EE/google play fraud - not enough info to know which ombudsman

Dawnt

I can’t think who it could be! We haven’t been broken in to. My kids are too young and don’t have sim devises. We don’t have many people in the house tbh. I cancelled the sim as soon as we found out what was going on.

I think it’s something more like the case in the twitter?!

Even if I can’t find the sim how can they legitimately charge me when no one can even say what I’m supposed to have bought?

Google play say they can’t find the charges so how can EE claim google play are charging me?

paulmu

Please make sure that you report this issue to the regulator (The Phone Paid Services Authority). There is something seriously wrong with a system which makes unsubstantiated charges. The regulator is currently reviewing this charging mechanism, and it is clearly inadequate and insecure.

Dawnt

Thanks paulmu I’ve just been filling out the online form to PSA so hopefully they’ll be able to help.

Castle

Is it possible that EE has reassigned the phone number of the unused sim to somebody else?

pmduk

OP, please let us know how this pans out, it'll be helpful to others in the future

PHK

When Google Play account billing is set up by the Play Store. The SIM needs to be in a device, the user has to put in their Google Account password. The phone then contacts the mobile operator and then receives a special notification message (similar to the network settings message) to confirm its set up. This needs to be periodically repeated

It's not possible to do this without the SIM being used. So there's three possibilities.

1 Someone has got hold of the SIM and is using it.
2 Somehow a SIM with the same serial number and phone number attached has been issued
3 There are multiple failures in the process at EE and Google

1 is the most likely and something you can check. Find the SIM, call the number etc
2 is the least likely
3 is possible but unlikely

Once you checked those out, you'll have a better idea of what's happening.

If you've reached a deadlock then you've two choices. You can either go the Alternative Dispute Resolution route by contacting both Ombudsmen (EE and PSA) and let them decide which has authority.

Or, you send EE a letter before action giving them a reasonable period to remove the charge. You'll need to state why the charge should be removed. (eg the SIM us in my possession, it has never been used , when you call it the number is unavailable etc) . If they don't remove the charge then you make a claim in court. (You can do this online)

[Deleted User]

Dawnt wrote: »

From the beginning: back in 2016 I bought a SIM card from EE. It was intended for me to use to share data across my devices but I never actually used it and pretty much forgot it existed.
Then in July this year my bill was suddenly huge with nearly £500 of google play charges.

I can't see anywhere you've mentioned this but how did you purchase this? Was it a data only sim and was it a monthly or PAYG sim? If monthly at what rate and have you been paying it?

[Deleted User]

BTW, I presume you've checked in your Google account settings for Security Checkup > Your Devices and checked what devices have been signed in?

pmduk

Colin_Maybe wrote: »

I can't see anywhere you've mentioned this but how did you purchase this? Was it a data only sim and was it a monthly or PAYG sim? If monthly at what rate and have you been paying it?

It's unlikely to be a PAYG SIM generating a bill of £500. The bills have been paid except for this disputed amount.

Dawnt

Sorry my previous reply seems to have been lost.

It was a data only sim as I recall. It was about £10/12 pcm. Google confirmed it’s not on my google account.

However over on twitter someone pointed out that a company called boku handle some googleplay transactions. They have now confirmed it was them! However they’ve not given me any more info and have referred me back to googleplay. I’m hoping that now googleplay knownit was via boku they might be able to find out more?! I’ve also asked boku how the number was verified.