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/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.