Managing Third-Party Application Purchases

[C_Fun]

Managing Third-Party Application Purchases

Third-party vendors provide customers with a method to download pay-per-use applications and Web-based services (i.e. Mobile Dating and Social Networking sites) and pay for the chargeable content by applying it to their TELUS invoice.

How it works

1. Order wireless applications directly from a vendor’s site.
2. Downloads are charged to your TELUS invoice as an application purchase instead of having to use a credit card or PayPal payment process.
3. You have a simpler way to find, order, and pay for wireless applications.

If you never subscribed to a service

If you think that these charges are invalid, you will need to contact the vendor directly to dispute the charges. If you’re not sure who the vendor is, ask us here and we will let you know. 

How to disable in-app purchases - Apple (App Store)

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap on General.
3. Scroll to and tap on Restrictions.
4. Tap Enable Restrictions.
5. Set a passcode.
6. In the Allowed Content section, slide the In-app Purchases slider off. This will prevent any in-app purchases from being made without the passcode.

How to disable in-app purchases - Android (Google Play)

1. From the Google Play Store app, select Menu.
2. Select Settings.
3. Scroll to User Controls and tap the box next to Use password to restrict purchases.
4. Confirm your Google password.
5. Now your password will be required for all in-app purchases.

If you still have questions, feel free to ask the community, or reach out to us over at our Twitter or Facebook pages and we'll be there to help!

[NFtoBC]

This causes people so much grief. I'm so pleased to see this How-To!

[VonYawn]

Hello,

I have been charged an in-app purchase ($14.99) for which I have no logs or history for.  I'd like to know who the vendor is, please. I never charge to my Telus account, so this has me a bit concerned of fraud.

Thank you.

[Nighthawk]

@VonYawn - You will need to contact Telus directly. Telus will need to verify your identity in order to discuss your account.

[drewheiland]

@C_Fun I also have had 3rd part purchases show up from an unknown source. It started on June 21 and again on July 21.

9:39:00 AM

1.0 jpurch

$14.99

thirdpartyapp_purchase (country: CANADA)

I have checked my Google Play account and have never had any recurring subscriptions on my devices since I got my current account and number 14 months ago. I also have credit and debit cards listed as payment options in my Google Play account.

Telus 611 has credited but can not tell me how to stop this unauthorized purchase being made to my account.

[C_Fun]

@drewheiland You will need to contact Mobiversity. It's a premium m-learning product that offers a variety of quality courses created by subject matter experts. You would have received a text. To stop getting charged, you need to reply back STOP to that text message. https://mobiversity.com/ca/

[C_Fun]

@drewheiland You can also try texting short code 5415 with STOP MOBI

[drewheiland]

@C_Fun Thank you for your help! Hopefully that will help. Have no record of the first text received with any code.

[K_K]

stopping the service witll leave it active for a month anyways and charge is there already. nothing stopping whoever did it to do it again next month

[JBL]

How about Telus just stop exposing their customers to this?  Block third party billing.  I am currently fighting this issue on one of my business lines.  I am busy enough without having to deal with this crap.  You wanna buy something, put it on your card. 

The only reason to be against this is because you are in on the scam.

[Dimo-X]

Annoying for sure, but the same can happen with any other mobile phone provider. I don't think it's unique to TELUS.

[JBL]

But I don't care about other carriers.  I am with Telus and Telus is listed as partner.

[ArtP]

I suggest you search for "BBB Mobiversity" if you want Telus customer feedback on Mobiversity. 

I received messages from them on 5415 as shared above.  I contacted them for a refund as suggested above. They said they would with me and instead charged me another $14.99 under the name "1Play". 

 I agree 100% with JBL.   Telus should allow customers to "opt out" of third party app purchases. This may not be easy for them as from what I understand, there is legislation in place that compels them to do so. This is most certainly one of the cleverest and best executed scams I have ever seen, and I am an IT Security professional. The method they use to scam is ingenious, but their biggest single accomplishment in my eyes is  their ability to make people believe they are legit. 

“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist”—Charles Baudelaire