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- 04-24-2006, 01:44 AM #1BGNGuest
Hello all.
I've just opened my 1st April Three bill. I don't ever use the phone
but they charge me £30 a month like clockwork as one expects, however,
this month £31.50 was taken via DD from my bank account.
There are no calls or text messages sent from the mobile as it's off
most of the time (on only once or twice a month) and I notice on the
back page in the "Messages - Premium - sent & received" sections it
says:
Wed 22 Mar 00:40 Phone number 89074 Premium Messaging Service
Received: 1 - £1.277
That adds up to £1.50 with VAT.
I've searched for the number on google but I only get up US zip codes.
Do you know of a site that I can visit which will show me who the
number belongs to? I've turned on the phone again and can't see
anything that's been sent or received from that number. After
checking Outlook I wasn't even out that night and by 00:40 I'd have
been in the land of Nod. No one else uses the phone and I've got no
children and I've never given the phone to a friend.
Do you have any pointers as to what this message might have been?
Thanks,
--Nick.
--
-- Nick -==- ICQ: 9235201 -==- EMAIL & MSN: [email protected] -
-- Kawasaki ER-5 - LOTR#4 SKOGA#8 DS#7 BOTAFOT#159 BOTM#2 FBOTY#06 -
› See More: Premium Messaging Service Received
- 04-24-2006, 02:48 AM #2Andy PandyGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
"BGN" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello all.
>
> I've just opened my 1st April Three bill. I don't ever use the phone
> but they charge me £30 a month like clockwork as one expects, however,
> this month £31.50 was taken via DD from my bank account.
You pay £30 a month for a phone you never use??
> There are no calls or text messages sent from the mobile as it's off
> most of the time (on only once or twice a month) and I notice on the
> back page in the "Messages - Premium - sent & received" sections it
> says:
>
> Wed 22 Mar 00:40 Phone number 89074 Premium Messaging Service
> Received: 1 - £1.277
>
> That adds up to £1.50 with VAT.
>
> I've searched for the number on google but I only get up US zip codes.
>
> Do you know of a site that I can visit which will show me who the
> number belongs to?
http://www.icstis.org.uk/
--
Andy
- 04-24-2006, 03:53 AM #3Alex FlahertyGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
A well-known scam.
Your next bill will have about a dozen of them on, I promise you.
- 04-24-2006, 05:26 AM #4BGNGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
On 24 Apr 2006 02:53:24 -0700, "Alex Flaherty"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>A well-known scam.
>
>Your next bill will have about a dozen of them on, I promise you.
I'm going to change my 3 price plan today sometime so I'll mention it
during the call.
It's not like I download ringtones or things like that. It's not like
I use the phone much at all, infact.
--
-- Nick -==- ICQ: 9235201 -==- EMAIL & MSN: [email protected] -
-- Kawasaki ER-5 - LOTR#4 SKOGA#8 DS#7 BOTAFOT#159 BOTM#2 FBOTY#06 -
- 04-24-2006, 06:32 AM #5Alex FlahertyGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
BGN wrote:
> I'm going to change my 3 price plan today sometime so I'll mention it
> during the call.
>
> It's not like I download ringtones or things like that. It's not like
> I use the phone much at all, infact.
> --
They will fob you off by telling you that you need to text "STOP" to
the shortcode which simply has the effect of confirming to the scammers
that they've hit a "live" number.
You need to stand your ground and be very firm; ask them to provide you
with proof that you have indeed subscribed to the "service" you have
allegedly received otherwise you will regard the matter as theft (which
it is) and will report the matter to the Police.
- 04-24-2006, 06:57 AM #6BGNGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
On 24 Apr 2006 05:32:30 -0700, "Alex Flaherty"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>> I'm going to change my 3 price plan today sometime so I'll mention it
>> during the call.
>>
>> It's not like I download ringtones or things like that. It's not like
>> I use the phone much at all, infact.
>> --
>
>They will fob you off by telling you that you need to text "STOP" to
>the shortcode which simply has the effect of confirming to the scammers
>that they've hit a "live" number.
>
>You need to stand your ground and be very firm; ask them to provide you
>with proof that you have indeed subscribed to the "service" you have
>allegedly received otherwise you will regard the matter as theft (which
>it is) and will report the matter to the Police.
The tubby said that I couldn't change to Off Peak 1000 at £20/mo
without 'upgrading' my handset but they could change me to Talk & Text
200 at £20/mo without issue. Not wishing to argue I just said 'fairy
nuff.'
With regards to the £1.50 premium text message they say the shortcode
is for "Opera Telecom" which doesn't sound familiar although I imagine
that's just the provider. Three are crediting £1.50 and insisted I
sent STOP to the number.
Hmph.
--
-- Nick -==- ICQ: 9235201 -==- EMAIL & MSN: [email protected] -
-- Kawasaki ER-5 - LOTR#4 SKOGA#8 DS#7 BOTAFOT#159 BOTM#2 FBOTY#06 -
- 04-24-2006, 07:02 AM #7Alex FlahertyGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
BGN wrote:
> With regards to the £1.50 premium text message they say the shortcode
> is for "Opera Telecom" which doesn't sound familiar although I imagine
> that's just the provider. Three are crediting £1.50 and insisted I
> sent STOP to the number.
>
> Hmph.
Ah, those cowboys - they have a lot of "previous"
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/bulletins/co...ed_all/cw_768/
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/bulletins/co...ed_all/cw_749/
are just two I know about
- 04-24-2006, 07:04 AM #8Alex FlahertyGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
a quick google throws up this as well (which is probably more
relevant):
http://www.icstis.org.uk/service_pro...p?node=&id=160
- 04-24-2006, 07:47 AM #9Ivor JonesGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
"Alex Flaherty" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
news:[email protected]
> BGN wrote:
>
> > With regards to the £1.50 premium text message they say
> > the shortcode is for "Opera Telecom" which doesn't
> > sound familiar although I imagine that's just the
> > provider. Three are crediting £1.50 and insisted I
> > sent STOP to the number.
> >
> > Hmph.
>
> Ah, those cowboys - they have a lot of "previous"
>
> http://www.ofcom.org.uk/bulletins/co...ed_all/cw_768/
>
> http://www.ofcom.org.uk/bulletins/co...ed_all/cw_749/
>
> are just two I know about
Add another one, me. I had a £1 reverse SMS on my Orange PAYG phone that
never, ever gets used for anything except the 5 free SMS per day on the
original Out Here pack that is on it (until Orange "simplify" the meaning
of "for life" that is). I eventually got a cheque for £3 but considering
the number of times they must do this, they're still raking it in. They've
had several £50,000 fines as well from what I can gather, but it isn't
stopping them.
Ivor
- 04-24-2006, 07:51 AM #10BGNGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
On Mon, 24 Apr 2006 14:47:54 +0100, "Ivor Jones"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>> Ah, those cowboys - they have a lot of "previous"
>>
>> http://www.ofcom.org.uk/bulletins/co...ed_all/cw_768/
>>
>> http://www.ofcom.org.uk/bulletins/co...ed_all/cw_749/
>>
>> are just two I know about
>
>Add another one, me. I had a £1 reverse SMS on my Orange PAYG phone that
>never, ever gets used for anything except the 5 free SMS per day on the
>original Out Here pack that is on it (until Orange "simplify" the meaning
>of "for life" that is). I eventually got a cheque for £3 but considering
>the number of times they must do this, they're still raking it in. They've
>had several £50,000 fines as well from what I can gather, but it isn't
>stopping them.
I probably spent more on the phone call to Three than I did on the
reverse-billed SMS. It's such a small amount that I doubt many bother
to mention it.
--
-- Nick -==- ICQ: 9235201 -==- EMAIL & MSN: [email protected] -
-- Kawasaki ER-5 - LOTR#4 SKOGA#8 DS#7 BOTAFOT#159 BOTM#2 FBOTY#06 -
- 04-24-2006, 08:53 AM #11Ivor JonesGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
"BGN" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> On Mon, 24 Apr 2006 14:47:54 +0100, "Ivor Jones"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > Ah, those cowboys - they have a lot of "previous"
> > >
> > > http://www.ofcom.org.uk/bulletins/co...ed_all/cw_768/
> > >
> > > http://www.ofcom.org.uk/bulletins/co...ed_all/cw_749/
> > >
> > > are just two I know about
> >
> > Add another one, me. I had a £1 reverse SMS on my
> > Orange PAYG phone that never, ever gets used for
> > anything except the 5 free SMS per day on the original
> > Out Here pack that is on it (until Orange "simplify"
> > the meaning of "for life" that is). I eventually got a
> > cheque for £3 but considering the number of times they
> > must do this, they're still raking it in. They've had
> > several £50,000 fines as well from what I can gather,
> > but it isn't stopping them.
>
> I probably spent more on the phone call to Three than I
> did on the reverse-billed SMS. It's such a small amount
> that I doubt many bother to mention it.
It is no doubt a small amount if you can afford multiple £50k fines. It is
not so small to those of us on low incomes. My complaint cost me 26p for a
stamp and 25p for the call to Orange CS so my costs were covered, but that
isn't the point. It's the very fact that they can do this openly after
being fined multiple times that sticks in my throat. Why..? Because people
don't bother, and let them get away with it.
It's all to typical an attitude in Britain these days, unfortunately.
Ivor
- 04-24-2006, 09:18 AM #12J BGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
"Ivor Jones" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I eventually got a cheque for £3
Ronnie (Biggs??) at B4U tele.com promised me a cheque for three quid too,
but as the song goes ..... "ain't seen nothin yet"
--
J B
- 04-24-2006, 09:30 AM #13BORGGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
On Mon, 24 Apr 2006 15:53:02 +0100, "Ivor Jones"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>It's all to typical an attitude in Britain these days, unfortunately.
>
>Ivor
Hear Hear
--
www.ratrodz.co.uk
XJ900 Trike GS850 Trike
[email protected] [Rot 13 it]
Some people are like slinkys....
no real use but it makes you smile when they fall down stairs!
- 04-24-2006, 09:43 AM #14BORGGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
On 24 Apr 2006 17:26:25 +0100, Irma Troll <[email protected]> wrote:
>You probably called or texted a wank line.
>Irma
That has to be the most limp wristed insult I have ever seen on
Usenet.
Why bother.
--
www.ratrodz.co.uk
XJ900 Trike GS850 Trike
[email protected] [Rot 13 it]
Some people are like slinkys....
no real use but it makes you smile when they fall down stairs!
- 04-24-2006, 10:17 AM #15Alex FlahertyGuest
Re: Premium Messaging Service Received
Indeed.
It is astonishingly (and worryingly for the consumer) easy to pretend
to send a multimedia message to, say, 100,000 random numbers over a
24hr period (that's why so many of these charges appear on your bill at
absurd times like 2.17a.m).
Of those 100,000 numbers, only 50,000 might actually be real. But
that's 50,000 lots of £1.28+VAT in your bank account.
Of those 50,000, only 10,000 might be contract numbers. And of those
10,000, only 5,000 might have an itemised invoice. And of those 5,000,
only 3,000 might actually check their invoices.
The rest are pay-as-you-go who have no idea where their credit is
disappearing.
Do that 4 times a week and you've got 200,000 x £1.28 + VAT rolling
in.
By the time ICSTIS or OFTEL or OFCOM have caught up with you in twelve
months time, you can afford the fine and walk out of court laughing.
Only in Britain..............
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