£3 charge from Watch It for TVMulticast

[Jester88]

My sister was on facebook on her smartphone when she came across a video clip. She saw a message saying that payment would be taken for watching so she got out of that screen and back to home.

But it now appears she was charged £3 by Watch It for something described at TVMulticst.

Has this happened to anyone else?

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

See help here for dealing with premium charges
https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Pay-Monthly-and-Pay-Go/Have-you-fallen-for-or-been-conned-into-a-premi...

[Anonymous]

As well as all the good advice in the guides you'l need to (severely) restrict Facebook permission on the phone and, it's Apps and App permissions in Facebook settings to prevent this from happening again. 

[gmarkj]

Or do the sensible thing and scrape FB altogether and use the mobile web page...

[Cleoriff]

TV Multicast is a live video streaming service and the issue is some people are willing to pay for it.

@Jester88I hope your sister can get the issue resolved but I feel she would have to prove that

1) She didn't opt in and

2) She didn't actually watch the video on offer

[Jester88]

I will let her know that she needs to do that.

[Jester88]

I know she didn't actually watch the video. But would the opt-in choice come before the request for payment?

[MI5]

They are essentially scams.
Payment isn't actually requested and just clicking the link generates the payment process.

[NickH]

I have got caught like this and have been charged £9 for a service I didn't want. I am asking for my £9 back failing which I fully intend contacting the Information Commissioner because I am responsible for GDPR with a local organisation and have been trained in it. Under the GDPR Regulations that came in on 25th May the principle was established that opting out was not now appropriate. For people to subscribe to something they must opt in. I have a text which rather belatedly I have discovered says that I have a free trial and that I will be charged £3 a week unless I text STOP. This in my view is a breach of the GDPR regulations. Two issues here:-

1) Watch It breaching the regulations.

2) How did Watch It get my mobile number.

Essentailly I have asked for my £9 back by returen, lest say within the next 24 hours or I will report a suspected breach naming both Watch It and O2. 

I may be wrong and perhaps there is a legal loophole that I have not spotted. However this is still sharp practice and dependent upon how Watch It and O2 respond, my next port of call could be Trading Stanadrs via the Citizens Advice Bureau.

[MI5]

@NickH An excellent website here explaining how the scam works https://payforitsucks.co.uk/