'Where' app subscription fees (AT&T Bloatware)

[Invero]

Hi all -

Just an FYI... I was looking at my AT&T bill tonight, and I noticed there were three charges of $2.97 added to my bill:


# Date Subscription Name Short Code Type Content Provider ID Renew Date Cost Tax Charge
08/13/2010 Find people places and things using WHER n/a AS WHERE Inc. n/a 09/20/2010 2.99 0.00 2.99
08/13/2010 Find people places and things using WHER n/a AS WHERE Inc. n/a 09/20/2010 2.99 0.00 2.99
08/13/2010 Find people places and things using WHER n/a AS WHERE Inc. n/a 09/20/2010 2.99 0.00 2.99
Totals 8.97

Apparently the Where app that is pre-loaded into the phone is a 7 day trial, with a $2.99/mo subscription fee after. Not sure why I was charged three separate times, but even still... I don't remember ever using the app, aside from opening it to see what it was.

I'm usually pretty good about noticing charges, but I suspect they might have buried that information into the fine print that no one reads.

At any rate, AT&T was 'generous' enough to refund the charges. I also had them put on a purchase block for mobile charges like this, so that it couldn't happen again.


So just a reminder, read everything, check over your bill, and be careful of extra charges.

 

[Grut]

as soon as you OPEN the app, it says that you have a free 7 day trial, after that it's $2.99 a month. The second I saw this I hit "cancel". Didn't you see this when you opened the app???

 

[Invero]

Honestly, I don't recall seeing it, but it's not impossible. Frankly though, if I were to have seen it, I would have just assumed that I would get a 7 day trial and then it would shut down unless I put in a CC number or something like that. I would never have clicked okay if it said that it would auto-bill my phone bill every month unless I explicitly called 611 to cancel.

Regardless, I was hit with three separate charges. So even if I was okay with it, I would have been over billed.

 

[Grut]

It stinks that you were hit 3 times with that, but thankfully you are being refunded. I agree that you should have a 7 day free trial, but after that, the subscription should be cancelled automaticly and you should be prompted by Where weather or not you want to spend $2.99 per month on a subscription. Autosubscription is "shady" on their part, it's a good way to get money out of people who are not aware of the policy. Glad things worked out for you....

 

[CrimsonPride]

you can uninstall it if youre rooted with titanium backup, then install market enabler and get the full one for free. i have it, it comes with alot of widgets also

 

[Gamble1177]

when I first got my captivate I called customer service to have some subscription apps removed from my bill from my eternity.where popped up twice a month for several months cs was confused as to the double charges and that I never signed up for it. and without me asking he have me a 60 dollar credit for the charges.

 

[Prim8]

as soon as you OPEN the app, it says that you have a free 7 day trial, after that it's $2.99 a month. The second I saw this I hit "cancel". Didn't you see this when you opened the app???

I had the same issue, and I was looking very carefully and hit cancel and still got the charge.

 

[Grut]

@ Prim8. Really? Thanks for the info, I'm gonna have to double check my bill now and see if these charges were applied. I sure hope not!!!!