Michael Pollitt | freelance technology journalist

Here’s a developing story in technology Guardian’s blog: What MBS did after popups for porn: films.. with popup bills.

For the rest of the post, current issues/help, and comments please scroll down.

Warning!: this is a long post added to between March 2008 and May 2009. There’s lots of detail:

MAY 2009: I AM RECEIVING EMAILS AND COMMENTS FROM THE NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, AND SWEDEN ABOUT PLATTE RELATING TO CLAIMS OF UNEXPLAINED POPUP BILLS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS TO SEVERAL PLATTE PORN MOVIE WEBSITES. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION MAY HELP:

A NEWS REPORT today (18 May 2009. 11.00am) says the Norwegian Consumer Council is trying to put a stop to Platte International’s activities. See this translation.  “In our opinion the procedure is illegal and erroneous bills related and we have pointed out to the company. Platte har derimot signalisert at de ikke ønsker å følge våre pålegg. Platte has however indicated that they do not want to follow our orders. I og med at selskapet holder til på De britiske jomfruøyene er det vanskelig for oss å kunne gripe inn med sanksjoner. Since the company is located in the British Virgin Islands, it is difficult for us to intervene with sanctions. Vi har derfor valgt å kontakte Google som formidlet annonsene og banken som ble benyttet for innbetaling til selskapet, sier seksjonssjef Frode Elton Haug i Forbrukerombudet. We have therefore decided to contact Google as communicated ads and the bank that was used for payment to the company, “says Director Frode Elton Haug in the Consumer. (translation by Google). Here is the original news release.

11.30am. More news on the Norwegian consumer authority’s action against Platte is here.

21 May 2009: I have written a piece in today’s Guardian newspaper on the Norwegian action against Platte – Norway pops porn biller Platte out of the picture.

Prevx Edge will detect and remove Platte International software.
Symantec products will detect and remove Platte International software.
Trend Micro’s free online scanner, HouseCall, detects and removes Platte International software.

(This removal information is as I stated in the Guardian newspaper on 19 March 2009)

Consumer organisations for asking advice relevant to your country:

The Netherlands: The government organisation for consumer protection is called: Consuwijzer.
Website:  www.consuwijzer.nl Tel:  088-0707070

Sweden: The Swedish Consumer Agency – Konsumentverket, Konsumentombudsmannen (KO) www.konsumentverket.se Tel: +46 (0)771 – 42 33 00 Email: konsumentverket@konsumentverket.se

Norway: The Consumer Ombudsman (Tel: 23 40 06 00) and the Norwegian Consumer Council.

Please ask the above organisations for help before you ask me!

STORIES FROM THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER ABOUT PLATTE:

11 March 2009 – Platte/MBS shuts down in the UK: Was it the VAT or the OFT?

19 March 2009 – Platte exits, leaving questions

21 May 2009  -  Norway pops porn biller Platte out of the picture

25 March – If anyone is still receiving letters demanding money from Platte International or Oriel Collections Ltd, please let me know.  6 April  – Please e-mail me the Platte reference number on the Oriel letter (e.g. PLATxxxxx) Thanks.

27 April – Visitors from The Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden should be aware from Platte exits, leaving questions that it’s possible to remove any unwanted Platte software with Prevx, Trend (HouseCall), or Symantec products.

27 April – Those in the UK receiving Platte debt demands from Oriel Collections of Cheltenham may find that disputing the debt with Oriel and copying any correspondence to the Office of Fair Trading is the best course of action.  Please do NOT e-mail me asking for advice if you have not already done this.  The information below may well be of help and you’re also welcome to leave a comment. However, I may no longer respond to e-mails if you are asking for advice that you could have very easily read here. So please READ everything below carefully and have a look at what people are saying in the comments.  I’m only interested in NEW information.

RSS comments for this post only

The items below were added since March 2008:

3 April 2008: Jack Schofield’s Ask Jack column – popup bills rise again – has now picked up reader comments on the new popup bills. I saw this short piece a couple of days ago when the section was being put together. It reminded me of Ask Jack in February 2007 when Guardian reader Ted Kenyon kicked off our lengthy investigations into Micro Bill Systems. We are, as they say, most definitely back on the case. Please keep sending in your experiences of Platte Media.

4 April 2008: Shari Vahl of the BBC Radio 4 programme ‘You and Yours’ did an update today. The earlier broadcast mentioned from July 2007 is here.

26 June 2008: I have written a new piece in technology Guardian (Porn billing firm lures customers with promises of Hollywood movies) about Platte International (Platte Media). Please see this post.

2 July 2008: BBC Radio 4 You and Yours’ update and Sheila McClennon’s interview with Platte International’s Ashley Bateup (no link)

10 July 2008: More about Platte in the Guardian’s technology section (Content supplier admits to contract with popup biller Platte) – also see this post

9 October 2008: And more… Will Platte be beached by VAT? (The Guardian’s technology section)

The original information from March 2008 follows:

Platte International Ltd is a new company using the MBS ‘popup’ billing technology. Platte Media is the operating division of Platte International Ltd. The new websites are plattemedia.com and getfilmsnow.com. (added October: and movierecall.com – warning: porn images).

When and how did Platte get into your system? There are a series of helpful questions here including a link for instructions to run the Internet Explorer History View (IEHV) program. Remember that the popup bill appears on the fourth day (e.g. sign up on Monday, popup bill on Thursday). What day and time did Platte install? A quick way to find out is to right click/properties/general on the Platte desktop icons – check the created date/time.

Not sure how you signed up? Have you seen the unmistakable Platte installation process? View a harmless video of the sign-up process on Platte Media’s website.

According to today’s Office of Fair Trading press release, Micro Bill Systems (MBS) “co-operated with OFT requests to review the clarity of the sign up process consumers go through to access to its web site content, the fairness of its terms and conditions of use, and its automated billing process.” The OFT now believes that “they [MBS] achieve the right balance between protecting consumer interests without stifling innovation in the ‘on-line’ market place.”

For my three previous stories in technology Guardian concerning Micro Bill Systems (MBS) and the popup window ‘Your MBS Bill’ please click here. Posts from this blog about MBS are here.

I no longer need this feedback: I’m interested in hearing from people who have encountered the new popup bills (Your Platte Subscription). What do you think of this billing method? Did you know what you were doing when you signed up? Or do you feel caught out? Did another member of your family sign up and you now have to pay the bill? Is this a good way of paying for services on the web? If you’re happily using the new ‘getfilmsnow’ service, please tell me. On the other hand, if you have any issues with it, I’d like to know too. Your experiences and opinions, please.

2009 – CURRENT PLATTE ISSUES – PLEASE REVIEW THIS INFORMATION CAREFULLY

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING STORIES FROM THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER:

11 March 2009 – Platte/MBS shuts down in the UK: Was it the VAT or the OFT?

19 March 2009 – Platte exits, leaving questions

If you continue to receive debt letters from Platte International or Oriel Collections Ltd after 19 March,  please leave a brief comment on this blog to confirm (or e-mail me using address top right or at tech@guardian.co.uk). I’m not expecting anyone in the UK to see any NEW Platte popup bills. Please e-mail me the Platte reference number on the Oriel letter (e.g. PLATxxxxx) Thanks.

LOOKING FOR PRESS COVERAGE ABOUT PLATTE INTERNATIONAL OR MICRO BILL SYSTEMS (MBS)? – read all the stories, letters, and blog posts in the Guardian newspaper’s technology section for Platte International and Micro Bill Systems. [these links are searches]

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Further information:

DO YOU FEEL HARASSED? – The mbsvictims.org.uk forum is drawing attention to a recent legal ruling on a case brought against British Gas.

ARE YOU FROM NORWAY? – 13 January 2009: Platte has a new website (thexxxcollection.com) aimed at Norwegian internet users. 698 Kr per 90 days. All of the information below is for UK visitors but if I find out the Norwegian equivalent of Trading Standards (anyone know?), I will provide a link. There are two possible helpful links for Norwegians – The Consumer Ombudsman and the Norwegian Consumer Council. West Yorkshire Trading Standards suggests that Norwegian users are directed to the UK European Consumer Centre.

WHICH ORGANISATIONS CAN HELP – The following organisations have received a large number of enquiries and complaints about Platte: Trading Standards, Consumer Direct, The Office of Fair Trading. Platte Media also has a frequently asked questions page. Here is a page of all these organisations’ contact addresses for your convenience including a link to the Platte demonstration sign-up videos.

WHO TO WRITE TO – If you are upset by your experiences of Platte, then writing to Trading Standards, the Office of Fair Trading, and your Member of Parliament will help make your views known.  January 2009: The mbsvictims forum (started when pop up billing was introduced by Micro Bill Systems in 2007) has now begun a new letter writing campaign. There are some sample letters to assist you.

COLLECTION AGENTS – I am receiving reports (Nov. 2008) of letters (Re: Outstanding Balance) which state “Failure to make the above payment from fourteen days from the date of this letter will result in us forwarding this debt onto Oriel our appointed collection agents and will incur an additional £25.00 administration fee“. 20 November: I have received several reports and copies of letters from Oriel Collections Ltd demanding payment. Nobody has reported Oriel taking any action beyond this. If anyone receives letters in January 2009 from Oriel Collections Ltd, please let me know (my e-mail address top right) – more reports have been received this month (March 2009).

PLATTE SOFTWARE REMOVAL – No direct links to manual Platte removal methods (or any detailed ‘how to’ descriptions) will be published here for legal reasons. The mbsvictims.org.uk forum does discuss these removal methods (free) but as a journalist I’m not getting into that topic. I cannot help anyone remove Platte manually and you will have to search for the answers. There is a report (8 Dec 2008) in the Inquirer that Prevx Edge (PC security software) will flag applications such as Platte as “precautionary removals” if detected. Prevx told me that “If you install Prevx Edge and pay the £19.95, it will remove Platte from the machine if you choose to do so.” Important note: You may have contractual obligations to Platte if you knowingly downloaded the Platte software. For more background on the legal issues about removal, read Legal wrangles over porn billing software (31 May 2007, The Guardian) which was about Micro Bill Systems (later acquired by Platte International).

HOW DID PLATTE GET MY HOME ADDRESS? – If you have received a letter from Platte and you didn’t give Platte your home address or postcode, please get in touch. There are unproven suggestions that Platte has been using IP addresses to obtain this personal information from internet service providers.

I covered this issue and Platte’s denial in Will Platte be beached by VAT? (9 October 2008 The Guardian). But I am still receiving reports from people (latest report: 20 Octobe 2008). Please also read Platte International’s response on ISPs and home addresses as a comment below (14 October 2008) before you contact me.

COUNTY COURT CLAIM – If you have received a Platte letter and a page of ‘pre-submission information’ mentioning the possibility of a county court claim (Northampton County Court) for an outstanding debt, I’d like to hear from you (25 November 2008: I think this issue has now ceased)

Letters referring to court action are still being reported no longer being reported. Nobody contacted me to say they are actually being taken to court.

PLATTE SUBSCRIPTION CHARGES – There have been recent changes (noted in Nov 2008). Instead of £29.99 and £28.99 for 30 days subscription (two sample porn sites) it seems Platte has revised its charges. On the two sites I have checked, I’m seeing “The best value adult website at £49.99 for 90 days access” and “You will be billed at GBP 49.99 per 90 days of subscription”.

Thanks to everyone contributing to these public comments.

27 January 2009: Due to many e-mails about Platte each day, I now expect only to hear from people (by e-mail) who have read ALL the information here carefully and have something NEW to say. You are welcome to leave comments on this page for others to read and reply to.  As a journalist, I’m continuing to track the issues being experienced  – and that’s why I’m most interested in any NEW developments.

Please look at the above information as it will answer nearly all your questions. If you want to air your problem, seek explanations, or make a complaint, please may I suggest you contact Trading Standards in the first instance. You can also leave a comment on this page but don’t expect a reply – I may add a brief note if what you say demands a NEW answer.

I cannot help with manual Platte software removal for legal reasons. You may find assistance in mbsvictims.org.uk

My e-mail address is top right in the sidebar. You can also e-mail me via tech@guardian.co.uk.

Please note: I may edit your comments (especially if you talk about detailed Platte removal methods, use bad language, or make threats against anyone) when moderating.