Apple TV QR scam?

[GerryBrown]

Have discovered that apple TV have posted a QR code on the screen and insist that I log in again.

Tried to log in with my mobile, scanned the QR and was asked to pay intially £1.00 to ensure that the CC would work.  Followed the instruction but still no Apple TV.  Gave up and decided to watch something else.  In the meantime Apple had tried to charge my CC with a further £59.99 which as I had not approved the payment ( Had no idea the request had been made) my CC provider declined the payment and alerted me this AM.  My question is.  Is Apple TV part of SKY Q package or not?  It would be great to know what has changed to my subscription to Sky Q.  

[Jones_The_Cat]

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@GerryBrown wrote:

Have discovered that apple TV have posted a QR code on the screen and insist that I log in again.

Tried to log in with my mobile, scanned the QR and was asked to pay intially £1.00 to ensure that the CC would work.  Followed the instruction but still no Apple TV.  Gave up and decided to watch something else.  In the meantime Apple had tried to charge my CC with a further £59.99 which as I had not approved the payment ( Had no idea the request had been made) my CC provider declined the payment and alerted me this AM.  My question is.  Is Apple TV part of SKY Q package or not?  It would be great to know what has changed to my subscription to Sky Q.  

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Did you use a QR scanning app on your phone or just the standard camera app? There have been reports of some dodgy QR Code reading apps which direct users to spoof websites where credit cards details can be stolen. 

[Rachel+Pullen]

We had exactly the same problem. We signed for Apple TV using the QR code supplied by Sky using a QR reading app.

After a few attempts we managed to register  using an apple email and gave the debit card details. We received a confirmation of the Apple TV 3 month free trial from Apple and gained access to the station after about 20 minutes.

A few days later, we noticed £1 had been debited from our account the day after the Apple activation followed by £59.99 the following day . Both were debited under the description sprtybill.com.We queried this with the bank and they said it had been authorised and therefore would not offer a refund. We tried twice and only after exhaustive investigation realised the payments were linked to our Apple TV application.

A few days later there was another transaction for £24.99 under the description THRVMBILL.COM which the bank did refund and l cancelled my debit card. This latest transaction was clearly linked to the Apple TV application and we are now trying to get the money back from Sky or Apple TV as there is clearly a security failure in their QR code and or activation links which is very worrying and l wonder how secure other applications offered by Sky will be in the future as more and more apps become available.

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@GerryBrown wrote:

Have discovered that apple TV have posted a QR code on the screen and insist that I log in again.

Tried to log in with my mobile, scanned the QR and was asked to pay intially £1.00 to ensure that the CC would work.  Followed the instruction but still no Apple TV.  Gave up and decided to watch something else.  In the meantime Apple had tried to charge my CC with a further £59.99 which as I had not approved the payment ( Had no idea the request had been made) my CC provider declined the payment and alerted me this AM.  My question is.  Is Apple TV part of SKY Q package or not?  It would be great to know what has changed to my subscription to Sky Q.  

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[MightyQuinn]

Hi @Rachel+Pullen   You should delete that dodgy QR App immediately.  You have been scammed. This has absolutely nothing to do with Apple TV or Sky and everything to do with your QR App.

[Rachel+Pullen]

I do not think it is the QR reader as l have been using it since 2020 when QRs came into greater use and l have not had any previous problems despite using it multiple times.

I think it is the QR code and or link provided on Sky VIP  that is the problem.

[Laing1]

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@Rachel+Pullen wrote:

I do not think it is the QR reader as l have been using it since 2020 when QRs came into greater use and l have not had any previous problems despite using it multiple times.

I think it is the QR code and or link provided on Sky VIP  that is the problem.

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@Rachel+Pullen as @MightyQuinn this problem is normally down to the QR Reader and not the code we have had these enquiries in the past regarding the problems you and @GerryBrown have had and it has always ended up being the QR reader. If the QR reader has recently been updated it could contain the link to these scam sites taking money from you.

As the QR code and link are used by many people taking the offer up there would be many more reports of this happening.

Most phones now a days just use the camera to read the QR code and don't rely on a third party app so might be worth checking out if your phone can do that 

[MightyQuinn]

Hi @Rachel+Pullen   There is no need for a QR reader App. The only safe App is the native camera App on the device.  Apps get updated regularly and dodgy code could be added anytime. 

[Rachel+Pullen]

Thank you both, l will look into it and am also going to try the link without the QR code on a separate device and see what happens 

[TimmyBGood]

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@Rachel+Pullen wrote:

I do not think it is the QR reader as l have been using it since 2020 when QRs came into greater use and l have not had any previous problems despite using it multiple times.

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Typically what changes is the app developer is convinced to sell the app itself, or otherwise loses their own control over it.  At that point the new owner or whoever has appropriate credentials can modify how the app works, and start injecting redirects to bogus subscription services and other malicious content.

It's perhaps worth considering that criminals almost always have more money than small software creators..

[simon194]

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@Rachel+Pullen wrote:

We had exactly the same problem. We signed for Apple TV using the QR code supplied by Sky using a QR reading app.

After a few attempts we managed to register  using an apple email and gave the debit card details. We received a confirmation of the Apple TV 3 month free trial from Apple and gained access to the station after about 20 minutes.

A few days later, we noticed £1 had been debited from our account the day after the Apple activation followed by £59.99 the following day . Both were debited under the description sprtybill.com.We queried this with the bank and they said it had been authorised and therefore would not offer a refund. We tried twice and only after exhaustive investigation realised the payments were linked to our Apple TV application.

A few days later there was another transaction for £24.99 under the description THRVMBILL.COM which the bank did refund and l cancelled my debit card. This latest transaction was clearly linked to the Apple TV application and we are now trying to get the money back from Sky or Apple TV as there is clearly a security failure in their QR code and or activation links which is very worrying and l wonder how secure other applications offered by Sky will be in the future as more and more apps become available.

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@GerryBrown wrote:

Have discovered that apple TV have posted a QR code on the screen and insist that I log in again.

Tried to log in with my mobile, scanned the QR and was asked to pay intially £1.00 to ensure that the CC would work.  Followed the instruction but still no Apple TV.  Gave up and decided to watch something else.  In the meantime Apple had tried to charge my CC with a further £59.99 which as I had not approved the payment ( Had no idea the request had been made) my CC provider declined the payment and alerted me this AM.  My question is.  Is Apple TV part of SKY Q package or not?  It would be great to know what has changed to my subscription to Sky Q.  

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Just for reference,  payments to Apple TV for subscriptions or other content usually show on bank statements as 'APPLE.COM/BILL IRELAND' or something similar.