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Google Chrome will warn you before you fall for a phone subscription scam

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About to fall into a mobile subscription scam? Google Chrome will give you a heads up.
About to fall into a mobile subscription scam? Google Chrome will give you a heads up.

Image: Getty Images/Cultura RF

2016%2f09%2f16%2fe7%2fhttpsd2mhye01h4nj2n.cloudfront.netmediazgkymde1lzex.0f9e7By Johnny Lieu2018-11-09 01:50:30 UTC

Found yourself subscribed to a shady ringtone service? Even though it’s 2018? Google Chrome will soon stop you from falling into that trap.

In an upcoming version of Chrome, the browser will throw up a warning page when it suspects users could be unwittingly subscribed to a direct billing scam, leaving them with unexpected charges on their next bill.

Chrome will detect if the subscription information on a webpage is insufficient, and like its other warnings, give the user the opportunity to go back, or proceed if they like.

The warning page.

The warning page.

Google has unveiled a series of best practices for mobile billing on Chrome, which includes telling the user how much they’ll be charged, what they’ll be charged for, how long for, and ensuring those details are clear and visible.

“We want to make sure Chrome users understand when they are going through a billing flow and trust that they’ll be able to make informed decisions while browsing the web,” reads a blog post by Google.

An example of a mobile subscription scam.

An example of a mobile subscription scam.

The warning page will launch in Chrome 71, which is set to release in December. 

It also has a feature which blocks all ads from a website if they’re deemed to be abusive, in that they trick users to open new tabs or download files.

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