topic Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments in Contracts & Billing

B Sony and Apple scam payments

JKur — Mon, 26 May 2025 14:58:55 GMT

Hi all, I've had a huge issue today. A bill for over £200, services were billed from both B Sony and Apple.

EE take no responsibility, though they have been helpful to a point. I first called Sony, they have informed me that they are dealing with hundreds of these fraudulent payments every day!

They also take no responsibility... however, they have admitted that these issues begin with their payment provider Boku 08081202341, this number is fairly redundant as they don't take calls so I've had to raise a ticket with support via email. Im inclined to think that Boku are fully aware of the issues from how their forms are phrased. Unfortunately as an Indian company I fear policies don't hold much protection for customers.

I spoke with Apple after this and they've submitted a refund already!

Im writing this because I can see that many of you have had or are still having these fraudulent issues especially with Sony playstation and are getting no luck with their call centers or EE.

Hope this information helps!

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

EmmaHB50 — Sat, 21 Jun 2025 22:56:11 GMT

I have had this too, on my daughters phone. £80 taken within 1 min and EE take no responsibility and deny this is a real issue even showing them all these conversations about it on their own forums. We don't own anything SONY related or have an apps or purchases of anything in the App Store. They basically told us that is was nothing to do with them and that we must have authorised them to take money against a phone number. Even tho I showed them that my daughters phone is set up not to make in app purchase. Its a joke. They told me to to go to Apple Store to sort it thought they said they couldn't and have set up a call with Apple - we shall see what the outcome is.

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

Ali_A — Sun, 22 Jun 2025 08:04:05 GMT

Hi @EmmaHB50

Please call Boku on 08081202341 who will investigate the charges.

They are only open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
It may as you to leave a message or refer you to their online query page. If so they will call you back.

Thanks

Ali

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

Mp742 — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 22:16:14 GMT

Hi Ali A,

I have just found that 4 lots of £39.99 have been taken from my daughters phone account by B Sony all within the space of 1minute.

from reading the many questions and answers on this my question is why are EE allowing these charges to go through with no secondary security checks over 12months since this was brought to your attention that these are scams. You say you have no responsibility but I think that is a downright lie. You are the ones letting the payment go through without anyone’s knowledge not the phone user or the account holder.
I have only just discovered this but shall be pursuing this with EE tomorrow for resolution.

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

EmmaHB50 — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 07:10:02 GMT

Thank you I will try though I am a little tired of hearing its not an EE issue and also now Apple as (whilst apple were helpful) my daughters phone is not registered to any App Store and somehow someone has allowed this to be used! EE were so unhelpful in the shop - over the telephone they were more helpful but 7 attempts at getting customer service before I had to give them a landline to call is ridiculous and then to be told its nothing to do with them is frankly not helpful! Its about time EE recognised their numbers are being used fraudulentlyd and make take these cases on themselves and ask for the money back and refund customers immediately when all avenues have been exhausted. How have a third party company got my daughters number and used it to pay for something!???

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

EmmaHB50 — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 07:11:51 GMT

Good luck! They won't be helpful in store and almost accuse you of lying - I do now have some links I can share here - perhaps we need to force EE in to taking responsibility for this. I wonder if other carriers are having same issue with some of their account holders?

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

Chris_B — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 12:07:54 GMT

@EmmaHB50 yes it happens on other networks. Just check the forums of those networks.

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

EmmaHB50 — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 21:17:26 GMT

Phone: (+44) 0808 120 2341

Support portal: boku.com/help

Email: support@boku.com

I emailed them yesterday I have a refund today. Good luck

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

TiredDad — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:52:03 GMT

I have had exactly the same thing on my most recent bill.

4 payments taken in quick succession marked as Sony - amounting to over £150.

They are definitely fraudulent and I don't own a Playstation or anything like that.

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

EmmaHB50 — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 20:01:23 GMT

Definitely email them as soon as you can. I provided screenshots etc and have received the credit to my account.

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

Han52 — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 20:45:05 GMT

This has happened to us. The latest bill shows four payments to Sony all in quick succession totalling nearly £160. Reported to EE and they have now added the bar so no third party services can be charged to my mobile but won’t refund (bills paid by DD). Have emailed boku today and so will see what happens. Have also reported to Action Fraud as these are fraudulent payments in my view. Will also be contacting Guardian Money as I can see that this has happened to a number of people and something should be done about this. I didn’t realise that such charges could be made to my mobile and EE don’t let you know that you can bar such third party payments.

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

Matt_124 — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 21:49:26 GMT

EE have a page dedicated to this here which instructs on what it is and how to switch it on and off: https://ee.co.uk/help/billing-payments/payment-methods/charging-purchases-to-your-ee-bill

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

Han52 — Sat, 19 Jul 2025 06:43:26 GMT

Thanks. EE should make users more aware of this and also do more to protect customers from such fraud. I note that the maximum per single transaction is £40. I had four unauthorised transactions appear on my bill for £39.99 all within one minute which definitely suggests something dodgy. I have no Sony account and so not sure what happened. Waiting to hear back from Boku.

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

Anderson51 — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 17:41:31 GMT

I have been declined a refund for this by Apple and asked for a review as apparently my child would have verified the payment via text!! Clearly the amounts taken are a fraud! Really struggling to understand their logic, did you have any issues getting the refund? Not heard anything from Sony despite Boku saying they would look in to it! Any advice?

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

EmmaHB50 — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 18:31:29 GMT

Hi there
Have you got screenshots of not having anything Sony account?
I provided screenshots of anything I could think of We don’t have any accounts at all. And we have the phone set up for non buying of anything in game etc so it would have been physically impossible for authorisation. All I’d suggest is go back to them and get them to re check. Also ask Apple for help as they went through everything their end as far as their security was concerned and they confirmed it was a transaction that was nothing to do with anyone and the money was taken out unauthorised. Good luck
Sent from my iPhone

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

Mp742 — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 11:39:12 GMT

I had no joy either, not apples problem as it did not go through apple store so they have no transaction to trace, we have no account with sony so can’t get anything from them and ee eho lets all face it are allowing the transactions through then charging us for them say its not their problem.
At this point I am just keeping all the evidence and conversations for when the inevitable claims lawyers get onto this scandal and it becomes as big as the ppi claims

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

EmmaHB50 — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 12:10:29 GMT

I have all the same problems as you described above but it appears there is a process. I went to EE first. Then did a diagnostics call with Appleford Support (stores can’t do this) they went through everything and then I screenshot everything I had as evidence we also don’t have Sony Accounts. I emailed the link I sent originally and the refund was issued within 24 hours

Sent from my iPhone

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

Ali_A — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 13:59:19 GMT

Hi @Mp742

If you don't want to use Charge to Bill, just text the word 'BAR' to 150 or contact us by phone and we will add a bar to your number so you can't charge online purchases to it.

You can find out more at Charge to bill | Billing | EE

Ali

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

Jon1701 — Sat, 02 Aug 2025 17:26:45 GMT

Hi there,

I have had £250 taken on my 12yo daughter’s phone this month. EE have been useless. How did you get Apple to sort it?

cheers

Re: B Sony and Apple scam payments

EmmaHB50 — Sat, 02 Aug 2025 18:14:29 GMT

Hi there. If you can find my original post it had all the instructions on there. I rang apple support to get them to check the account hadn’t been hacked. Then contacted the company who took the money(Sony) and got a refund
Sent from my iPhone