Premium rate adult services firm fined £1 million for ‘click jacking’
Company used a practice known as “clickjacking” which meant unwitting customers had signed up to naughty services for £9.50 a week
Bosses of a premium-rate phone company which ran an X-rated video scam have been fined £1million.
Isle of Man-based Xplosion used a practice known as “clickjacking” in which pop-up ads or play buttons hide subscription charges.
Hundreds of unwitting customers had up to £9.50 a week added to their mobile bills for services with names such as SexxyMob and Xvidland.
One victim, who went into the red after subscribing to an online quiz, told investigators: “I have no idea how my number became associated.”
The firm’s owners, who have not been named but live in Ireland, were also banned from running a business for five years over the scam.
The Phone-paid Services Authority, which regulates premium-rate numbers, received 252 complaints about Xplosion services.
It said the firm failed to tell subscribers about the service or cancel when requested. It also failed to register with the regulator.
Xplosion told regulators it had paid out more than £150,000 in refunds.
News Source: The Mirror
