3 ireland are terrible!!

Mikeybell88

I want to bring to attention how terrible 3 and Google are and how disgracefull their customer service is.
I tried to download a movie from Google play in may. It kept saying unsuccessfull whenever I tried. I got my bill at the end of the month and it was for 198 euro.
I rang 3 to tell them that I was not paying for that and that they needed to investigate. 3 immediately blamed it on google and a few days later, they shut my phone off for not paying the bill.
I then spoke to google and they blamed it on 3.
Neither company is prepared to to actually do anything and no I have no phone.
I pointed out the fact that noone would download the same movie 26 times in one day but it made no difference.
Today, 2 weeks after I refused the payment I was told that the investigation had been closed and that the bill still stands!
Beware if you are thinking of signing up to 3!!

Davy

The playstore should have seen it as already purchased and not charged you again. I would be going back to them.

You can make a complaint but it will take time. To get the phone back working, you will have to pay it and then get the refund once the complaint it properly investigated.

Dizzyblonde

Mod note:
Welcome to boards Mikeybell88. I've moved this to the Consumer Issues forum.

Mikeybell88

I thought about paying and claiming back, but seeing how badly it's been handled, I'm glad I didn't pay because I dont think I'd ever get it back to be honest

What is the charge for - data for downloads (3) or the price of the movie (Google)?

gmisk

[Deleted User] wrote: »

What is the charge for - data for downloads (3) or the price of the movie (Google)?

I'm guessing Google pay is linked to his/her phone bill? So it was rented/bought multiple times.
I have had my own run ins with three stick at them lodge complaints etc don't give them a penny.

My auto top up failed...through no fault of my own..150ish euro gone on data in a day...it took serious hounding but I got an apology and every cent back.

Sleeper12

Mikeybell88 wrote:

I thought about paying and claiming back, but seeing how badly it's been handled, I'm glad I didn't pay because I dont think I'd ever get it back to be honest

What do you owe the money for?

Has google charged you all that money for the same movie? Or is it Three charging you for data used to download the movie?

If it's Google charging you several times for the same movie then they will refund. They are very good about that type of thing.

If it's data you used then I don't hold out much hope of three refund

banie01

gmisk wrote: »

I'm guessing Google pay is linked to his/her phone bill? So it was rented/bought multiple times.
I have had my own run ins with three stick at them lodge complaints etc don't give them a penny

If the charges were raised by Google then it's Google that the OP needs to chase.

If carrier billing was enabled, the charges passed by Google to three are valid until rectified by Google.
Three are passing the bill and acting as collection agents for Google.
If the charge is for multiple rentals, Three didn't levy the charge.

Darc19

You go to who you bought it from and sort it out with them. I'm guessing Three are purely the payments system following automatic instructions.

Did Google sell the download or are they just hosting a third party supplier?

You need to disseminate the transaction and find out who the supplier is and then present your case.

But blaming Three is like blaming Aib for a payment error at a Tesco checkout

Mikeybell88

Google play is linked to my phone bill hence the 198 euro bill. 3 say they were charged by google 26 times for 1 movie. Google have no record of this. 3 keep blaming google and google keep blaming 3. I keep getting sent from one to the other and neither are prepared to actually look into it or do anything about it. At the end of the day I just want to this sorted out and my phone back but there is no way I will be paying a cent of the charge

Darc19

Mikeybell88 wrote: »

Google play is linked to my phone bill hence the 198 euro bill. 3 say they were charged by google 26 times for 1 movie. Google have no record of this. 3 keep blaming google and google keep blaming 3. I keep getting sent from one to the other and neither are prepared to actually look into it or do anything about it. At the end of the day I just want to this sorted out and my phone back but there is no way I will be paying a cent of the charge

Then Three are correct.
They simply acceded to Google's payment requests and have probably transferred the money to Google.

Google were the supplier of the service and have the responsibility for the error even if it was caused by network or phone issues as it's clear that you don't download the same item 26 times onto one device.

Xterminator

what are you blaming three for? your incompetence or googles incompetence? cause you were both stupid IMO. You should have known something was amiss yourself! i mean after trying to download the movie say 5 times, did you not think it it was strange?

but three are blameless in the fault, even if your not happy with their response.

To compound your error, rather than sort the problem out, you have a debt against you with three , and you will probably get a letter form debt collectors for twice what you owe them now, if you keep putting your head in the sand!

Just put on your big boy (or girl) pants and sort the mess out now. Pay three or come to an arrangement for the bill. explain you are disputing the charge with google play. And why should three chase google for you, it was you that made the purchases, and its up to you to resolve, see links below.

https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/2479637

3 ways to request a refund on Google Play
Important: If you are located in the European Economic Area or UK and made a purchase on or after 28 March 2018, learn how to get a refund.

If the purchase isn’t what you expected, doesn’t work or you don’t want it any more, you can:​

Select an option:
Option 1: Get support from the developer of the app
Option 2: Request a refund on the Google Play website
Option 3: Ask for a refund on the Google Assistant
Note: Some information related to refund requests may be shared with developers.

Lackadaisical

To be quite honest, the carrier payment systems should be regulated and 3 should (like a credit/debit card provider) be able to do a charge back.

I find mobile operators just wash their hands of any responsibility for helping customers resolve payment disputes with third parties, which is a bit ridiculous given they're the ones operating a financial transaction system and processing payments much like a card provider or bank.

Mobile phone accounts be it though carrier payments or premium SMS are basically payment channels and shots be treated as such by regulators.

There should be something like the Direct Debit Guarantee that would allow an erroneous or fraudulent transaction to be reversed.

Xterminator

no, you agree to terms and conditions when signing up to google play, and if you setup direct billing as your preferred payment method you bear the responsibility.

its handy, its convienient, but its YOUR responsibility too. you know those terms and conditions you dont bother reading - maybe you should!
you know like this term you accept

If you need a refund, you must request this within 15 minutes through the Stores. Three are unable to provide any refunds for these purchases, as they are a third party service.

Xterminator

Xterminator wrote: »

no, you agree to terms and conditions when signing up to google play, and if you setup direct billing as your preferred payment method you bear the responsibility.

its handy, its convienient, but its YOUR responsibility too. you know those terms and conditions you dont bother reading - maybe you should!
you know like this term you accept

The tone of your last 2 posts comes across as extremely aggressive to the OP. :mad:


Google will sort this out , they were more than helpful with me about a year ago with something similar , likewise Amazon.
No need to be so condescending. If OP knew how to deal with this he wouldn't have started a thread. €198 of an unexpected bill can put many people into a panic.

Lackadaisical

Is there a particular reason why this thread is so agressively unhelpful?

There's a significant problem with carrier payments and premium SMS being extremely consumer unfriendly.

Payment system operators should be able to suspend and reverse payments. They're profiting from running the services, yet they won't take any responsibility for errors and fraud.

It's one reason why I would suggest using a credit card with Google or any other billable service, not carrier payment to a bill pay account.

In a situation like this with a credit card, the card operator will both pick up the fact that there's been repeating charges and likely would block the transactions but would also be willing to help when something goes wrong.

Lackadaisical

tedpan wrote: »

How is Google play linked to your phone bill? I've never heard of that as an option..

Three have carrier billing enabled. Google Play can charge to your phone account.

Darc19

Lackadaisical wrote: »

To be quite honest, the carrier payment systems should be regulated and 3 should (like a credit/debit card provider) be able to do a charge back.
.

Even a chargeback has to have a valid reason. Buying too much of something would not be a valid reason, so don't think that would assist the poster.

Has to be down to Google or whoever was the entity that got the money.

I would agree that it's far better to connect a card than the phone bill for payments

Xterminator

I do get annoyed at people who shirk personal responsibility. Op has stiffed his provider for a bill which he does bear full responsibility for.
i thought i was the icing on the cake that his rant, and the thread title is against three, when they bear no blame for the situation, and have been left with an unpaid bill!!

OP will now get a letter from debt collector and face additional fees. Not a win for anyone.
My constructive criticism also advised how to handle the situation and i linked the section of googles help where he can go and get a refund.

OP stiffed his provider before creating this thread, and IMO this thread was a blast at three, who god knows have their faults, but in this case are not at fault for the bill in question!

Beware if you are thinking of signing up to 3!!

now if OP said beware setting up Mobile phone billing with google pay, i would have thanked his post and thoroughly agreed.

Xterminator

Xterminator wrote: »

I do get annoyed at people who shirk personal responsibility. Op has stiffed his provider for a bill which he does bear full responsibility for.
i thought i was the icing on the cake that his rant, and the thread title is against three, when they bear no blame for the situation, and have been left with an unpaid bill!!

OP will now get a letter from debt collector and face additional fees. Not a win for anyone.
My constructive criticism also advised how to handle the situation and i linked the section of googles help where he can go and get a refund.

OP stiffed his provider before creating this thread, and IMO this thread was a blast at three, who god knows have their faults, but in this case are not at fault for the bill in question!

now if OP said beware setting up Mobile phone billing with google pay, i would have thanked his post and thoroughly agreed.

.......constructive criticism is calling someone “incompetent “ and “stupid”???

DuckSlice

Off topic, but have three gone off the boards "Talk to" forum?

runawaybishop

etxp wrote: »

Off topic, but have three gone off the boards "Talk to" forum?

Closed in Jan

https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057939801/1/#post108940256

Lackadaisical

3, Eir and Vodafone all left the talk to forums. It's a shame as it did highlight issues.

dudara

Posters - enough of the critical tone. It isn’t helping the OP address the issue that he is currently facing. Please suggest solutions.

dudara

whomitconcerns

Op get on to Google support directly, speak to them and get it resolved. It's nothing to do with three. Just be stubborn with them till they fix it

Sleeper12

Lackadaisical wrote:

3, Eir and Vodafone all left the talk to forums. It's a shame as it did highlight issues.

In fairness they got slated by posters. They wouldn't engage publicly. It was always pm me and I'll help you. No end result that could help another poster three months down the road.

I do vaguely remember one thread where the rep was giving out different information to their own site. Someone asked a question & it took over a month for them to reply. Posters kept asking the same question to keep the thread on top.

jimmycrackcorm

Op make a complaint to the telecoms regulator about Three. They're taking your money so they are the front line regardless if Google ultimately is at fault.

If as you say the bill shows 26 charges for downloading the same movie in one day then I think it'll be very clear to the regulator that three cannot charge you for that.

Lackadaisical

In the meantime keep hammering Google's customer care services.

Ultimately, if you get no satisfaction, open a Small Claims Court case against them. It sounds like a technical glitch that caused reloading of the movie over and over. It's not reasonable of them to repeatedly bill you for it and it's obviously a glitch.