Apple charged UK users £120 for free Mobile Me trial

[PieMan]

I signed up for the free trial of MobileMe on Friday, which i canceled on Saturday. I've noticed now that I have a pending charge on my credit card for £121. Users on the o2 iPhone forums have traced this to Apple charging for the MobileMe Trial. Does any one know why they would charge so much or why they would do it now? Has this happened to anyone else? When the transaction goes through and I know it's deffinatly from Apple I'm going to call them up and ask them what's going on.

http://customerforum.o2.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=3988

 

[miniConvert]

It could just be an authorisation, checking that you have the funds available on your card. I am 90% certain that's what it is.

It will drop off within a few days.

 

[PieMan]

It could just be an authorisation, checking that you have the funds available on your card. I am 90% certain that's what it is.

It will drop off within a few days.

I'm hoping that's what it is. That's why i'm waiting to see if it goes through before I do anything. It hasn't been deducted from my available credit. But why £121. The maximum it would cost would be £89 for the family pack.

 

[AndyMoore]

Yesterday, I phoned my credit card company when I noticed a pending transaction of £121. They confirmed that it was from Apple and that it was an "Authorisation". The customer service person advised that they see this sort of thing every day, mainly from hotels, so the company can check you have the funds and if you don't pay they can still take the funds from your card.

 

[dhorkney]

I have the same £121 charge after signing up for the trial.
I just spoken to my CC company who said the £121 pending
charge was due to be taken from the card in two days

I have emailed apple and after 24 hours still had no response.
I do hope they sort this out before the money is taken.

Not a good start for mobileme

 

[sgtboy]

Yes its an authorization

I bought it here in Canada and it showed up as ~$170 canadian, anything from apple always does this and then drops to the correct amount

 

[f1d]

I found out I've been charged the same!

Checked with my bank today. Also told to e-mail Apple MobileMe support, no response yet.

I will not be happy if they 'hold' my funds for 60 days just to see if I have enough! And for holding £121... it's only £59!

If I don't get the money back soon, I will be reconsidering renewing it at all!

 

[z.j.c]

Will I Be Charged?

If I go ahead with this free trial will I be charged this £120 or is this fee not being taken?

 

[corinhorn]

I think this happened to me when I signed up for a .Mac trial years ago, or at least something from Apple.. I was not charged. The pending transaction dissappeared after a day or two.

 

[z.j.c]

I am not sure if I should risk it or not.

Anyone think Apple have sorted out this issue?

 

[corinhorn]

I am not sure if I should risk it or not.

Anyone think Apple have sorted out this issue?

I really don't think this is an issue. Every company does this. I just signed up with a free trial at audible.com and it shows up as a pending charge.

Apple just wanted to make sure the cards and funds were real.

When I pre-order something at amazon.com, a pending transaction appears from amazon.com, but its cleared after a day or two. I am then actually charged when the item is released and shipped.

The pending transaction from apple will be voided in a day or two.

If you are concerned, simply call your bank and tell them to refuse the charge (just be sure to use a credit card).

 

[z.j.c]

People are saying they have had the money taken from them so thats whats worrying me.

 

[f1d]

I really don't think this is an issue. Every company does this. I just signed up with a free trial at audible.com and it shows up as a pending charge.

Apple just wanted to make sure the cards and funds were real.

When I pre-order something at amazon.com, a pending transaction appears from amazon.com, but its cleared after a day or two. I am then actually charged when the item is released and shipped.

The pending transaction from apple will be voided in a day or two.

If you are concerned, simply call your bank and tell them to refuse the charge (just be sure to use a credit card).

While you are right in saying most companies do this (I have had funds go out pending, and then the company collects it) I've never really had it when I have a free trial - and the once it did happen it was only for the amount of the actual transaction (i.e. the full subscription cost).

The thing that annoys/worries me and I'm sure others most... is that Apple are placing £121 on hold! There is absolutely *no* need for this to happen, I could possibly understand £59, or £89, but not £121!! While not so much an issue for me, what about people who have these funds on hold which have no placed their accounts in the minus - leading to other payments possibly rejected!

It is a silly inconvenience. If they want to check the card is real, they can take out a few pence and put that back. If they want to make sure I have the funds (which I don't know why, they won't be taking them out until another 58 days... if at all) they should only hold the amount they NEED, not another £50-60+ extra.

Sloppy on Apple's side.

 

[z.j.c]

This is exactly why I don't want Apple to do this to me. I have a lot of direct debits coming out and if this money comes out it will affect a good section of them.

 

[AndyMoore]

Got a mail back from MobileMe support -

Dear Andrew,

I am very sorry for the incorrect temporary authorization hold on your credit card. Apple worked quickly to identify and resolve an issue that caused an incorrect temporary hold when certain new accounts--including yours--were created.

Within the next few days, the MobileMe engineering team will contact you by email to provide more information about how this matter will be resolved. To ensure that you receive that email, you may need to configure your email program to allow email from apple.com email addresses.

If you do not receive that email within a few days, please reply to let me know. I will be happy to assist you further.

Thank you for your patience, and again, I apologize for the inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Urban Weigl
MobileMe Support

 

[z.j.c]

Im hoping this means the free trail wont cost me now then?

 

[z.j.c]

Anyone confirm this?

 

[nvbrit]

I'm hoping that's what it is. That's why i'm waiting to see if it goes through before I do anything. It hasn't been deducted from my available credit. But why £121. The maximum it would cost would be £89 for the family pack.

It's just a hold, the amount is irrelevant, the same way a gas station will hold say $70 from your card even if you only purchase $10 worth of gas.

 

[nvbrit]

Anyone confirm this?

Well as you already had an email form Apple, you should probably direct your question back to Apple now to find out what is going to happen

 

[gazzzmoly]

It's just a hold, the amount is irrelevant, the same way a gas station will hold say $70 from your card even if you only purchase $10 worth of gas.

A according to apples TOS they should have charged $1 not £121. Regardless of holding charge or not. The fact is of is removed from from our available balance and we can not get to it. The banks can. Of release the funds back for 5 days. So people may be left with money.

£121 may not sound a lot to the Americans but when that equates to nearly $242 it's a lot. My wife was charged and so was I so a total of £242 - $484
total is a lot of money. Consideri g only my wife managed to a tually sign up for the trial.

 

[AndyMoore]

Well as you already had an email form Apple, you should probably direct your question back to Apple now to find out what is going to happen

I received the mail, not z.j.c.

 

[nvbrit]

A according to apples TOS they should have charged $1 not £121. Regardless of holding charge or not. The fact is of is removed from from our available balance and we can not get to it. The banks can. Of release the funds back for 5 days. So people may be left with money.

£121 may not sound a lot to the Americans but when that equates to nearly $242 it's a lot. My wife was charged and so was I so a total of £242 - $484
total is a lot of money. Consideri g only my wife managed to a tually sign up for the trial.

I'm not American!

 

[nvbrit]

I received the mail, not z.j.c.

You got the email, he got the email.. that's a minor detail!!!