If there’s one thing repeated lockdowns have taught us, it’s the importance of online availability.
Whether it’s work meetings, family zoom chats or letting the kids loose on Netflix, having multiple devices and good broadband has proven the game-changer.
But some families will also have discovered one of the downsides: the hidden cost. One area which may have caused problems – and bigger bills than you anticipated – are premium rate services.
On phone and text, these are tightly regulated, which doesn’t mean they’re cheap, but when it comes to gaming it’s a murky world.
Premium Rate Phone/Text
ComReg grants licences for all premium rate services that originate in Ireland so at least you can see who it is that has billed you. The panel below gives an idea of what these cost and how to stop them.
The danger lies primarily in recurrent or subscription charges.
You enter a (ridiculously easy) competition once for €2, only to find yourself billed every week. In reality, you’ve signed up to this, but it’s in the small print and can be very aggravating.
Best avoided, or at least check the small print before entering.
In-App Purchases
Handed the kids your iPad so you can catch an hour to yourself? You might feel guilty at the screen time, but if it turns out your peace and quiet has resulted in hundreds of euro on your phone bill next month that’ll quickly turn to anger.
“Freemium” is an amalgamation of ‘premium’ and ‘free’. It’s a massive area for monetizing a so-called ‘free’ app you’ve downloaded. Children are fair game and a huge money spinner, via their parents’ account.
Many games which are free to download initially include purchases for tools, toys, animals, or ‘loot’ boxes which store mystery prizes, rarely worth the cost, to buy. If you’ve set up your credit card details on it, even for a ‘free trial’ then you can be hammered for these purchases.
Children can get so excited by and addicted to the games, and the need to win or move to a higher level, especially if they’re playing against other kids, that it can quickly get out of hand even on the most benign game.
Apps comes in several varieties. Fully paid apps generally mean you get all the content, and aren’t charged any extras or made to view advertising.
Subscription apps are paid for periodically (weekly or monthly) and you’ll get regular updates, content etc, like Independent.ie or Spotify for instance.
Freemium apps are free to download, but carry in-app purchases for extras, be it ‘tokens’ for a game, or upgraded yoga or cookery content.
There may also be ads, but you can often pay to avoid them.
Retail apps are the brand themselves, free to download and can offer discounts or special purchases for users. Boots or SuperValu are popular examples.
Free apps: you can log on for all the content with forced-to-watch ads first. The advertiser is paying, rather than you directly.
Whatever the mechanism, the adage is true for freebies: if you’re not sure what the product is, it’s you and your data.
Disputes
The European Consumer Centre (eccireland.com) says it’s a notoriously complex area, especially when it comes to children.
“Although minors lack capacity to enter into a contract and, if they do, it’s generally considered void(able), the reality is that this does not prevent children from engaging in transactions using their parents payment cards and online accounts”, it says, adding, “parents may be held liable for commercial transactions conducted by their children without their knowledge” and advises that the best way to prevent unauthorised transactions is to specifically turn off in-app purchases.
“This can be done through the app when downloaded from Apple Store and GooglePlay.
If a mobile device has parental controls or the account on an operating system is linked to a family manager account run by parents/guardians, these have the option of authorising the download of individual subscriptions and apps, and adjust the in-app purchases to a certain limit; or ban them altogether” .
Unauthorised transactions can be difficult to dispute.
If you’ve voluntarily used your credit card or PayPal to permit the app in the first place, you can still dispute a payment, but securing a refund of unauthorised transactions by kids “may prove challenging”.
“In the event of unauthorised online purchases being made, the range of redress options available are limited. Nevertheless, if something like this does happen to you, do not hesitate to contact ECC Ireland for support and advice,” says Cyril Sullivan, the body’s director.
If you are caught out, the advice is to make a refund request to the service provider as quickly as you can.
You can also use the ‘chargeback’ with your bank, although this may not be successful, since you technically permitted the deduction.
Premium Rate Calls
Calls fall into two categories: updates like sports results, forecasts or calls to a competition or comment line. The second type are the chat lines for dating, technical support lines, horoscopes or ‘psychics’.
They all start with the 15xx prefix and range from 1512 to 1590. The higher the number, the more you’re charged, generally. The numbers that begin 1512 – 1518 are charged ‘per call’. This is as little as 50c and as much as €3.50.
For the numbers ranging 1520 to 1590 are charged per minute. These can be far more expensive, and are usually chat services, designed to keep you on the line.
The cost ranges from 30c to €3.50. A 10-minute ‘chat’ on a 1590 call would cost you €35.
Texts
Premium rate texts commence with the prefix 5xxxx. 50xxx is usually free, and an information line, e.g. for the HSE.
Texts from 51xxx to 59xxx are charged for sending and/or receiving a text message. 51xxx texts are less than 16c (and not regulated). 53xxx are up to 80c while 57xxx to 59xxx are ‘variable’ but over 80c.
Stopping
To identify a premium rate call or text, put the number into the regulator’s service checker (www.comreg.ie).
Contact the provider to cease the activity, or text STOP (and nothing else) to the five-digit short code identified with the service. If that doesn’t work, contact Comreg.