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Text Scam
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burneside
08-03-2008
I received an unsolicited text last night inviting me to sign up to a premium text service so I could chat to "Kate" at a cost of £1.50 per text. But unbelievably this invitation text took £1.50 from my phone balance! So I was charged for text I did not ask for and could not stop arriving. On calling O2 I was informed by a very helpful operator that companies can do this if they somehow obtain your number by trawling the internet or other ways. I find it astounding that a company can steal from my account like this. O2 were able to give me the name of the company involved and a contact number, which I will now have to do battle with on Monday. I will of course report this to the phone regulator. The woman at O2 said it was an increasing problem, anybody else been ripped off like this?
Rich2k
08-03-2008
Try this

Quote:
“Premium rate service numbers
We are aware that certain unsolicited SMS text messages sent for direct marketing purposes endeavour to generate return messages to Premium Rate Service (PRS) numbers. This issue has been drawn to the attention of the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards in Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) - the organisation responsible for regulating the content and promotion of PRS.

We would advise individuals or companies, who have received an SMS text message with a return message to a PRS number, to contact ICSTIS for further advice and information:

ICSTIS
4th Floor
Clove Building
4 Maguire Street
London
SE1 2NQ

Tel: 0800 500 212.
Fax: 020 7940 7456
Email: helpline@icstis.org.uk
Web: www.icstis.org.uk”

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archi...qs/prvfaq8.htm
prking
08-03-2008
Icstis changed name (and website) last year. They are called phonepayplus now.

You should contact the company that sent the message. If they do not give you a refund then you should contact phonepayplus who will investigate and have the power to order a refund, fine the company and bar them from operating.
Appleseed
08-03-2008
As I never use premium rate text services, I asked T-Mobile to bar them on my handsets. Problem solved.
_amanda_
09-03-2008
Barring premium messages on your handset will not stop them trying to be sent to your number. As long as they are attempted to be sent to your number they will still register on the network and so you may still be charged.
mediafriendly
09-03-2008
I think if you delete anything odd from the inbox menu, you don't get charged. Can anyone confirm?
burneside
09-03-2008
Originally Posted by mediafriendly:
“I think if you delete anything odd from the inbox menu, you don't get charged. Can anyone confirm?”

I was debited £1.50 the instant the text message arrived.
prking
10-03-2008
Originally Posted by mediafriendly:
“I think if you delete anything odd from the inbox menu, you don't get charged. Can anyone confirm?”

No that's untrue.

If you think about it all the network knows is that the message has been delivered, not whether you have opened it.
Appleseed
10-03-2008
Originally Posted by _amanda_:
“Barring premium messages on your handset will not stop them trying to be sent to your number. As long as they are attempted to be sent to your number they will still register on the network and so you may still be charged.”

If premium rate services are barred, it's both ways. It's the same sort of thing as if you are unable to make international calls on your mobile, you won't be able to receive them while abroad either. PAYT customers don't have any barrs in place as there's never any bad debt to consider.
The fact is you don't normally get incoming charged messages (so called reverse charge texting) unless you have first sent one in (ie, text your postcode to 83322 (for want of a better example))
muhit
15-03-2008
I received the same unsolicited text on mar 7 from 68888.

Im with 3 - no joy talking to them. Have lodged complaint with phonepayplus - forwarded email to info@spreadmedia.co.uk and copy to 3 for refund.

There needs to be a test case against one of the networks to show that they are responsible for refunding the money taken illegally or to raise a dispute on behalf of their customers like the credit card issuers do when a dispute arises.

Only T-Mobile allows its customers to bar incoming premium texts - this should be made mandatory for all networks by the regulator or government if the regulator is in the pockets of the networks.
prking
15-03-2008
The refund procedure is very straightforward, getting the networks involved is just going to complicate the matter, in my opinion.
g-bhxu
15-03-2008
Originally Posted by prking:
“The refund procedure is very straightforward, getting the networks involved is just going to complicate the matter, in my opinion.”

No, they should be able to find out which company sent the text by the number that either sends you the text, or the number that is used to take the £1.50 off your credit.
burneside
15-03-2008
Originally Posted by muhit:
“I received the same unsolicited text on mar 7 from 68888.

Im with 3 - no joy talking to them. Have lodged complaint with phonepayplus - forwarded email to info@spreadmedia.co.uk and copy to 3 for refund.

There needs to be a test case against one of the networks to show that they are responsible for refunding the money taken illegally or to raise a dispute on behalf of their customers like the credit card issuers do when a dispute arises.

Only T-Mobile allows its customers to bar incoming premium texts - this should be made mandatory for all networks by the regulator or government if the regulator is in the pockets of the networks.”

I called Spread Media on Monday to complain about the way it had removed £1.50 from my phone balance without authorisation, and was told it was a "billing error" that had affected other people too. I have received a cheque for £5 to cover the cost, and inconvenience.

I still don't understand how the billing system allowed the money to be taken without any action on my part, there is obviously some flaw that allows this to happen, and I will be addressing my concern to phonepayplus.
_amanda_
16-03-2008
Originally Posted by g-bhxu:
“No, they should be able to find out which company sent the text by the number that either sends you the text, or the number that is used to take the £1.50 off your credit.”

The networks will only use phonepayplus to get the companies details, so really the customer could get the same information from themselves.
prking
16-03-2008
Originally Posted by _amanda_:
“The networks will only use phonepayplus to get the companies details, so really the customer could get the same information from themselves.”

Exactly, stick the number in phonepayplus, phone or write to the company, get refund.

If its a scam, complain to phonepayplus and wait for compensation, fine for the company etc.
Ginger Nut
17-03-2008
I had a run in with ICSTIS a while back over a call scam. Some outfit who have previously been fined for sending scam texts and charging people had now changed to sending out "service updates". This gets around the rules and causes you to sign up for endless ringtone downloads because you think it is a service update from your real service provider. Which I didn't fall for as I'm a cycnical and suspicious so and so.

I filled in the ICSTIS form with my complaint. They ask for a short code that was provided on the message. I explained that there wasn't one as it was a service message.

ICSTIS eventually wrote back and said they could not progress my complaint because I HAD FAILED to provide the correct information.

Chocolate teapot springs to mind.


I've just had a reply from ICO about another text scam I received. It's the well known one where UpgrdCentre offers you a free camera upgrade. The give away being it said it was from t-mobile. I'm not with them. My Dad got it the other day claiming it was from Orange. He isn't with Orange.

An internet search revealed upheld complaints with the ASA which had been ignored by the company in question. The ASA said they were powerless and to contact the ICO.

T-mobile's website directed me to ICO to complain about unsolicited texts. On the ICO website it doesn't offer any route to complain about texts. Therefore I filled in the enquiry form with all the details of the text.

ICO have now asked me to fill in another complaint form that doesn't cover texts, only voice and fax.

No doubt they won't be able to progress my complaint as I haven't filled in their form correctly or some such.

A chocolate fireguard to rest the teapot on?
prking
17-03-2008
Phonepayplus (ICSTIS)only deal with premium messages and calls. (ie. Where you are charged) If its a marketing text or service messsage you should complain to the Office of the Information Commisioner. Just give them a call.
Ginger Nut
17-03-2008
The ICO you mean. Who I have contacted.
lucid
26-03-2008
I just checked my o2 bill and realised that I too have been charged £1.50 (£1.28 +VAT ) for this interactive text I received at 19.19 on 7/03/2008. i neither requested this nor have ever subscribed to anything like this and wonder where they get your number from.

I just spoke to CS at o2 who initially seemed unhelpful and wanted me to contact spread media which i refused to. As far as I was concerned it was o2s problem not mine i have nothing to do with spread media and no desire to contact then on an 0871 number, or give them any of my details so they can commit some more fraud. if you search the net you'll see these fraudsters have been fined before, moreover the telecoms companies are seemingly complicit as they take a cut too.

The operator agreed to eventually refund the charge and pass on my complaint to their fraud dept.

Can you imagine how much these con artists make..i mean when I got the text i just ignored it assuming that i would not be charged. I only checked the bill by chance. How many people would never notice. this is a complete scam and o2 say they have no way of stopping it!!
ihatemarmite
26-03-2008
I got text scammed £12, the full extent of my PAYG balance last year. I found Phonepayplus completely uninterested unless they have a large volume of complaints concerning the same company. Think that is at the heart of the problem.
Block premium rate texts imo.
ihatemarmite
26-03-2008
Just found out that unlike Tesco (& presumably O2 therefore), Vodafone say they can't block premium line texts. I find this incredible. Are they the only UK network that won't do this?
Not guilty
09-04-2008
Spread Media Ltd (often connected to Mblox) have scammed me twice since December. They admitted the first instance and sent me £10 hush money. It happened again yesterday. I have NEVER signed up for premium text services.

They (or at least them and Mblox) have a string of offences, fines and reprimands since 2005. The most recent on 4th April 2008.

PLEASE report all incidences to Phonepayplus - then they have to resolve the issues. Hopefully the likes of Vodafone will stop taking revenue from their illegal activities too.

http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/

Don't expect too much as one wensite I found said that a Spread Media director sits on the board of phonepayplus! But if enough complain they have to do something.
EvilSheep
11-04-2008
I've just had a text from them reading as follows:

Hey! We havent chatted for ages, what you up to? Id love to hear from you! Send HOT to start chat or STOP to opt-out £1.50/msg rcvd SpreadMobile 08715249055

I've logged a complaint with PhonepayPlus, and I'm just about to send them a nasty email...

I'm assuming (hoping!) that I'll get no more texts from this scrote of a company? I certainly have no intention of texting them with 'STOP' as I never started with them in the first place! Can't see where they've got my number from either, as it's no online anywhere.

Barstewards.... grrrr....
ruggs1234
12-04-2008
Just out of curiosity..what network are you on Evilsheep?
TheFirstCut
13-04-2008
Originally Posted by mediafriendly:
“I think if you delete anything odd from the inbox menu, you don't get charged. Can anyone confirm?”

That's incorrect. Unfortunately many people wrongly think the same and then notice in horror all their credit gone or large bills.

As soon as the text is delivered to your phone if it's a premium rate text it will be charged for whether you open it and read it or delete it without reading it.

Like delivery reports, only means the SMS has reached the phone, not that it has been read.
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