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PlayPhone review: Phone bill scam 22

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9:25 am EST
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Through facebook, this company has somehow achieved access to my cell phone. My cell phone carrier (At&t) charges $14. 99 a month for this company. They provide no service and i have followed the directions to stop this charge several times. They continue to steal my money and at&t continues to be their unauthorized collection agency. I have no power and am being robbed.

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

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22 comments
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Bas Eer
, US
Jan 24, 2022 8:05 pm EST

Sprint has been charging us for one year for playphone 9.99 playedge 9.99 and mini me games 5.00. We never authorized or bought a subscription. Called sprint and they have blocked third party app purchases.

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Ralphie08
, US
Nov 28, 2021 11:03 pm EST

Sprint has been charging me for the past 4 months $9.99. I do not have this Playphone product, and never authorized it. Better Business Bureau needs to investigate this company, and should hold Sprint accountable for allowing us to get charged in our bills.. You think Playphone would have the guts to call me for a credit card and tell me they would charge me $10 bucks a month?

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Jill Sturtz
Buffalo, US
Aug 30, 2009 2:17 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

about 4 months ago this 9.99 charge started showing up on my phone bill i did not authorize it i did not request it and i cant get a hold of any one to remove it i dont know what it is and i dont use it i have asked sprint to block the charges and they have failed to make that happen i dont want to pay for it but there is no way to get a hold of the company please help remove this kind of thing people are getting rich off of other people with no ramafications

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steven hoog
Indianapolis, US
Nov 14, 2009 12:33 am EST

PlayPhone Inc. Charged me 14.99. FOR WHAT. FOR WHAT. WHAT DID I GET FOR 14.99 and ANOTHER14.99 this month!My phone co. eating this (thank you ATT) but I am pissed PlayPhone inc.

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E.DeJong
Holland, US
Sep 01, 2010 5:54 pm EDT

Did not authorize this "game" and now am unable to get itcancelled.

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Concerned At&T customer
, US
Jan 24, 2014 1:04 pm EST

This amazing that this is even possible let alone legal! I was billed for over a year $12.99 per month. Dumb me for not looking at my bill for our family closer. I had to do some digging to get a phone number to reach a cust serv rep for playphone. I finally did at [protected] and received a full refund after a little pushing. At& T claims to have no information for this company yet they can waive fees and allow them access to bill fees to my account. Playphone couldn't even tell what app initiated this monthly bill. All of this is extremely shady! It screams fraud!

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Brad L
Tucson, US
Sep 09, 2013 4:20 pm EDT

Wow, Grace! I see that you like to call people "idiots" for not reading the agreements, and it seems you didn't even read your own comment before posting to check for spelling errors. It even has a reminder to check your spelling and a spell check button! Maybe you are trying to be ironic. Wait, let me spell it your way: maybe "your" being ironic. Then I see your copy and pasted response from the company you work for which is... Playphone! I guess you have to get defensive, as every time your company gets away with the scam you get paid another ten bucks. You sound like the type to blame someone whose house was robbed for not putting up security bars. I hope, every day that you are employed there, you are flooded by calls from people that aren't going to put up with this crap. As a matter of fact, I'm going to try to see if you are working right now!

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rtan
, US
Aug 05, 2013 5:29 pm EDT

Hello,
This happened to me 2 days ago. While in Pandora app, an ads shows up that takes 2/3 of the screen with a very tiny X to close it. I clicked on the X and next thing I know, I got an SMS that I am being charged for $9.99 subscription. I called AT&T immediately and they gave me a credit for $9.99. I don't know why they didn't cancel the charge instead

To Grace Meza, I find it highly surprising if the company is not aware of this tactics, but I am giving the benefit of the doubt. If you want to improve service offering experience, do it like other proper company. If you use iTunes, Amazon or Google Play, it displays to user that they are being charged. Transparency goes a long way.

Grace Meza
Grace Meza
, US
May 03, 2013 3:35 pm EDT

Hi 'laforbus'

Thank you for your question regarding text message rates. PlayPhone’s charges are separate from one’s phone carrier. Participation on Facebook in and of itself does not enroll users in our services.

PlayPhone’s Social Gaming Network (PSGN) (http://www.playphone.com/ ) lets you easily download mobile games, connect with your friends and play phone games. Most games are free to play and allow the player to purchase in-game items such as coins, chips, and power-ups.. We are constantly working towards improving our services and new service offering experiences for our consumers. We appreciate your understanding and hope this information has been of assistance.

Should you have an unresolved issue please email help@playphone.com.

Kind regards,
Grace M. on behalf of PlayPhone

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Asiana Que
, US
Jan 21, 2021 9:00 pm EST
Replying to comment of Grace Meza

Using big companies to bill on your behalf. Why don't you stick to apple apps and of people wants to purchase they can purchase it from there. Oh no wait! Companies that does this also got their cut. How do you feel if someone hack your pc event though u pay for all this security and firewall protection? U be mad, ?

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ree646
Buffalo, US
Jan 01, 2013 8:45 am EST

If you go to the Playphone web site www.palyphone.com. You can see all the games that are made by Playphone, and that the Playphone games are games apps the you can download from the iTunes app store, Android/Google play store or play directly online form facebook. They are usually free (that is how they get you). And if you had read the the terms and conditions before you download the app/onlinegame (Which no one ever does but really really really should) You would of know that after you download it they will charge you what they want, through your mobile carrier. Because you agreed to this by saying yes to the terms and conditions. Some time they get you, because you were online and wanted to sign up for a contest. And you filled every thing out but then again did not read the terms and conditions before hitting submit, And if you did you would of see that they are going to charge you. The only way to get ride of them form you phone is to delete the app. Or if it was down through a contest then text the short code that is on your phone bill each month to have it stopped. And if you do that and you are still being charged. I know for a fact that you can call AT&T (not sure about other carriers) and ask them to put on the FREE Purchase blocker on your line and that will stop the charges. At the end of the day, any charges you get are your own fault for being a lazy and not reading thing before you buy them. If you are mad because you were best by a soft wear company. Then even mad because your phone carrier did not want to credit you back for charges that are you own fault. Then I am sorry your a idiot.
At the end of the day you should Read thing before you buy them,
check your phone bill every month.
And ask your carrier if there a way to prevent this before hand (Because there is) FREE PURCHASE BLOCKER.

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Asiana Que
, US
Jan 21, 2021 8:42 pm EST
Replying to comment of ree646

ur BS! u probably one of the worker or the owner of this sneaky and does this small fine print and hope for the best no one would see. 😡 As for ATT and rest that does this... this companies deserve to go downhill. Yep! ATT headed that way.

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nocarmar
Chicago, US
Aug 30, 2011 1:12 am EDT

Playphone has been taking 14.99 per month from me for almost a year. Like most people, I didn't notice it because my bill was being paid automatically. I called AT&T and they gave me a credit for three months. I was appeased at first, but after I hung up, I realized that I was still ripped off for the other months and AT&T didn't even offer to look into it. As I understand it, AT&T takes a piece of this action, so they are complicit. There ought to be a law, and there is. But who's enforcing it?

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slugfoot
Englewood, US
Jul 23, 2011 2:27 am EDT

I have no idea what playphone is or what (if anything) they offer. I also don"t recall giving out my phone # over the internet to any web sites other than those I was doing legitimate business with. I was surprised to find I was being nicked for 19.99 a month by these turds. AT&T said they would correct it and credit my account for previous charges. yay.

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loosehorse
Oceanside, US
Jun 08, 2011 10:15 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Same bogus charges of 14.99 from PlayPhone also charges from Game_Theory for 9.99. ATT & T refunded this bill and next that had not been billed to me yet. Thanks ATT & T for your support and for filling complaints against this company on behalf of your customers.

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Rkhaley5
Kenner, US
Jun 03, 2011 3:55 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Contact the Better Business Bureau of San Jose, CA. That's where Playphone is located. I filed a complaint and it's amazing how accomodating they became. On their site is a BBB icon. I clicked it and it took me right there. You'll get their attention. Besure to file for all that is owed to you. Good Luck!

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Brett Conrad
, US
Jun 02, 2011 5:54 pm EDT

I have been charged the 9.99 fee for over a year now and when I contacted AT&T I GOT THE SAME RUN AROUND! Did you know AT&T gets a peice of this charge and thats why they are trying to keep it quiet.I contacted Playphone and they agreed to pay me 3 months back (check in the mail ) and that if I had proof of the last years billing they would reimberse me. Guess what when I tryed to contact them again all web address's and numbers leed to this web site. This company along with AT&T should be destroyed. I will begin by leaving AT&T. If anyone know how to contact Playphone good luck.

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Rkhaley5
Kenner, US
Feb 19, 2011 6:24 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I just got a bill with this charge on it. AT&T also reversed for 2 months and put a parental guard on the account. However the rep insisted that one of us must have accessed it, but reversed it as a courtesy, even though I told him that we had not. When I researched into play phone Inc., the first things that came up were complaints about charges! Where can we all file a legal complaint to get this stopped!

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lihaoy
Duluth, US
Sep 25, 2010 8:50 am EDT

Yes, I have been charged since March which I didn't aware of until this month when I checked my bill. For my case, I do not even know how they get me. I have called them and no human being answers call. How do I file a complaint aginst them please. Lee from Tmobile, Sept. 25, 2010

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Steve Jackson
St Louis, US
Aug 26, 2010 2:34 pm EDT

I filed an official complaint with ATT about this company, which results in thousands of complaints each year. I also filed an official complaint with the FCC. I highly suggest everyone affected to do so as well. Do yourself a favor and google this company --- they are worldwide -- which means they are probably making MILLIONS if not BILLIONS on this scam.

"By completing the registration process on our website located at www.playphone.com or wapsite at http://goplayp.com or any successor site or any site powered by PlayPhone hereto ("Website") OR by accessing our service via your mobile device by downloading mobile content to a mobile device (each a "Download"), you (1) represent that you are at least 13 years of age and have the consent of the subscriber of a participating mobile communications carrier to sign-up for and use the PlayPhone Service on behalf of the subscriber; and (2) agree on behalf of the subscriber and yourself to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
USERS UNDER EIGHTEEN (18) YEARS OF AGE REQUIRE PARENTAL PERMISSION BOTH TO COMPLETE THE REGISTRATION PROCESS ON THE WEBSITE AND TO DOWNLOAD MOBILE CONTENT."

This is from their site -- they believe it is OK for anyone over 13 yrs old to authorize charges for 3rd party billing! This is deceptive marketing and illegal billing. Stand up against this junk!

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abc_123
Toronto, CA
Jun 01, 2010 12:01 am EDT

Perhaps your child gave our your mobile numbers everywhere.

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jo713
Lawrenceville, US
Apr 29, 2010 10:36 am EDT

I had this happen to me as well. My 12 yr/old daughter signed up for 3 subscriptions not knowing there was a charge involved. As I was checking the rest of my wireless bill for another issue, I found charges on both my line and my husband's line (which we did not do). I called AT&T and explained the situation. They were very helpful and canceled these charges, to the tune of about $90. They recommended putting a charge blocker on each line so that a pin code must be entered in order to charge anything to your wireless line. We have had similar issues in the past where these charges showed up when no one had subscribed to anything and no text was received advising us of the subscription fee. Hopefully this charge blocker will prevent further "mistaken" and fraudulent charges. Hope this helps someone else with these issues!