5 min read
In recent months, a growing wave of Pakistan mobile users have accused Jazz (formerly Mobilink) of activating value-added services (VAS) and deducting prepaid balances without consent.
These claims include automatic subscriptions, daily micro-charges, sudden balance reductions, and unexplained service activations, often impacting users who barely use any paid add-ons.
TechJuice investigated these claims and found staggering evidence, which suggests this is not an isolated glitch but a systemic consumer issue.
Wide-Spread User Allegations
On Facebook, users have shared repeated complaints. One post in a Karachi-based consumer group described:
I just discovered that Jazz has been automatically subscribing services on my number without my consent and deducting daily charges.
Another user wrote:
Jazz after every few days steal money from SIM, upon complain they say that charges are correct and said package is subscribed on instruction of …
As recent as a few days ago, a post on Facebook read:
MOBILINK (Jazz) is openly exploiting customers. I always use their monthly data and call packages, so I rarely keep any easy load balance. But recently, I recharged Rs. 500 to call my father who is in Saudi Arabia for Umrah. I received the recharge confirmation, but the next day, Jazz sent me a message saying my balance was zero. I recharged another Rs. 500, and again, the next day, it was gone without me making any calls. Jazz keeps activating unwanted, suspicious subscriptions automatically, and there’s no record or explanation of where this deducted balance goes. If I had recharged Rs. 5000, they would have deducted that too for unknown reasons. This is blatant looting, and no one is taking notice.
The frustration isn’t limited to Facebook. On Reddit, several threads echo the same complaints.
One user wrote:
Jazz subscribed to service without me doing anything… they keep stealing your money if you don’t notice the message.
Another added:
Having issues with Jazz as well since about a year… every time I add some balance they keep telling me my mobile data is being used (it isn’t) and deduct my entire balance over the course of a day. … This way at least these har**mkh*rs aren’t getting my money (and yes idc if it’s only 60 rupees)
A third Redditor summarized the sentiment bluntly:
At some point in their Simosa idiocy Jazz subscribed me to some feature without my consent and when I called the number they told me to in order to get rid of it, and that number didn’t even exist. … I have switched completely to my other SIM for all calls and internet. Don’t give these leeches your money because you have choices.
What the Data Shows
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) reported that Jazz received 3,799 complaints in March 2025 alone (more than any other operator in the country) even though 98.8% were officially “resolved.” While the resolution rate appears high, the volume of complaints highlights systemic friction between Jazz and its users.
Moreover, an audit (released August 2025) confirms Rs 6.58 billion in overcharges during FY 2023-24, violating PTA tariffs across bundles. Jazz and PTA rejected some claims, but the report details higher-than-approved rates. The “Monthly Super Duper” example (Rs 1,043 vs. Rs 955, Rs 88 over) is cited in audits, though snippets highlight similar for other packages (e.g., Monthly Freedom Rs 1,739 vs. Rs 1,652).
What Our Own Investigation Showed
At TechJuice headquarters, we took ten phones and installed the Jazz-owned Simosa apps to check if the app automatically resorts to subscribing a package without human request.
Shockingly, our tests revealed that eight out of the ten phones used in the experiment had some Jazz offer auto-subscribed by default, and it was charging the hypothetical phone user.
How to Prevent Jazz From Doing Unauthorized Service Deductions
If you suspect that Jazz has secretly subscribed your number to any of the Simosa app service without your approval, here is a proven method.
Dial *6611# on your Jazz SIM to access the VAS management menu. This code lists all active subscriptions (including Simosa-related ones like “Deikho Daily” or Gameloft) and allows you to unsubscribe individually or all at once. You can learn all the other ways to get rid of these VAS here.
Investigative and Regulatory Context
Reddit users continue to highlight how easily services can activate without clear consent, dating as far back as 2023, with no clear resolution:
I just check … took screenshot … system auto-subscribes services, I didn’t click anything.
PTA regulations require explicit opt-in confirmation for paid services, but many consumers say this safeguard is ineffective in practice. Snowballing to the effect, someone has even gone to the step of making an online petition for users to sign that presses telecos to come clean about the unauthorized VAS Activations.
Trustpilot reviews also paint a grim picture. Jazz holds an average rating of 1.5/5, with most reviews citing “unexplained deductions” and “unhelpful support.”
In the backdrop, the Senate’s IT committee has begun reviewing over-billing, hidden charges, and tariff transparency issues across all major telecom operators, with Jazz frequently cited in consumer grievances.
Jazz has has not issued any recent or real-time public denial specifically addressing accusations of auto-subscribing users to value-added services (VAS) or offers without consent. However, Jazz has denied overcharging in a 2025 audit by the Auditor General of Pakistan, claiming all tariffs are PTA-approved and compliant, but this does not directly address VAS auto-activation complaints.
