Forum: Perils of telcos enabling direct carrier billing services by default

I recently received a call from my telecommunications provider (M1) informing me that my account would incur higher-than-usual charges due to a purchase made through one of my subsidiary lines.

Upon checking with my son, who uses this line, I discovered that he had made an in-app purchase in a mobile game.

However, what surprised me was that I, as the main account holder, was not notified when the purchase was made.

What’s even more concerning is that the direct carrier billing service was enabled by default on the subsidiary line.

Many parents, like myself, subscribe to subsidiary lines for their children, often without realising that in-app purchases can be charged directly to the phone bill.

This service should not be activated automatically; rather, the primary account holder should have to explicitly approve its activation.

In my case, I had to contact my provider to request a link to deactivate the service.

The burden of managing such settings should not fall solely on the main account holder after the fact, but rather, be part of a transparent process that gives consumers control upfront.

Telcos must recognise that enabling direct carrier billing by default can lead to unexpected charges, particularly in households with children. Without proper safeguards and notifications, parents may be unaware that such services are active on their children’s lines.

In addition, this billing method opens the door to potential misuse by scammers, who often exploit these services for unauthorised charges.

Voon Chen Wei