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PlayPhone review: Unauthorized Subscription 25

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Author of the review
2:32 pm EST
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I also reviewed my March 2009 AT&T cellular phone invoice and noticed an unauthorized subscription charge noted as Mobile Game Show, short code 20888, provider PlayPhone Inc., charged on 03/04/2010, for $14.99.

After reviewing the other complaint on this site and discovering that the subscription was linked to unanswered text messages, I recalled receiving messages, which I just deleted.

I called AT&T and after informing the service employee that I had an unauthorized subscription on my bill, she credited my account for all related charges, which she said would be effective within four hours. She also added Parental Controls to my phone as the way to block these types of unwanted purchases without blocking content. If I should want to purchase something via my phone, I must use a PIN number provided by AT&T. Although not ideal, at least AT&T was able to provide a solution.

I agree that this type of marketing procedure is fraudulent sales and needs to discontinued by PlayPhone immediately. Additionally, ATT should implement a spam blocker.

Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

25 comments
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eddyiscool
US
May 04, 2010 1:25 am EDT

I just got the same exact thing but it charged me more than once.

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Briarbrook
Lancaster, US
May 08, 2010 7:48 am EDT

I also got the same charge and did not authorize.

It just popped in. I recieved credit from AT&T for the charge, now the $14.99 + tax is back again.

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linc690
US
May 13, 2010 8:58 pm EDT

it happened to be twice. I thought i got rid of them but somehow they charged me again. It's irritating! and then i asked for a refund and the comment said, the maximum number of refund requests have exceeded and that my refund request was denied...what's all that about? and I'm a student, I really can do better without all those unnecessary charges.

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CalmSternComplaint
US
May 31, 2010 10:46 am EDT

It was very simple to get my refund. I simply called [protected]. Just request to dispute the charge stating that u never used or recieved anything in return for this subscrtiption that you are being charged. I also continued to state how I searched the charge on google and came back with forum after forum of complaints of fraud and scam. He didnt like that much, but im sure he gets it all day. Keep your cool and be calm but stern. Chango presto, you will be recieving a check in 7-14 days.

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Hea22
Metairie, US
Jun 03, 2010 10:46 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I got the same charge and googled PlayPhone Inc. to find out what it was and came across this website. I called AT&T and they refunded my account for the full amount. They also applied Parental Control to my account so this won't happen again. When Parental Control is active, you have to put in a pin they email you when you purchase things from the AT&T website, but it doesn't effect iTunes purchases.

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aandcbolt
Baltimore, US
Jun 06, 2010 11:58 am EDT

What they are doing is illegal and if I recieve another charge I will file a lawsuit. This will not be a small claims lawsuit as I will get a lawyer and see what my options are for this type of illegal behavior. I will start a class action against this company! I guess the figure that if a few thousand people dont check their bills and they just pay them thats $30, 000 a month for nothing.

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schkshell
Vineland, US
Jan 26, 2011 10:15 pm EST

This company does not seem to exist and you cannot cancel their service. I want their service cancelled. Please tell me how to get this done!

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anna_bela
Fayetteville, US
Feb 21, 2011 2:36 pm EST

from what i can tell, if you text STOP to the 5 digit code on your bill [and from the "number" the text they sent you came from...it will cancel...we just learned of this yesterday, as far as we can tell, my partner has been getting charged a monthly fee for at least 2 years...he has never once order a ring tone and really never texts either...how are they getting away with this?

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PKNH
Man, US
Oct 10, 2011 3:40 pm EDT

This company is a scam. As soon as I saw it on the bill, called AT&T and they were quick to refund and add a purchase blocker to my account to prevent future billings.

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Sandra Sanjay
Middleton, US
Dec 10, 2011 4:22 am EST

Here is the CEO of the company... Ron Czerny, Founder and Chief Executive Officer. Make him pay by letting him know what you feel.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ron.czerny

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2ndchance516
williamston, US
Dec 22, 2011 3:40 am EST

i just had the smae charge on my bill as well

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sweedzel
Sebring, US
Jan 02, 2012 4:09 am EST

Just found a charge on my bill from this bogus company. It is absurd how some company can hack into your phone and the phone company simply allows it. Where is the consumer protection? This country is really going down hill by allowing corporations stealing from the little guy!

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smcarbin
Lafayette, US
Jan 25, 2012 8:40 pm EST

I want this unauthorized charge taken off of my phone bill

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gramsooze
US
Mar 01, 2012 4:38 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I just received a bill from Sprint with this charge on it. It states that it is for a ringtone, which I know I never ordered. I emailed sprint to dispute, but have not yet heard back. Has anyone else dealt with Sprint on this issue?

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hudsongirl
hudson, US
Mar 01, 2012 4:51 pm EST

Same problem here. I called Sprint and they immediately credited my account. They also put a 3rd party blocker on the account for free.

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Tommy Tom-Tom
Oakland, US
Mar 10, 2012 9:55 pm EST

I had a similar experience where I deleted the message which triggered an acceptance of the service. The phone company reversed the charge and put a block on the number.

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sbutch
Indianapolis, US
Mar 11, 2012 7:37 pm EDT

I'm filing a complaint with the Indiana Attorney General about them

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DSUSweetie
Norristown, US
Apr 08, 2012 1:02 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I just realized I had the same charges on my phone bill. I called AT&T and they were able to refund me for up to 60 days...anything after that I had to take a loss on. I will be checking my bill on a monthly basis instead of just paying it for now on. I also googled PlayPhone, Ince and this is how I came across this page..I never signed up for any of this mess either..but I did get a message on my phone on a few occassions and I didn't pay any attention to them at first than I read one of them and replyed with STOP..this has been happening since the goverment let your cell phone numbers become public and there seems to be nothing you can do about it. I'm not happy about this and I can see/read where there are a number of people not pleased with this situation. Why should I have to apply to something I didn't request and why should I have to have my cell number public for all types of jerks/companies to call my cell. I pay for all incoming and outgoing calls and I don't want or need to pay for unwanted calls.

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Xof711
US
Jun 23, 2012 11:43 am EDT

Same here... Unauthorized charges for IQ Quizz and PlayPhone. AT&T reversed the charges and put a blocker to my account. Still dumbfounded how they are able to enroll someone into a subscription when deleting the text they send!

Has anyone filled a small claim Court suit?

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ferchu
US
Sep 17, 2012 6:10 am EDT

I to had to call AT&T yesterday to ask where the hell that PlayPhone charge came from. They did refund the $12.99 but not before strongly insinuating that I bought the app by mistake. As if. I am appalled that AT&T is allowing this to happen.

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MelinSoCal
Chino, US
Oct 11, 2012 10:11 pm EDT

YUP, me too! At least AT&T took care of the problem.
This company should be put out of business!

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upsetwithplayphone
Federal Way, US
Jan 10, 2013 10:33 pm EST

Happened to my wife too. 5 MONTHS of charge. Shame on playphone!

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sludgepickle
US
Mar 11, 2013 7:05 pm EDT

Same thing, 5 months of charges. AT&T would only refund the last two, now I have to try to get the other 3 months of charges refunded directly from playphone. LAME.

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Robin Rose
Duncanville, US
Aug 28, 2013 10:25 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I just checked my bill only because I recieved a text that there would be a charge of 9.98 on my bill. This was the secound time I was charged this. Att refunded my money but how does this company put charges on your phone for something you didnt buy? This should not be happening. There is no telling how many people they are doing this to that don't check their bill.

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Thechamp
US
Nov 11, 2015 4:17 am EST

See the previous post are all older ones. Just an update they've been charging me on my wife's phone. I asked her what she was buying and she said nothing. She swore she never authorized anything. From what I read if you delete their stupid message you've agreed to buy their 'service' which is a rip off. I'll be calling Sprint and see what they say. They should be locking them out in the first place or preventing them from being able to rip people off with their scam.

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  1. PlayPhone Contacts

  2. PlayPhone phone numbers
    +1 (866) 853-9793
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  4. PlayPhone address
    100 Mathilda Place, Ste 160, Sunnyvale, California, 94086, United States
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    Oct 31, 2024
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PlayPhone is ranked 69 among 159 companies in the Unauthorized Charges category