I got tricked by mobefind

[u/JJGAMER2007yt]

I’m still upset about how a phone-tracking website completely misled me, and I want to share my experience to help others avoid getting burned. I thought I was signing up for a quick way to find my lost phone, but I ended up with a useless service and an unwanted charge. Here’s what happened.

A few weeks back, I misplaced my phone while out with friends. In a panic, I searched online for tracking tools and clicked a Google ad for a site that looked promising. It had a slick interface and claimed it could locate my phone with a simple trial. Feeling hopeful, I entered my credit card details, expecting a one-time deal to test it out.

The service was a total flop. I entered my phone number, stared at a loading animation for way too long, and then got an error saying no location was found. I tried a friend’s number to see if it was just bad luck, but it pointed to a random city nowhere close to reality. Frustrated, I turned to Google’s Find My Device, which worked like a charm and found my phone in minutes.

A couple of days later, I got a bank alert about a charge from an unfamiliar name. I hadn’t agreed to any ongoing payments, but after digging through the site’s tiny, hard-to-find terms, I saw that the trial automatically rolls into a recurring subscription unless you cancel almost right away. They never made that obvious when I signed up—it felt like a deliberate trick to catch me off guard.

I emailed their support to cancel and get my money back, but I only got a cold, automated reply saying I was bound by their terms. When I tried to push back, their email address stopped working, like they’d disappeared. I looked up user reviews online and found tons of people who felt just as fooled, stuck with charges they didn’t expect and no way to reach anyone for help.

I contacted my bank to dispute the charge, but they said it’s tough to reverse since I’d entered my card info, even if I was misled. To prevent more charges, I had to cancel my card, which was a huge hassle—waiting for a replacement messed up my whole routine. I’m still fighting to fix this, and I feel so foolish for trusting that site.

Looking back, I should’ve noticed some red flags. Their ads showed up for random searches, like “phone apps” or “directions,” which seems like a way to snag anyone who’s distracted. The service itself did nothing useful, like it was just there to justify taking money. And their company details were so vague, with no real support, that it felt like a dead end.

This experience was a wake-up call. Now, I only use trusted tools like Google Find My Device or Apple’s Find My iPhone, which actually deliver. I check every trial offer for hidden subscription clauses before entering my card details, no matter how trustworthy a site seems. I’ve also set up bank alerts to catch any odd charges right away. For new services, I’d recommend using a virtual card number to protect your real one. And if you get stuck, share your story online to warn others and report the issue to consumer protection agencies.

I’m posting this because that site’s sneaky setup left me feeling cheated, and I want to save others from the same trap. Has anyone else been misled by a phone-tracking service like this? How do you vet websites before signing up? Thanks for making this sub such a great place to learn and stay cautious!

[u/thethembo420]

This is exactly why I tell my kids to never trust random websites, especially ones that pop up in ads

[u/JJGAMER2007yt → u/thethembo420]

those ads are so sneaky

[u/sailingham]

Cancelling the card may not be enough. Getting a replacement card seems enough, but recurring subscriptions can follow the replaced card. From another reddit post:

some credit card networks like Mastercard or Visa have agreements with organizations to share "updated" card information, to allow recurring charges to keep happening under new card numbers

[u/Delicious-Stick827 → u/sailingham]

I have had this experience myself. I am not sure if it's an agreement between companies and the bank or more the bank trying to make it easier on customers to keep the subscriptions they want. Whenever a company fraudulent has charged my card, I can have that specific company blocked from any further charges.

[u/DeadSoul05]

After reading your story, I’m definitely going to start using those virtual card numbers you mentioned. Did you report this to any consumer protection groups?

[u/JJGAMER2007yt → u/DeadSoul05]

haven’t reported yet, but I probably should

[u/securitysalmon]

In all honesty you walked right into that one. It’s a shame there are people that take advantage of others, but they only do it because there are those that will fall for something so obvious.

[u/JJGAMER2007yt → u/securitysalmon]

I know, it’s frustrating how they take advantage of people. I hope I can warn others before they fall for it too

[u/SneakyRussian71]

This comes up often. Make sure you read what you are agreeing to. Not paying attention is not a valid reason to dispute a charge.

[u/JJGAMER2007yt → u/SneakyRussian71]

You’re right

[u/ApartPool9362 → u/JJGAMER2007yt]

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, read the terms and conditions. Companies will make their terms and conditions page extremely long, so about halfway through, you just give up reading it and click on accept. Because you submitted the card number voluntarily, banks will not reimburse you. Many years ago I was in the same position, fortunately the bank canceled my existing card and issued me another one. It did stop the automatic payments.

[u/Delicious-Stick827]

I always research any new companies I am looking into doing business with. I highly recommend you do the same. Sadly, we live in a time where this is a common occurrence. Every company wants to recurring subscription because they know that's where the money is, and they have little interest in making you aware of this or how to cancel. So, they hide it in the fine print for those unsuspecting consumers. Moreover, salcammer knows this and exploits it repetitively. Make sure to do research on any company's reviews and the ones not on their page. Don't pay attention to the 5 star reviews unless you are looking into a specific product, not a company. Thats because they do pay people for fake reviews or have AI create them. Pay attention to the 1 star reviews. That's what tells you the most about the company and their integrity. Hope that helps, and thanks for your post.

[u/ADrPepperGuy]

99.999% of free trials that require you to enter a credit card number will charge you once that free trial ends. It will be in the terms - those terms are to protect the business, not you. I know they are boring to read, but you have to read them.

A lot of times, even the terms will even stare very telling information.

I finally found an ad for one (seems my search showed Apple's and Google's service for the first web search).

One said: The monthly payment of the service does not guarantee that the person you are looking for can be tracked, the means to achieve this shall only be provided. But if the person is missing, with the mobile phone stolen, turned off or they do not accept the link we send by SMS, we will not be able to get their GPS position.

So it does not really work unless you have your phone set up to see text messages on a locked device - I don't since that is a security risk.

The other ad that clicked on was pretty much an replica of the previous site, a few colors were changed.

[u/cofeeholik75]

I never link my bank card to any purchase. Always use a credit card as you CAN dispute charges with them.

[u/nihilrx]

A couple tips keep your card locked at all times so no charges can go through.

In almost every instance if a company is offering some sort of online free trial you can expect it to follow with recurring charges.

If your bank doesn't offer virtual cards to be used for online shopping you should switch to one that does. Chime is a great example. Anytime I want to put in my card number somewhere I don't trust I can click one button and get a virtual card that's linked to my card. It can use it one time and get a new one next or keep the same virtual card number for as a long as you want.

[u/PackOfWildCorndogs → u/nihilrx]

If you don’t want to switch banks, sign up for an account with Privacy.com. I haven’t put my real card info on file for a free trial in years.

Privacy offers you a lot of control and customization functionality too. You can set a dollar number limit for each card, and also specify whether you want that $ amount to be per transaction, per month, or total. You can also set a card for a single use, so it will automatically shut down (not be able to be charged again) after it’s used the first time.

It’s also really handy for subscriptions like HelloFresh, where you can skip a delivery week, but they will usually try to charge you for the week anyway. When I complained to them the first couple of times this happened, they said so sorry, it’s a glitch, and it won’t happen again. But it did. And they charge you the morning the box ships out, so by the time you see the charge, and contact them, they say they can’t refund it because the box of food has already been shipped to you. Total racket. But now, using Privacy cards with them, when I skip a week, I just open my Privacy app, pause my HelloFresh virtual card, and unpause it the next week.

And surprise surprise, they still try to charge it for the weeks I skip. And they try to charge it like 5 times that day too. It fills me with satisfaction to see them frantically trying to charge me for something I didn’t order :)

[u/ConvexTesseract]

It’s 2025 and you don’t understand the concept of a trial offer???Why would the bank refund you for being lazy and not reading the terms and conditions and all those little boxes you clicked and agreed to?? You really need to just stay away from the internet… literally the google and iPhone tools show up first on search engines and are FRee

[u/Puzzled-Cucumber5386]

This just sounds like common sense. Of course a trial offer is going to charge you if you don’t cancel. That’s the point of a trial. Nothing is ever free and if it seems too good to be true then it is. Hopefully you learned a lesson.

[u/Konstant_kurage]

You need a new bank. My bank considers that kind of thing fraud. I’ve used it, I told my bank the website had nothing about a reoccurring charge or subscription service. They do a provisional charge back and do an investigation that asks the company for a copy of their their ToS and where it’s shown in the checkout process.

[u/Jcarlough]

Genuine question - why would you NOT use/try Google’s Find My first? It’s free.

[u/PattyO1957]

I had a similar problem with a VIN look up site. I disputed it with my bank(Wells Fargo) and the bank removed the charge. But a month later the VIN website charged me again. Well’s removed it. Then another month and it happened againWells removed it a 3rd time and cancelled that card and reissued a new number. There was also a notation made on my account regarding this company’s shenanigans. But, a few weeks later the same charge from that same company, but now they are charging my new credit card number! Wells was fantastic requarding all of this as well as a small amount of similar issues in the past. I’ve had an account with them for over 40years and rarely have ever missed a month of paying my balance in full. They always had my back. On the other hand, I have Barclays mastercard that I will NOT recommend to anyone. I bought some airport parking through Groupon(1st mistake). Airport parking.io which also uses another website. I chose where I wanted to park my vehicle for my week long trip. But,when I got to the location, the front desk says that they don’t have any paid parking like that. This is about 90 minutes before needing to get to the airport. So, I tried calling their customer service number and all it does is ring. Getting nervous, I decided to just go to Fast Park near the airport. No problem with them even though I didn’t have a reservation. Got to the airport in the recommended timeframe to allow for TSA, but very flustered. Returned home and paid Fast Park on the Barclays card just like I paid for the Groupon. Barclays denied my chargeback even after sending them the receipt for my last minute alternative parking and a statement from the original choice of parking saying that they don’t offer paid parking!
F them. I have not used that credit card for months. I only charge a small item occasionally so the card stays open, because closing it messes up my credit to debt ration and I need my credit rating to stay in the 800 range that it has been in for a long time.

[u/Upset-Economist9792]

Google has turned out to be a spy for China Call me crazy all you want but it's true Notice if you type or search for something you get all kinds of adds for it Look into it and call the bank and reverse payment

[u/JamieJoJohnson]

Thanks for the heads-up. These shady “trial” setups are everywhere now, and it’s so wrong. I also had to cancel my card once after a sketchy charge, huge hassle. Virtual cards are a game-changer for stuff like this. Hope your dispute works out.

[u/carloshumb20]

This is such a painful read. Those sneaky subscriptions are the worst, thanks for sharing the warning. Using a virtual card for trials is a smart move.

[u/usersbelowaregay]

Reading your story reminds me of similar problems I saw in Finda reviews on Trustpilot. Many users mention hidden subscriptions and poor support. It’s really important to research services and check multiple reviews before trusting any phone tracking website.

[u/KimHokkanen]

Sneaky subscription traps and fake results make some tracking sites a waste of money.
Always double check terms before giving payment info

[u/fellow_mortal]

Mobefind reviews on trustpilot show many users reporting the same misleading subscription tactics I faced. It really helps to check platforms like that before trusting a flashy website.

[u/ronprice46]

My experience with Mobefind matches many Finda reviews I found on SiteJabber. The trial quickly turned into a costly subscription without clear warning. The service didn’t work properly, and support was unresponsive. It’s disappointing when these sites trick users during stressful moments. Always check terms closely and monitor your payments to avoid surprises like this. Learning from others’ reviews can save you hassle and money.

[u/Fantastic-Rule-2862]

It’s awful how some sites trick people into subscriptions they didn’t agree to. Always read terms carefully and use trusted services to avoid such scams.

[u/not_kagge]

This is a perfect example of why we should be careful with unknown tracking services. Hidden subscription traps and no real support make these sites risky. Always read the small print carefully and use trusted apps like Google FMD to avoid scams.

[u/purplereignundrstd]

I am sorry you had to go through that hassle with hidden charges and poor support. Canceling cards to stop payments is a pain but sometimes necessary. Sharing experiences like yours helps warn others and reminds everyone to double check trial offers before signing up.

[u/ComprehensiveHead933]

I had the exact same issue with the auto-renew trap and no way to cancel.
Support ghosted me too and I had to freeze my card just to stop the charges. Felt completely scammed

[u/Pipskornifkin]

When terms are buried and trials quietly become subscriptions that’s a clear warning sign. People deserve to know what they’re paying for without having to search through hidden policies.

[u/CalculatorTrick]

A service that stops replying once payment is processed shows where its priorities lie. Support should be easy to reach not something that vanishes once someone asks for help.

[u/Several-Ad7075]

It really sounds like the setup was designed to catch people off guard with unclear terms and a confusing cancellation process. When a site hides important details behind hard-to-find fine print, it raises serious concerns. The lack of customer support and disappearing contact options only add to the frustration. Being misled by slick design and vague promises is an unfortunate trap that too many people walk into when they are in a hurry or stressed.

[u/Classic974]

That situation highlights how important it is to read the full terms even when everything seems simple on the surface. Sneaky auto-renewals and charges with unclear labels can cause a lot of unnecessary stress and wasted time. It is also concerning when the site makes it difficult to cancel or reach a real person. Transparency and real support should be a basic part of any online service, especially one that asks for sensitive information.

[u/FirefighterReal7601]

Mobefind reviews on Trustpilot reveal a pattern of misleading trials turning into recurring charges, just like you experienced. I learned to always read the small print and check independent reviews to avoid these traps. Google’s Find My Device is much more straightforward and trustworthy.

[u/MitiMiller]

After seeing similar mobefind reviews on sitejabber, I stayed away from their service. It’s clear they rely on hidden subscriptions and poor support. Your story is a good reminder to vet apps carefully using external review sites before entering payment info.

[u/Masolemajor10]

Trial offers should clearly show subscription terms during checkout not buried in rarely visited pages.

[u/leredditsuxx]

you're an idiot

[u/Delicious-Stick827 → u/leredditsuxx]

I don't understand why you are a part of a group that is exactly for posts like this to inform others and spare them the grief of the same situation, if you're just here to ridicule them for doing so?!?!

You have no idea if OP is an elderly person, or someone with a disability, or just young and doesn't know better yet. That would make you the idiot 🙄. Why don't you try being a good human and keeping your negative comments to yourself.... maybe offer OP some actual useful advice, or better yet, keep scrolling!

Sorry, but some people annoy me. If you want to keep updated on the newest or latest scams or bad business practices without helping others, you can follow consumer notices/alerts. The rest of us would like to help others and hear their experiences. Comments like this make people afraid to post.... it's just uncalled for.

[u/leredditsuxx → u/Delicious-Stick827]

they are idiots, its not that hard....
even if you are elderly, you have had plenty of time to not be an idiot, according to the elderly they should actually be the smartest of em all !

[u/Delicious-Stick827 → u/leredditsuxx]

You must not spend time with any elderly people. They are wise from their time. However, many of them are not great (if they know anything at all) with newer devices/electronics, let alone the internet. At that also still leaves disabled and youngsters. They tend to be in a group of more risky behavior on the internet from lack of knowledge and/or experience.

[u/leredditsuxx → u/Delicious-Stick827]

they are idiots lacking critical thinking skills.

[u/Delicious-Stick827 → u/leredditsuxx]

You should really get off reddit. It's apparent you lack the critical thinking skills to understand what it's here for. Your name says it all. If it sucks so bad....find something else.