Fraudulent charges to my bill - Google Play

[Rebecca1987]

In April I had an alert to tell me I had used 80% of my chargeable services monthly limit. I thought this was a scam text, so called o2 who advised that £189.50 of charges had been added to my account via GooglePlay. I was assured during multiple phone calls that as soon as my bill was produced these would be refunded. Haha, LOL, what a big fat lie. 

My bill was produced, I called 10+ times, was told they could be removed, could not be removed, go to google, ask my bank for a refund (I haven't paid my bill) call TikTok. I put in a claim with google, which was rejected because I had not provided a correlation ID. I have asked o2 for a correlation ID for each transaction, they can't/won't give me one. Google will not look at the claim again without these ID's. o2 won't remove them because they are third party transactions. See where I am going here? 

For reference, I have never used GooglePlay. The only device I own is an IphoneXR. I do not have a TikTok account, I have never been signed up for one. I have always had a spend cap, but I am shocked to learn that this does not include GooglePlay. Who knew?

I have cried every single day for 3 weeks because of the stress of this situation. I am suffering extreme financial hardship as a single mother of 3 with a 45 hour per seek job and no support. I don't know what to do? When my phone gets cut off next week I will have no way to communicate with anyone. I can not afford to pay these charges. My credit rating is going to be impacted. No one is willing to help, no one cares. I am so worried about this and what I will do with no phone. 

Please can anyone help? 

[MI5]

@Rebecca1987 

Unfortunately only generic help as there is nothing we can do here.

In reality, only Google can reverse the charges so you need to try and find out where they are coming from.

If you think you’ve been the victim of fraud – whether it’s because you’ve given details to someone over the phone, or clicked on a link in a suspicious text or email there are things you can do:

Contact your bank if you think you may have given out financial information. They can help protect your account and stop transactions.

Change your account and online account passwords. Not just your O2 account. All of them.

Forward fraudulent texts to O2 for free on 7726.

Contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Call your Virgin Media or O2 customer services number if you think somebody’s taken out a contract using your details.

Virgin Media customers can phone 150 from their landline or 0345 454 1111 from any other phone.

O2 customers can call 202 from their O2 phone or 0344 809 0202 from any other phone.

You can block the number that called you, or any number you think may be suspicious.

How to block a number:

https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00062352/

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201229

There are also these links to look at:

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/safety-and-security/phishing-and-smishing-advice

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/safety-and-security/unwanted-calls-and-messages

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

[Kay2024]

I feel for you love! Have you got anywhere with this? I've just had £25 charged to my 02 bill from Google Play - opened Google Play to see what the heck it was for - my phone billing isn't even attached as a payment method and there's no purchases for that amount so not a clue where they've come from! Customer services currently closed so can't ring them just now - will let you know how I get on tomorrow. I understand there have been data breaches in 02 - will ask about that too - if its anything to do with that you should get compensation - take screenshots of the charges (particularly the format of the payee name - Google transactions have particular account names so if not one of the correct ones it's not Google so wouldn't have thought 02 would have a leg to stand on re allowing such unauthorised charges!) 

[Oxonian]

@Kay2024 

I think that the reason that you have not had an update from @Rebecca1987 is that you needed to tag her thus.  

[madasaf1sh]

@Kay2024 

Where have you heard about Data Breaches or is the same mis information people keep bringing it up.. if you have any inclinations about a data breach report it to the ICO

All o2 do is pass on the charges from Google so what you need to do is speak to Google via Google Support and ask them to check if your number has been used on another Google Account. 

They will check if you have been negligent in use of your phones etc and they are the only ones who can refund the money. 

And o2 will owe you naff all, as its not there problem