Premium rate Texts (unsolicited)

[miffed]

I recently bought an MDA pro on Flext + w&w,

On the first day I got the phone , I received 3 text messages , offering ringtones and the like I thought it was just spam

Then yesterday I was checking my balance on My Tmobile , and I noticed I have been charged £1.50 for each of them !
I phones CS , and the rep insisted I had "ordered" the seervices with a text message sent at 4.15pm the 4th April - I explained that there was no way that I sent this text , and I also pointed out that on "my t-mobile" it is plain to see that no such text was sent (only two SMS were sent previously - both to other mobile numbers of my own )
The rep basically "gave up" and gave me a number to ring , which I assume is the number for the premium rate sharks that run the service

But I can't be bothered with involving them TBH , T - mobile can either waive the charge or have their phone back - I sent them the following mail (written as if from my wife , as the account is in her name ! )

Hello
I opened this account on 4/4/06
I have been charged for 3 premium rate texts - that (appeared unsolicited )on my phone
My husband spoke to your CS rep , who insisted that the service had been initiated by text at 16.14 on the 4/4/06
As well as the plain fact that I did not send this text - It also fails to show up on "my T mobile" which supports the notion that I didn't actually send it !
Am I really expected to pay for a service I didn't subscribe to ? (and can prove I didn't by your very own billing system ?
If I am , then I suppose I should be grateful for small mercies , in that I found out before my evaluation period has expired
I do hope we can resolve this without cancellation of this contract - but will not hesitate if to do so if no resolve is reached
Regards
XXXXXX

Hope this is not going to be a regular occourance on T-mobile , there we are wondering "how can they afford to offer these great flext tarriffs "

...... I think I may be finding out

[Hands0n]

Hmmmm, I had similar happen on my Vodafone account - a subscription to Premier Football. I supect that it was made by the CS rep taking my order for the handset in the first place, but without telling me!

I explained to the CS rep that I am very well known by family, friends and associates for being something of the anti-Christ of football. Simply put, I can't stand the stuff. So a subscription from me would be as likely as witnessing me walking across the Thames water from Kent into Essex.

Vodafone didn't blink, they simply credited me the £5 that had been taken by the 3rd party and gave me instructions on how to cancel the subscription.

I do hope that your tale is an errant phenomena and not standard practise. The quality of any CS is in how effectively they resolve such Customer (big C) issues. In your case there's a shade of the "Mumbai effect" in evidence

Do keep us posted - I'd hate to jump out of the fat and into the fire! Although my email experience with T-Mobile CS has so far been very positive and encouraging!

[solo12002]

I would report the sender of the Texts to OFCOM and the TPS

[Ben]

If, say, the number had been used before, it's quite possible that as the number became active again the premium rate operator recommenced billing.

Contacting the number they gave you of the premium rate operator is the best way to cancelling the service and getting your refund.

[Bleubean]

I share the same view as ben. Perhaps the number is an old number which is now receiving what the old owner had requested.


It does make me wonder what will happen in the future as more and more numbers are created and replaced over and over again. Will the networks be forced to create a new number to move new customers to?

This situation is going to arise more and more as time goes by i beleive.

[Hands0n]

My new {Dec 05} contract has a re-used number. The only prob is that I get calls & texts occasionally from the previous owners crew.

[solo12002]

Surely there is a turn around period for this. One would hope there would be a two year turn around?

Maybe someone from the networks can inform us?

[Hands0n]

I think mine was a 14-day return

[miffed]

no , when I first spoke to CS , that (recycled number scenario) was the first thing that crossed my mind - the CS rep did a check and said the number went out of service october 2005 (which suggests a 6 month turnover period) - he traced back to Jan 2004 and said there was no record of shortcode activity

UPDATE -

I had sent a "STOP" text to the appropriate number yesterday ,as advised by the CS rep and I received another SMS (probably another £1.50 )
saying "subscribtion cancelled , thanks for using this service" ("subscribtion" ? , "Service "? ) - then this AM I got a further two SMS's
As you can imagine I hit the roof !

I rang CS and ranted down the phone at the poor girl ! I told them there was no way I am going to let them get away with this - she tried to pacify me , and said she had lodged a complaint with the third party company - and that T-mobile were not in a postion to refund me , but they would offer £3 towards the £7.50 bill -
I politely asked her to put me through to someone who could arrange the cancellation of my contract (as I am only 6 days into the contract )
and all of a sudden she was able to offer a full credit & a promise of no more unsolicited texts (funny that ! )

Then , later on this evening - I received a call from the third party company (a2messaging ? or something ! )

And these "sharks" surprisingly , were the most freindly , helpful people I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with on a telco matter !

The lady could not apologise enough - she explained that sometimes when people apply for this junk on the internet , numbers get mixed up - and there are several other ways that I could have ended up with these texts - she promised that my number would be totally removed from the database - and is sending me a cheque to cover all costs

i was very surprised tbh , and when you suggested this Ben

Contacting the number they gave you of the premium rate operator is the best way to cancelling the service and getting your refund.
Today 10:40 AM

I honestly thought you must have been on the magic mushrooms ! for some reason I thought these companies were "fly by nights" who would rip of their own grandmother , let alone offer a full refund without question - Now I know to listen to "uncle" ben !

Wonder if I'll get away with both refunds ?

[Hands0n]

So long as they are UK companies they are regulated by ICSTIS and have to behave themselves or they could experience a heavy knocking at the door and severe financial penalties. I think that the "fly by nights" have been all but eradicated in the UK through the regulatory process.

[Ben]

Originally Posted by miffed

And these "sharks" surprisingly , were the most freindly , helpful people I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with on a telco matter !

The lady could not apologise enough - she explained that sometimes when people apply for this junk on the internet , numbers get mixed up - and there are several other ways that I could have ended up with these texts - she promised that my number would be totally removed from the database - and is sending me a cheque to cover all costs

Mhm. I wonder if T-Mobile dangled their shortcode over their heads... at the end of the day it's the networks that call the shots on shortcodes - whatever you said to T-Mobile really worked

Fab that it got sorted! Well done

[shenson]

Did I read somewhere that T-mobile are unique in that they have an option to ban such reverse charge SMS?

Is that what the "charge to account bar" is in "My T-mobile"? Couldn't find an explanation for what it was anywhere.