claims court if needed, but very few cases get this far without a FULL refund being given.
Wapstar Phone number: 0330 053 5841
Wapstar Email: assist@careformobile.com
Service Operated by: Remote Games Ltd
Remote Games
PO Box 5501
Manchester
M61 0PL
United Kingdom
Payments processed by Tap2Bill:
Phone No: 0333 003 0599
Email: customer.service@tap2bill.com
Tap2Bill Limited
Tap2Bill Limited
5 St. John's Lane
Farringdon
London
EC1M 4BH
United Kingdom
