@Sarah1576 wrote:
Hiya, thank you for your quick response, I don’t know the subscription number as all her messages are barred unless they are a contact (she’s only 11) I actually have no idea how her number would have leaked as she has no social media. She only has a phone to talk to her family who live in Australia and to let me know when she’s arrived at school. Do you think it’s best to go through all her barred messages?
When I got her the phone and runs up I asked the person at O2 to block everything I thought this would have been done.
O2 leak your number to these "trusted third parties" when you use mobile data to access the internet. The only ways to prevent this are to use WiFi, or use a VPN.
It used to be the case that ust clicking a link on a web page could transfer your number to a "third party" and result in a charge. However, in May last year O2 introduced a requirement for some kind of "affirmative action" before a subscription could be initiated. This usually takes the form of a PIN number, sent by text, which the consumer enters on the web page. Since this was introduced, the incidence of fraudulent charges has much reduced.
It doesn't sound as though the "affirmative action" required by O2 could have happened in this case, as the text containing the PIN would not have been received.
It's certainly worth going through the barred messages. You are looking for texts from a 5 digit number stating that you have started a subscription. Failing this, you do need to go back to O2 and identify the "service" to which your daughter became "subscribed". We can then offer further help and advice.
O2 staff are often unaware of the "charge to mobile" bar, but if you are insistent they should be able to apply it for you. It is different from the "premium charge" bars which you probably already have applied.
These scams are usually weekly subscriptions, so it is essential that you stop further charges.
Paul
paul@payforitsucks.co.uk
