Core Viewpoint - The recent "ghost deduction" incident involving Zhongjin Payment has gained significant attention on social media, where users discovered unauthorized recurring charges of 29.9 yuan or 39.9 yuan without clear explanations on their bank statements [1][16]. Group 1: Incident Details - Users reported unexpected deductions from their bank accounts, with one individual discovering a 29.9 yuan charge on January 7, which was later attributed to a "video membership fee" by customer service [2][17]. - Many users experienced similar issues, with some reporting multiple deductions over several months, often without realizing it until prompted by others [17][19]. - Customer service responses varied, initially refusing to refund past charges until users threatened to escalate complaints, after which refunds were processed quickly [4][5][19]. Group 2: Mechanism of "Ghost Deductions" - The phenomenon of "ghost deductions" is attributed to users unknowingly signing "deduction agreements," allowing merchants to charge users periodically without further confirmation [7][22]. - There is a distinction between "one-time authorization" for small payments and "long-term authorization" for recurring charges, with the latter being exploited in this case [22][23]. - The lack of verification for small amounts (like 29.9 yuan) means that deductions can occur without user consent or notification, as they fall below common thresholds for requiring password entry or SMS verification [23][24]. Group 3: Regulatory Context and Company Background - Zhongjin Payment, established in 2010, is a licensed internet payment institution that primarily facilitates corporate payments and does not directly initiate deductions [10][26]. - The company has seen significant growth, with transaction volumes exceeding 1 trillion yuan by 2016, ranking fifth in the industry [26]. - Recent regulatory changes require platforms to notify users of upcoming deductions, which aims to eliminate unauthorized charges, with new rules effective from April 2023 [9][24].