Android app billing scam

[Bradley Prior]

Android app billing scam

Security researchers at Sophos have found that Android users are being charged exorbitant amounts of money by malicious apps if they don’t cancel their trial subscriptions.

Users delete these apps from their device, thinking this prevent them from being charged for the full product. However, these apps still charge them without their knowledge.

 

[backstreetboy]

Just move on over to F-droid...

 

[NoFear]

Do not know why people complain when they tick the "I agree to terms and conditions" box and them claims ignorance as defense. Pay what you signed up for, and stop being a a bunch of ignorant and entitled individuals.

 

[marco79]

I am seeing more and more kiddies games asking for payment methods before activating the free trial. After the free trial, the subscription & payment automatically kick in.

 

[|tera|]

Even with savvy users this is a concern.
I recon myself to be tech savvy, but I've experienced the same.
I signed up for YouTube music 3 month trial, through being busy and forgetting I needed to cancel it, I was of course charged at the start of the 4th month.
There isn't any possible way for me to contest the charge and my dispute against it, which is the only option I had and it was refused. I had to swallow it and cancel.
The exact same happened with iTunes Music on Android. I can't cancel the subscription through the App, instead I had to download iTunes on my laptop and cancel it that way.
These companies coin it with these actions and making it impossible to contact them about it.
Spotify however has chat and mail support and they have been great with resolving any issues I've had.
Edit: Just to clarify. Google makes it impossible to contact them. They only have a dispute process without allowing any comments on the problem IIRC. Apple makes it difficult, but there are options to make contact. The subscription can however only be cancelled in iTunes, not through the App.

 

[backstreetboy]

Even with savvy users this is a concern.
I recon myself to be tech savvy, but I've experienced the same.
I signed up for YouTube music 3 month trial, through being busy and forgetting I needed to cancel it, I was of course charged at the start of the 4th month.
There isn't any possible way for me to contest the charge and my dispute against it, which is the only option I had and it was refused. I had to swallow it and cancel.
The exact same happened with iTunes Music on Android. I can't cancel the subscription through the App, instead I had to download iTunes on my laptop and cancel it that way.
These companies coin it with these actions and making it impossible to contact them about it.
Spotify however has chat and mail support and they have been great with resolving any issues I've had.
Edit: Just to clarify. Google makes it impossible to contact them. They only have a dispute process without allowing any comments on the problem IIRC. Apple makes it difficult, but there are options to make contact. The subscription can however only be cancelled in iTunes, not through the App.

Most services allow you to subscribe, cancel it right after, and still give you the service for the duration of the trial period. That's what I do.

 

[|tera|]

Most services allow you to subscribe, cancel it right after, and still give you the service for the duration of the trial period. That's what I do.

I haven't tested that. My personal view has changed after my bad experiences and I am not signing up for any other trials soon.