Telstra & other suppliers of Internet & Telephone

This is an identical post to one I saw some time ago.

The charges come from sites that the owner of the phone has been on and missed either ticking or unticking something in it.

If you post the name of the Company it will make it easier to figure it out.

In the previous thread the poster also said they were 70 and didnt play games

Have a read of this
Telstra unauthorised charges

It seems you only have to open something to get hooked.

I dont use my phone for Data and so dont have the problem.

It only takes a small error on the users part and this is what happens.

Also never let others use your phone or computer. Ive spent hours fixing a friends computer after her stepson (in his 30's) has been using it on dodgy sites and causing problems.

He is now not allowed to use it.

My wife did a similar thing with her smartphone. She has a $100, 6 mth, prepaid account with Telstra.
She saw an ad for "free ringtones" and downloaded them.
Keep in mind, this was on the Telstra homepage!

The problem is that these scammy operators suck you in with an offer of "free ringtones" or "free games" - but when you download the "free ringtones" or "free games", you are also being signed up for a regular daily, weekly or monthly charge - all hidden in all the bulldust when you sign up.

The classic layout is that the signup for regular charges is a ticked box that is hidden in a long page, that is not immediately visible - unless you scroll right down the long page, and look for it at the bottom, and untick it!

My wife got suckered into this regular charge - and when she realised to her horror that this charge was eating into her prepaid credit very rapidly - it became a real nightmare to have it cancelled!!

To have the download contract and regular charges cancelled requires you to call Telstra in person and request that the contract be cancelled.
To even find out how to cancel the contract is hidden in more devious verbiage on multiple pages.

I eventually managed to trawl through all the deviousness and sort it out for her, as she was somewhat distraught and couldn't find the process to get out of the charges.

This scamminess is perfectly legal, but it's devoid of any morality, as is typical of so much corporate behaviour.
What is annoying is that Telstra supports these scammy operators and gets a kickback from them.

Another classic is the websites that ask you to "become a member" or "join up" to view something - but they want all your CC details, and they arrange to automatically debit your CC with a substantial weekly or monthly charge if you don't immediately cancel the "membership" after viewing the page or information you wanted to see.

Ancestry.com.au are the biggest scammers around, for utilising the last stunt.
They entice you to visit a page showing some part of your ancestry, and require CC details to do so.
Once you've done that, and visit the desired page, you are immediately signed up for quarterly payments of $149.90 - and good luck with trying to get the contract cancelled!!

They are complete and utter scumbags and have taken a number of people I know for a ride in this manner.
The stupid part is - so much Ancestry.com.au information is available in free public databases!

Cheers, Ron.

After VERY carefully checking my Telstra Account I found the company name:
DIGITAL TURBINE: Phone 1300724406
Yet the Telstra employee told me he couldn't (wouldn't?) name the supplying company.
Spent yesterday checking the amount of data we use, aren't Telstra clever they list everything in MB and then charge you in GB. Just try to work out what you actually did to get the relevant charge????? Impossible! They could be just making it up but you have no way of knowing.
Of course Facebook (Telstra's favourite business) is a huge user of data and if your better halfe is a strong believer in it, then there goes your data allowance.
Regards to all
PeteM Qld