Removing phone number (payment method) from account/device I no longer have access to

I let someone use my number temporarily as payment method so they could download an app. Apparently Apple doesn't let you download even free apps without any payment method. I had them use my number because the OTP would not come through her number. The day after, they suddenly left town and I can't contact them anymore lol


I have access to their gmail account and lately I've been getting notifications regarding their subscriptions/renewals.


I just want to remove my number as payment method from their account, but I don't have access to it. Is that possible?


Additional question: What will happen if the renewal date for her subscriptions come? I assume the payments will not go through because my phone number's balance is low anyway (please correct me if I'm wrong).


Thank you.

Posted on May 14, 2024 12:15 AM

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Posted on May 14, 2024 8:35 AM

What you say implies you are using mobile billing, and this isn't on your account, it is on their account. In that case the suggestion to remove the method from your account would not apply. It would still be on their account.


You could just let her subscriptions "bounce" in terms of payment if the balance is low. You would, however, need to change the payment method on your account so payments you need to make would go through.


I don't think contacting Apple will do anything. Frankly what you have happening if a person is using your payment method on their account without permission is fraud. Apple doesn't handle that. You do not have access to their account to request removal and Apple won't do it for you unless you have full legitimate access to that account. This being mobile billing add complications since I am not in a country where that is allowed and have no firsthand knowledge of how it would go. You either need to contact your phone company which is handling the billing using your number, or your financial institution acting as the basis for the payment.



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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 14, 2024 8:35 AM in response to hann0729

What you say implies you are using mobile billing, and this isn't on your account, it is on their account. In that case the suggestion to remove the method from your account would not apply. It would still be on their account.


You could just let her subscriptions "bounce" in terms of payment if the balance is low. You would, however, need to change the payment method on your account so payments you need to make would go through.


I don't think contacting Apple will do anything. Frankly what you have happening if a person is using your payment method on their account without permission is fraud. Apple doesn't handle that. You do not have access to their account to request removal and Apple won't do it for you unless you have full legitimate access to that account. This being mobile billing add complications since I am not in a country where that is allowed and have no firsthand knowledge of how it would go. You either need to contact your phone company which is handling the billing using your number, or your financial institution acting as the basis for the payment.



May 14, 2024 10:56 AM in response to Limnos

Hi! Yes, I meant mobile billing. I never really use my phone number for any other payment methods, so there's honestly almost nothing in there to use to pay haha. It was only for just that one time so she could download Messenger.


If I let it bounce, will anything happen? She would just lose access to the applications she's subscribed to, right? Sorry I'm not familiar with how this works. Thank you for your response.

May 15, 2024 10:54 AM in response to hann0729

I have little familiarity with how mobile billing works since it is not a common feature and is only allowed in a a few countries. My impressions is she would be the one who would have problems if your number could not be charged since she is trying to use it from her account. Again, all I know about mobile billing is what Apple says in its support documentation which is very little. Is there a password or code on the service that you could change, essentially preventing her from using it? Frankly if all it requires is a telephone number then that's essentially zero security. There must be a way you can disable her from using it, but I'm afraid you will have to find out how to do that since it is not information available to me.

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Removing phone number (payment method) from account/device I no longer have access to

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