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  1. #1
    BGN
    Guest
    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




  2. #2
    Andy Pandy
    Guest

    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





  3. #3
    Alex Flaherty
    Guest

    Re: Premium Messaging Service Received

    A well-known scam.

    Your next bill will have about a dozen of them on, I promise you.




  4. #4
    BGN
    Guest

    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 -



  5. #5
    Alex Flaherty
    Guest

    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.




  6. #6
    BGN
    Guest

    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 -



  7. #7
    Alex Flaherty
    Guest

    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




  8. #8
    Alex Flaherty
    Guest

    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




  9. #9
    Ivor Jones
    Guest

    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





  10. #10
    BGN
    Guest

    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 -



  11. #11
    Ivor Jones
    Guest

    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





  12. #12
    J B
    Guest

    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





  13. #13
    BORG
    Guest

    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!



  14. #14
    BORG
    Guest

    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!



  15. #15
    Alex Flaherty
    Guest

    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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