txtparty

jollyton12 · 19 June 2008 at 11:06PM

Guys i need help..i used http://www.txtparty.co.uk/ to send sms..i thought its free? is it and if not how am i going to pay them?

please tell me how they will charge me? will they add it on my sky internet bill? i want to stop it..

Cavey · 19 June 2008 at 11:32PM

This text is on the front page, not even hidden in some legalese T&Cs.

Txt Party is a weekly subscription service with an SMS allowance when you join for £ 4.50 per week until you send STOP to 88844. As a member you have 140 PC to mobile SMS each week. You must be 16+ years of age or have bill payers permission, standard operator SMS (sent by the user) charges apply.

They will no doubt send you 3 reverse billed SMS messages (costing £1.50 each) per week to your phone, thereby getting them the £4.50.

To get them to stop, send STOP to 88844.

jollyton12 · 19 June 2008 at 11:50PM

what if i dont use that sim anymore?

Cavey · 20 June 2008 at 8:44AM

The chargeable texts will wait to be delivered until you have credit and switch your mobile on. If you never use it again, the person the number is re-allocated to might find themselves subscribed to these texts unless the company expire the opt-in (which will depend if it costs them money to try to send messages).

If you have a small amount of credit (say 50p), send the stop message and opt-out, it will probably be easier in the long run.

jollyton12 · 20 June 2008 at 6:28PM

i will change the sim...tkx

withywood · 21 June 2008 at 8:57AM

all sms have a time limit and that would of run out before they are re-allocated

Cavey · 22 June 2008 at 11:07AM

withywood wrote: »

all sms have a time limit and that would of run out before they are re-allocated

Yup, but if they continue to send a new one each week whether they get money from it or not, they will probably still be trying when the next number change happens.

Scammers and spammers are nothing but persistent (and most reverse charged texts are verging on a legalised scam imho).

Mister_Heavy · 23 August 2008 at 2:26AM

I just got expensively scammed by this outfit.

I needed to use a text gateway, as I have loads of times in the past but I needed it in a tearing hurry. After a google search, I followed a link to txtparty which was under the very specific heading of FREE sms gateways on a links page
I had my monitor brightness turned up (laptop outside in the sun) and
i missed the pale-grey note on the log-in page advising users that scam rates were being charged that no-one in their right mind would agree to unless they were tricked into signing up.

As soon as I realized I was being charged to receive their "use me" advertising, I sent a stop message. Instantly. Straight away. Immediately.

Reverse-charged texts kept coming.

I sent e-mail.

Texts kept coming and my balance dwindled.

I couldn't get through on the phone.

I contacted my telecom provider ( O2) who were very helpful and called txtparty on my behalf with me listening in. Yes, they had to run through the "press button 3 if you want to be put on hold for twelve minutes and then disconnected" routine too, but eventually succeeded.

Oh the power of corporate representation!

Net result - txtscam is being "looked into" for fraud and I received a cheque for all but a fiver reimbursing me for the theft.

I've been advised not to top up my PAYG for nine days, but that's a better option than having to change my number.

txtparty

Comments

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Categories

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free