Hassle from premium rate texts

Girlfriend is being hassled with premium rate texts that we can't
stop. Most of them from Lobidz.com. These seem to be £1.50 each. Have
tried sending stop etc. What can I threaten them with to stop this
robbery?

Can I use the data protection act against them (always seems there is
a use for this piece of legislation).

Thanks
Jules

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"Jules" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Girlfriend is being hassled with premium rate texts that we can't
> stop. Most of them from Lobidz.com. These seem to be £1.50 each. Have
> tried sending stop etc. What can I threaten them with to stop this
> robbery?
>
> Can I use the data protection act against them (always seems there is
> a use for this piece of legislation).
>
> Thanks
> Jules


Try:

http://www.grumbletext.co.uk/

and

http://www.icstis.org.uk/

"Jules" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Girlfriend is being hassled with premium rate texts that we can't
> stop. Most of them from Lobidz.com. These seem to be £1.50 each. Have
> tried sending stop etc. What can I threaten them with to stop this
> robbery?


on the site it says:

Will I be bombarded with SMS messages?
No. M.E.G.A. does not believe in sending spam. Obviously by joining the
Lo-Bidz Auction Club you have expressed an interest in receiving more
information about our current and future auctions. Therefore, you will
receive just 1 SMS per week from us with the latest news. Your details will
not be shared with any other companies, other than our promotion partners.
If you no longer want the messages, just send us an email to
[email protected] quoting your mobile number or SMS text STOP to 80243.

> Girlfriend is being hassled with premium rate texts that we can't
> stop. Most of them from Lobidz.com. These seem to be £1.50 each. Have
> tried sending stop etc. What can I threaten them with to stop this
> robbery?
> Can I use the data protection act against them (always seems there is
> a use for this piece of legislation).

IANAL etc

PAYG phone, or under contract ?

From an interesting line of argument I read in here recently, if you`re
under contract, your contract is with the phone company, as they are the
ones you pay your money to. Ask the phone company to either prove you
requested the texts or refund them. Some networks are also able to block
premium rate calls, so its worth asking them to do that too.

As far as the DPA is concerned, I used it to get a refund from COMUK Ltd
a while ago, but it might have been the implied thread of prosecution
when I blew the whistle on them "trading" whilst being listed as dormant
at Companies House.

Note that you may get a response along the lines of "you signed up by
website" - bollocks - and tell them that in those words - then tell them
you`re happy to take them to court and you will require a full copy of
all their server records - and destruction of those records will not go
down well with the court, and is their only proof of you allegedly
signing up.

See if you can find out more about who they are, where they`re based,
who runs the company, and their status at Companies House / public
register of Data Controllers (DPA site)

http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/
http://www.esd.informationcommission...esd/search.asp

Personally, I feel this should be classed as theft, but given the low
values of the individual crimes, the police aren`t likely to want to
take action. When you realise the scammers are probably doing it to
20,000 people on the other hand...

You could also try contacting your local MP to notify them of the
problem - the phone companies allow this theft to occur by use of their
network, so should therefore be held at least partially accountable for
misuse. Perhaps if each premium rate company had to put £100k into a
fund to help police the system before they were allowed to operate, and
allow the network operator to process refunds on their behalf to rule
out any "unwanted" claims...

You could also do a search here to see if the same company is involved
with other known fraudulent messages:

http://www.grumbletext.co.uk/vt.php?t=333

On Sat, 13 May 2006 20:28:49 +0100, Colin Wilson <[email protected]>
wrote:

>IANAL etc

Understood..

>PAYG phone, or under contract ?

Contract

>From an interesting line of argument I read in here recently, if you`re
>under contract, your contract is with the phone company, as they are the
>ones you pay your money to. Ask the phone company to either prove you
>requested the texts or refund them. Some networks are also able to block
>premium rate calls, so its worth asking them to do that too.

I just rang Voda actually -- they said I had to contact these
companies, there was nothing they could do to help. I'll try it that
way before I get tough on Voda about the bill.

Many thanks for the rest of your advice which I have also read with
interest.

Jules

> I just rang Voda actually -- they said I had to contact these
> companies, there was nothing they could do to help. I'll try it that
> way before I get tough on Voda about the bill.

ISTR you can argue the point with them on this - if they can`t prove you
requested them, they`re essentially handling stolen goods.

> Many thanks for the rest of your advice which I have also read with
> interest.

My pleasure - and sorry for all the typos (I just noticed them !)

Hi Jules,

Vodafone Customer Services should be able to provide you with the
correct stop command if you give them the premium rate text short code.
STOP is the standard return reply for most of these services.

If that fails Vodafone offer a service called V-Spam which you can
forward unwanted premium rate texts onto and Vodafone will investigate
further for you. There's more information on the Vodafone website about
V-Spam below

http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatc...pageID=AV_0054

http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatc...pageID=AV_0550