BT youview TV box subscription services, channels and film purchases without our knowledge.

[Graham1955]

Anyone else had problems with BT charging for subscription services that were ordered without your knowledge?

I first noticed a large bill which on investigation was due to several subscription services we had no knowledge of ordering, only my wife and I live here!

I had already noticed the remote for our Humax freesat box also switched on and off the youview box, but now on further investigation it seems it operates all functions of the youview box. So it seems that whilst navigating the freesat box we have been operating the youview box without knowing what we were doing and made some purchases. The you view and freesat box are on different HDMI sockets on our TV, we use freesat because our freeview reception is very poor.

I also found the youview remote can operate the freesat!

BT were not very helpful claiming first that this could not happen, then one of their tech guy eventually agreed it could but said he had never heard of it!
Eventually I got a 60% refund but I am still some £60 out of pocket. Their response was I should have put a pin on the purchase facility yet they ship the box with this turned off with no warning.

Hopefully by posting this someone else may avoid this issue, I have now turned the power off the youview box when I am not using it.

Graham

[NigelB72]

Never had that issue or heard of anyone experiencing it. To the best of my knowledge to buy a film or TV series through BT Store you have to go into BT Player, search for the program or film, select buy or rent and enter your PIN number. It's not exactly easy to accidentally buy something. Also, to add channels you need to do this through my bt and actually change your package... 

[DarrenW]

I agree with @NigelB72  on this unfortunately.

You can upgrade or add things to your package directly on your Youview box but you must input a PIN number to do this. You'd never surely just guess the pin number whilst using the remote on your other box.

Same with purchases and rentals from the BT Store, however if you don't have the PIN enabled on the store it is possible to purchase accidentally, but we'd first need to check if the PIN was entered when the content was purchased.

The Youview box captures logs and posts them back to BT, so if needed I can prove someone did it all directly on the box, and for example, if someone bought a sky sports pass by pure luck on the box I could also see the channel was then being watched etc.

You can't purchase movie from the store away from the box, you can upgrade your package on bt.com but you'd need to be logged in.

[Graham1955]

Hi thanks fir your reply, unfortunately as noted in my post, the box is shipped with the pin option switched off! I know this because since the issue arose I have turned the pin option on.

what other option is there for multiple purchases and upgrades including, 

HD and 4K

BT sport

BT kids tv(we do not have kids)

nowtv Sky cinema pass

 two on demand films
two films on two separate occasions.

there is only my wife and I in the house, and she only watches terrestrial channels using freesat.

[DarrenW]

bt.com (you need to be logged in)

calling sales (you need to pass validation checks)

via the box directly (you need to enter the pin in all sales journeys even if you have it turned off)

It may be best if you supply me the exact date something was bought which you believe was not anyone in your household, I can then investigate how  it was purchased and whether it is something we would refund.

This may be the best option for you if you're looking to maximise you're refund but depending on the outcome we may not give you anything more than you already have.

I'm here to help though please don't feel like I'm being awkward, its just if I can see someone has entered in the pin directly on the box as part of an upgrade then we obviously wouldn't refund it, I'm just trying to set your expectations.

If you want me to check further, please send me a private message with everything you believe you didn't purchase with the date it was purchased.

[Paul608085]

It is possible to change the set of remote control codes that some Humax equipment uses. I had to do this a few years ago because I have the BT Youview, a Humax Freesat and a Humax PVR that all clashed. These instructions were supplied by Humax Customer Support:

How to Change Remote Control Codes on Humax Equipment When They Clash
=====================================================================
Switch OFF the power to your Humax YouView box
Power ON your Humax Freeview / Freesat box
Using your Humax Freeview / Freesat remote control press number "0" and "OK" at the same time for 10 seconds
When the PVR light at the top of the remote control stays lit, a message will also appear on your TV screen about changing the remote control code
Press "2" to change the remote control code
Your remotes will now control the correct box.

Notes:
------
Humax normally allow up to 6 different remote code settings (1-6) for their PVRs to overcome such circumstances. I don't believe Youview allow their remote code to change (from its default of 1).

Paul