3 mobile users scam

[jamescu]

got a text today saying - THREE CUSTOMER: YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR A COMPLTELY FREE PHONE WITH FREE LINE RENTAL AND UNLTD FREE CALLSCALL 08001983333

Sounds very much like a scam to me - anyone heard of this?

[Searcher]

Originally Posted by jamescu

got a text today saying - THREE CUSTOMER: YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR A COMPLTELY FREE PHONE WITH FREE LINE RENTAL AND UNLTD FREE CALLSCALL 08001983333

Sounds very much like a scam to me - anyone heard of this?

To be honest it's probably more like cold calling than a scam.

If you call them back it's more than likely they will try to sell you a new contract. I'd just delete it and forget about it

[ManAtHome]

Yet another cashback 3rd party - may not be a scam, but certainly spam (not directly associated with any network provider).

Depends whether you think they'll still be in business when paying-up time comes around - think this particular one is £40 a month and you get it all back...honest (also available on all other networks).

[mamasad]

hi just spoke to one of the customer services personnel and can confirm that this no 08001983333 is not one of others and have not sent anyone this type of message so it is a scam of sum sort mam

[dangeroussports]

Call it and find out. While your there make sure you provide all your bank details, address, secret question and answer coupled with you credit card number and CV security mark.

Have fun !

Goody goody

[mike_paterson]

I just called to get the lowdown. It actually appears quite good.

The company is Express Mobiles - web address is

http://www.expressmobiles.uk.com/
The T&Cs are at:
http://www.expressmobiles.uk.com/Res...%20%26%20C.pdf


The offer is on Orange and is £40 per month for 850 minutes plus 300 texts plus 150 orange to orange minutes. The cashback requires you to send a copy of every bill for each 3 month period within 14 days of the bill arriving (in the middle of the month) The good thing seems to be that you can do this by scanning them in and emailing them, or by downloading them from the orange site and emailing them. The bad point is that it is an 18 month contract. Also worth considering that the phones on offer are clearance phones and not the latest models.

[trisontana]

I have heard so many bad reports that about these cash-back schemes it's not worth the risk. As as been mentioned above, there is no guarantee that the company will be in business 18 months down the line. In that case you are stuck with paying the £40 a month to the telephone network provider.They will wash their hands completely of the deal because your agreement wasn't with them but with the cash-back company

These companies also make it very difficult to claim your cash-back. You have a very limited "window" where you can send in the claim, all too often the claims mysteriously get lost in the post or else some other technicality will be found not to pay the money.

[BLUEWKD]

I had a problem last year with a company going out of business and only getting the 1st payment (3 months) and then me and my partner lost the rest. There was a website where lots of people complained, but 3 Network said it was nothing to do with them and we still had to pay the rest of the contract. We actually lost a few hundred pound, so now buy straight from the phone network and do not do cash back. A lot of companies have realised this and now give good deals without cashback.

[Tiger_greeneyes]

I've looked into cashback schemes lately - from what I understand you take out the contract, pay your money each month and then claim back after a certain amount of time.

By which time the company has ceased trading and resumed trading under a new name... but as the old company who sold you your contract has ceased trading, they won't be paying you a penny back.

I got this information direct from Orange. You can get Oranges phone no off their website and call them, they'll confirm it

You're better off going direct to three.co.uk, they've got some good deals on at the moment

[Allan87]

I just had this text, normally its MobileSolutionsOnline (now taken over by dialamobile) that send me them.

[ellybelly89]

i got that text a few weeks ago. im on orange. then 3 mobile kept cold calling me until I told them where to stick their free phone.

[trisontana]

Originally Posted by Allan87

I just had this text, normally its MobileSolutionsOnline (now taken over by dialamobile) that send me them.

Mobile Solutions (or MOBS for short) went bust a few months ago leaving many people with full bills to pay to 3. There was a story about them in yesterdays Money Mail. (second story down):-

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/co...in_author_id=5

[bigbulldog]

There's really only one company to use for cash back schemes and thats Carphone Warehouse as we've used them for the last 3 years and never had a problem.

[Pippa1001]

Yes, I got the call, went for it and received my phone, which does not work. After hours I have established that Vanilla Mobile processed the order and Express Mobiles deals with the actual phone contract. I am waiting for a returns number, but as the lady at Express Mobiles said - she cant do anything until their Warehouse supplies the returns number and she does not know when that is going to happen! In the meantime Orange has sent me their first bill for £40, even though I only got the phone 2 days ago!

You've all got me really worried now that I am going to be stuck with a £40 a month contract and no recourse to get the money back !!!

This is the first time I have ever even had a conversation with a cold caller as I usually do not even enter into conversation with them. Well, I have probably learnt my lesson !

[Tiger_greeneyes]

Pippa, check your contract, you should have a cooling off period. It might be 7, 10 or 14 days - they're the most common. You should be able to cancel your contract if you hurry.

Otherwise, there's something called "distance selling regulations", you should be protected but you need to follow the advice to the letter and be quick about doing so because time is of the essence in these situations:

Full regs:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2000/20002334.htm

These might help:
http://www.islington.gov.uk/Communit...ights/1087.asp
http://www.hants.gov.uk/regulatory/t.../distance.html

It's always best to go direct, www.three.co.uk have got some fab deals at the moment

[samelliz]

I got the SPAM message yesterday, then a follow up call today from Express Mobiles.

Just said no thank you.

[CCJ]

Just read whole thread - and all sounds very familiar.

Did speak to em yesterday and again rude refused to answer Qs and referred me via email which they dont reply to.

Seems they answer various phone numbers with a number of names:

Express Mobiles
Telco
Mobile Essentials - the phone replacement co ie insurance co - though I dont believe its legally registered with the FSA as an insurer.

Now for the twist - Express Mobiles have taken money from my credit card without authority for reasons unknown - Barclaycard ar investigating.

I did give them my credit card details at the outset to pay for next day delivery - but the latest transaction is months later. They refuse to tell me what the transaction was for.

In January Barclaycard phoned me to tell me my card was being used fraudulently on loads of Vodafone top-ups. Coincdience or what?

Can anyone else report simlar problems.

Keep up the FIGHT!!!

[tammy girl]

I took out one of these fantastic deals with free calls free texts free phone all you have to do is sign up to orange dolphin £40 per month for 18 months and claim your money back every three months sounds easy! except nothing in life is free! first third month sent copies of bills to wrong email address-my fault so was unable to recieve my money 2nd third month still waiting for cheque keep being fobbed off with things like finacial difficulties.I'm now due my third cheque but have decided to cancel my direct debit and am now awaiting orange to ring me. How do I stand on somthing like this Is there any clever person out there who can advise?

[tammy girl]

Hi just found out that expressphones is a subsiduary company to carphone warehouse the number for carphone warehouse is 087014211727 I have got onto their web site and emailed them my predicament and am waiting to hear from them will keep you posted.

[BigDavy]

have just wasted whole a.m. again - Called CPW - all busy - called Telco spoke to Kate who said nothing to do with them it is Telco Ltd I need. Called Telco on 98700 200200 and asked for "Sally" - "Nicky" answered phone but then Sally was in meeting - when asked what it was about I said chequeback then Nicky said my contract was with Express not Telco - suddenly she was no longer the same Nicky - there is another one at Express - Sally suddenly was only emplyed by Express and Kate works in accounts and just took call by chance! kate had previously told me that Telco had nothing to do with Express and their no. was placed on here by mistake and they only contacted Sally by e-mail. Refused to give address except that it was Southampton and said we had to contact Express by e-mail. Strangely when I first spoke to Nicky I said "nicky Shakespeare" and she didnt dispute that but then she said there was another Nicky Shakespeare at Express and refused to give her own surname and refused Man. Directors name or com. number. Strange that if they have nothing to do with each other they knew my contract was with Express when I gave my name and she checked her computer!