Boingo hotspots = scam

[Teunis]

Last Saturday I was holed up at an international airport and after the 30 mins. of free WIFI ran out I decided (reluctanly!) to take the €7.95 offer of 24hrs. access (for a single device) by Boingo, paid via Paypal.
This being a European airport I expected the usual rules that govern sale to EU citizen.
During the sign-up I saw a link to the Boingo Customer Agreement and had a cursory look at this lengthy document.
Pretty soon after the sign up I received a mail confirming the transaction for a 24hrs. access.
After several hours I was called to the gate so I closed my laptop.
Then there was a further delay and I restarted the laptop to continue browsing which happened without delay or intervention, clearly (and obviously) the 24 hrs. contract was still in place.
Monday and while at at home I received a statement by Paypal for a further €9.95 charge by... Boingo!
No explanation was given.

I did a Google search for how Boingo is charging, maybe add €2.- for Paypal use?
Google turned up a veritable treasure trove of complaints about this Delaware registered outfit with HQ in CA, one example:
http://www.measuredup.com/search?q=boingo

Another little titbit from their Customer Agreement:

How Your Subscription Is Finalized
Our invitation to you to order a subscription to the Services is not an "offer" by us to sell you a subscription at the prices on Boingo website located at www.boingo.com (the “Boingo Website”). Instead when you complete the registration form, you make an offer to us to buy a subscription, which we can accept or reject.

"you make an offer to us to buy a subscription"
Sure, that'll hold in a EU court, not

Now I realised I have macchanger installed that puts a random MAC address up after every restart and this might have been detected as a second device.
(because MAC addresses are always send in the clear they are a privacy issue when on public hotspots)
Again I (carefully) checked their Customer Agreement but it doesn't mention the way they check for 'other devices', no mention at all of the word 'MAC address'.

So I lodged an on-line complaint with Paypal and for good measure I also called them.
The Paypal lady fully understood my issue and promised to investigate and also block Boingo from further charges.

I also send a complaint to Boingo's customer support.
To my surprise his was replied to within hours but the story was less than promising, still no explanation given for the reason of the additional charge but a new reference to their Customer Agreement.
Please note, nowhere do they specify the charges for an additional device, the €9.95 was totally fictitious.
Up till now I still don't know if this was the reason for the charge.

This morning I received a mail by Paypal they were reversing the charges, good
Then a mail by Boingo customer support with this very telling titbit:

Boingo AsYouGo usernames and passwords are designed to be used on a single device at a single location. This distinction is described in our fascinating legal document presented during sign-up, called the Boingo Customer Agreement. In it, we have a "Device Limit" section that states: "Boingo AsYouGo: No limit, but separate AYG charges will be incurred for each unique device connected to the network." Basically, this aims to prevent people from sharing or stealing credentials to get online for free.

You noticed the : "our fascinating legal document"?

And do you know this little issue from iShiny:
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/82...-marketers.htm

So as a recap, at many airports they might be the only option but stay well clear of these Boingo scam artists!

[GreyGeek]

The Lawyer who wrote that "Customer Agreement" must be moonlighting for Boingo. He probably works full time as a lawyer for some branch of the US government. They are very proficient at claiming that day is night, evil is good, and an invitation is not an offer, and a registration is a subscription offer.

[SteveRiley]

How else can a device be identified? Not user name, because names identify humans. Not IP address, because addresses are allocated via DHCP from a block and reused. MAC addresses are globally unique and therefore the only thing suitable for services that charge per device. The AsYouGo plan is clearly described as per device.

Their method for provisioning subscriptions is sleazy, I can definitely agree with you there. But to call Boingo a scam? Seems harsh, no?

BTW, hotels are notorious for charging per device on their (stupidly expensive) wi-fi services. I circumvent that by packing a D-Link travel router. Neat!

[Teunis]

I fully understand MAC addresses are the only realistic way to identify devices, exactly why maccchanger exists and iOS8 has such build in.

But I don't understand they can't be bothered to add a little line explaining their system to their already huge Customer Agreement.

What ticks me really off is the tricky way they advertise and sell their services.
When I signed up for 24hrs access that was all they advertised, no mention of the additional AYG plan.
Reading their lengthy "fascinating legal document" this does not become transparent, nor do they advertise the price for the additional device(s).
It would be interesting if someone takes them to a EU (consumer oriented) court and judging by how fast they dropped the extra charges I have a feeling that's exactly what they try to avoid.

The vast majority of complaints that are not about how hard it is to unsubscribe are exactly about this, further unexpected and even monthly recurring charges.
If they were fair they would initially refuse connection to an 'other device', maybe pop up a message as such but certainly not stealthily add a charge.
A charge that contrary to the first one only shows up days later.
Besides, the charge for an extra 24hrs account would be cheaper than the AYG plan!

Yes Sleaze is also a description.

I had a look at a travel router but these days virtually all hotels offer included and quasi unlimited access.
And I still have Blueman as a Bluetooth hotspot.

[oshunluvr]

I find the hotel internet coverages and charges vastly variable. I'm a Marriott "Gold" member (whatever THAT means) so I always get free internet at their properties, but even within the chain the cost policies vary.

I suspect (totally speculation here) that Teunis has experienced something very common here in USA and isn't used to it because consumer protections are of much greater importance in the EU - at least it appears that way from this side of the pond. You'd be amazed at how many products and services rely (and are allowed to) on this same scheme here in the good ole' USA. It's really just another predatory business model: Offer something they want at a fair price, sneak in the automatic renewal, make money off of the ones that don't notice until they've paid for several months. I get having the option to auto-continue a product or service - but it should be "opt-in" only and never automatic.

[GreyGeek]

On iOS8 Apple introduced random MAC addresses, which would make it difficult for Boing and other MAC trackers to track iOS8. However, Apple shot itself in the foot when they made the feature reliably available ONLY when the user has location service AND cellular data connection turned OFF!

[Teunis]

I don't quite see how they shot themselves in the foot when they integrate all the privacy settings.

But yes, they didn't need to switch off Cellular, the MAC problem exists mainly on WIFI networks, Cellular has other identifiers.

Oh yes this is a very US centric contract and talking with someone who knows it is probably in conflict with EU consumer protection law.

[SteveRiley]

But I don't understand they can't be bothered to add a little line explaining their system to their already huge Customer Agreement.

What ticks me really off is the tricky way they advertise and sell their services.
When I signed up for 24hrs access that was all they advertised, no mention of the additional AYG plan.
Reading their lengthy "fascinating legal document" this does not become transparent, nor do they advertise the price for the additional device(s).
...
Besides, the charge for an extra 24hrs account would be cheaper than the AYG plan!

Yeah, the unfortunate reality is that you have to scrutinize these service signup pages carefully. For instance, when I'm on an Alaska Airlines flight, I can connect to the on-board wi-fi from Go Go Internet. The screen initially shows "popular" options. I have to click a link to see all options. I want the price for the entire flight, not just for a 30 minute period. But at least each option is clearly described: number of devices, price, and duration.

It would be interesting if someone takes them to a EU (consumer oriented) court and judging by how fast they dropped the extra charges I have a feeling that's exactly what they try to avoid.

Let us know how that goes for you

[SteveRiley]

I find the hotel internet coverages and charges vastly variable. I'm a Marriott "Gold" member (whatever THAT means) so I always get free internet at their properties, but even within the chain the cost policies vary.

Starwood (W, Westin, Sheraton, et. al.) gives us Golds the option of (1) free wi-fi, (2) free drink at the bar, or (3) extra bonus points. I always go for the points, because I can expense the others!

[Teunis]

To throw in some names, the past few years JW Marriot and Best Western have been free and pretty damn good.

A wrap up of the Boingo scam, I signed up for a single device and for 24hrs.
Not for AYG, not for two devices, not for next week, Boingo is sooo on the wrong side of the law.

[SteveRiley]

A wrap up of the Boingo scam, I signed up for a single device and for 24hrs.
Not for AYG, not for two devices, not for next week, Boingo is sooo on the wrong side of the law.

So which plan did you sign up for, then? They seem to think you chose AsYouGo. If you actually chose something different, then you indeed have a legitimate claim.

[Teunis]

I can't replay the page offered at the airport but it had a very simple layout with three plans, the first one was €5.75 (or so) for 1 hr of access, the second one was advertised for 24hrs access and the third for a longer period (unlimited) with monthly payments. It was made clear the plans were meant for a single device so I had an extra look (Ctrl F) in their conditions and found no reference to MAC address logging and therefore assumed they would only allow a single device at a time as is nothing uncommon on other networks.

About immediately I received a welcome mail with the following text:

Thanks for connecting with Boingo Wi-Fi — voted by the readers of Global Traveler as the Best Wi-Fi service in the world! Here are the specific details of the plan you signed up for:

Boingo AsYouGo

"Enjoy Boingo Wi-Fi for the next 24 hours at this hotspot on this laptop or device for just €7.95. Future connections will be billed at just €10.95 per connection in the UK and Ireland, €6.95 per connection at individual hotspots within North and South America, €8.95 per connection at individual hotspots in Asia/Pacific, and €16.95 per connection at individual hotspots in Europe, Middle East, and Africa, excluding UK and Ireland. Please note, separate AsYouGo charges will be incurred for each unique device connected to the network."

About Your Account

Your Boingo AsYouGo account enables you to get online at more than 700,000 Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide — and because it’s “pay-as-you-go”, you only pay if you use the service. Each time you log on to a Boingo hotspot, you’ll pay the daily rate and enjoy 24 hours at that location on a single device. For example, if you log in at a hotel and then later that day log in at the airport, you will be charged twice. Similarly, if you log in with more than one device at a single location — say, a laptop and a tablet at the hotel, you will be charged twice. Please note: Daily rates may vary by region.

Upgrade and Save!

If you'd like to avoid being charged for multiple devices or at multiple hotspots, consider one of our unlimited regional plans. With Boingo Unlimited, you can enjoy UNLIMITED Wi-Fi throughout North and South America on any two devices for just $9.95 USD per month. Change your plan to Boingo Unlimited and save!

Take Our Survey

When you have a minute (literally!), we'd love to hear from you. If you'll answer a few questions for us about your experience so far, your valuable feedback will help us continue to provide excellent service.

We look forward to keeping you connected when you're on the go. And if you ever need help, our award-winning customer care is here 24/7.

Welcome!

By lack of clarification I could only assume this AsYouGo was a brand name for the 24 hrs. service I signed up for.
What immediately worried me was the 'each time you log onto a Boingo hotspot' in my world this could mean I would not be able to log on again after a disconnect.
Around here it's unheard of if a service provider would be able to charge again based on a one-off contract, 24hrs is 24hrs, so if this was going to happen I was expecting another dialogue to make me pay again.
And I read I'd also have to get a renewal in case I'd move to another hotspot location: 'at that location on a single device'.
Please note they don't advertise anywhere what this €9.95 charge is for.
And the other way around, there is no price list specifying what a second device would cost, again pointing to allowing only one device at a time.

This is what made me wake up when the second charge came and I couldn't place it's sum, €9.95 is not mentioned in the welcome mail nor on the site.

You sent a payment of €9,95 EUR to Boingo Wireless (support@boingo.com)

---

Merchant Boingo Wireless support@boingo.com	Instructions to merchant You haven't entered any instructions.

Description	Unit price	Qty	Amount
	€9,95 EUR	1	€9,95 EUR

Subtotal	€9,95 EUR
[COLOR=#333333 !important]Total[/COLOR]	€9,95 EUR
[COLOR=#333333 !important]Payment[/COLOR]	€9,95 EUR
Charge will appear on your credit card statement as "PAYPAL *BOINGOWIREL BOINGO WIRELESS" Payment sent to support@boingo.com

Let it be clear, I did NOT send this payment, it was Boingo that took it on what I consider false pretence.
And to make matters worse it was without any description or date incurred, not even these three letters AYG are mentioned.
At this point I did not think about the MAC changer but more about an erroneous duplicate billing and via Google I tried to see if they would add €2.- to cover possible Paypal charges.

But then all these pages of complaints about similar spurious charges came up.

Even though I received their mail confirming cancellation of our contract I have removed their (yes their, not mine!) login credentials from my browser because I'll be damned if I would accidentally latch on to one of their honey pots.

Next time I'll use the corporate iPass.
I am a seasoned world traveller and have been around unusual situations but this lot beats many of them.

[SteveRiley]

Hm. I guess we're reading this email very differently, you and I. Seems very clear to me.

• Red circle: the service you subscribed to.
• Orange lines: the 24h clock starts now, on this device at this location. Use another device, incur another charge. In your case, since you changed MAC addresses, the service can only assume that you're using a different device.
• Green lines: same concept as orange lines. "Each time you log on" doesn't mean that the 24h clock restarts on this device at this location. The clock runs regardless of whether you're logged on or not. If you take a break, then log on again with this device at this location, you'll still be on the 24h period you started the first time. Otherwise, they wouldn't call it "24 hours."

The second charge being two euros more than the first is somewhat confusing, though.

[Teunis]

I agree partially with what you read.
The main problem is it does in my recollection not match with the simple page shown at the airport hotspot that specifically advertised a 24hrs. service, the AYG part only showed up after the deal was made.

Please note, separate AsYouGo charges will be incurred for each unique device connected to the network.
If they by the metric of MAC address detect a non-unique device they are perfectly in their right to charge for it but it should be a separate transaction, it was not part of the 24hrs. for a single device that I signed up for. Also, nowhere can I find a specification of these AYG charges.



But even then, I still do not see any reference to their interpretation of 'a single device', before committing I specifically checked their documents for an explanation, MAC logging is not mentioned.
In absence of such an explanation I feel it is totally fair I interpreted it as so many other WIFI providers do, one connection at any time.

Further reading seems to indicate they would happily and without popping up a warning add new charges as per this list would I get near another hotspot, including once beyond the initial 24hrs!
Again, I (was led to) believe I made a one-off payment for a maximum period of 24hrs. at this specific hotspot and with a single connection.

As it reads I could have been billed €16.95: and €16.95 per connection at individual hotspots in Europe, a new contract at €7.95 is a lot cheaper...

[SteveRiley]

Yeah, if the attractive logon page wasn't clear as to the details, then I can understand why you'd be upset.

As to why you didn't get prompted for a second transaction... a possible working theory is that:

1. You restarted the laptop, thus causing the generation of a new MAC
2. You logged into Boingo
3. Boingo detected that you were still within your 24 hour period, but on a "new" device
4. Boingo simply added your new device to your account and charged you a second time

Hard to know for sure, though.