Hi all,
So I’ve left it a bit late to investigate this scam and follow up my options (if any) but you know - it’s 2020!
Long-story short, there is a simple audio recording app on Google Play that charges you more than $300 for a year subscription. This in of itself is insane, and perhaps is a scam regardless of the means of getting it. The info that pops up when you install it is super fast and doesn’t look important, further to all this the app doesn’t actually work!
NB: I think this is my own fault I got this massive charge, because I was not paying proper attention - but I still think that this App is a scam!
Backstory
In June I was having a band practice and needed to record something quickly. I opened up Google Play to download an audio recording app. I had downloaded a free recording app on my old phone, so downloaded what looked to me to be the same one, or very similar.
I wasn’t paying attention to the pop up aside to note it said something about charging me at the end of the trial. From previous experience, a charge for an app like this would be $4 or maybe $5 at most, so I didn’t really take much notice.
I was having a busy time, so I didn’t read the email that came to my gmail after installing and using the app for recording during the practice.
I later went to copy over the files I’d recorded, and noticed that after 10 or so seconds of each file - the recording goes silent. So I go to the App’s page on Google Play to see if other people have commented, and it is JAMMED with people complaining about being scammed, and similar results.
this is the app and reviews etc:
I contacted Google 2 days after purchasing (when I saw the charge on my bank account) and they got back saying they could not refund it as I agreed to the payment.
They only suggested to contact the developer, which I did but of course got no reply (nor has anyone else, as evidenced by the reviews on Google Play)
Questions
- has anyone had a similar issue before?
- does the fact that the App doesn’t actually work mean (regardless of the rest of the issue) mean I should be entitled to a refund?
- does it seem completely wrong to you that this app is still available on Google Play?
- any suggestions on where to from here?
thanks in advance
Leyne