T Mobile Harassment

uksal

Ok, another update, I have just received a message from "tonesite" whoever they are telling me i am subscribed to their service, I have no idea what service because believe me I thought yesterday t-mobile had barred my number from getting subscribed. So t-mobile can you or can't you bar a number from being subscribed. Today the lady I spoke to told me I can't get my number barred completely. I think (hope) she simply didn't understand that I was talking about a new subscription to the same service. It does seem rather strange that they are under the impression that I know what on earth is going on, yet actually I am just here with my purse open and anyone who wants a few quid can come and ask t-mobile to give them some of my money. Sure it sounds like I am having a pop at t-mobile and I suppose I am, but my message to all you employees of that company, beleive me it is not personal, just I am simply telling MY story, I am sure that if I had a mobile with any of the other networks I would be abandoned to sort it out myself too. This is why I firmly beleive it is for the mobile network companies to sort out, it is their network, not mine that is being used in this criminal way, and I am being stolen from.

princessjessica08

t-mobile should be able to give you a 5 digit code to send stop to, once you do that it can take up to 24hrs for the subscription to end. Once the bar is on the account (barring in mind they have to add the bar and exclude premium rate service feature on the account, I just hope the person you spoke to did both) it can take 24hrs to come into effect.

jess

uksal

Thanks for the info princess, actually the problem is that I have gone throught the process of obtaining the 5 digit number and sent stop messages, (and a new one STOP ALL) but the following day I received a message from the sharks toneshop, which if you work for a network I am sure you will have heard of, informing me that I have subscribed AGAIN! This is my point, when I then phoned tmobile AGAIN about this new attempt at theft, I was told that they can't stop new ones. I did inform the person that what they told me was directly opposed to the person I spoke to yesterday, but no she assured me she was correct. I assured her I wanted to speak to someone else, and I am waiting for them to come back to me. This is the whole problem with this sort of fraudulent activity, no one keeps to the same set of guidelines, and the corporate bodies who could do something about it simply don't, for reasons indicated here by me and others, is most likely the network operators are benefitting financially.
However phonepayplus.org.uk (new name for ICSTIC for those who are not aware) are now informed of the full situation and have also advised that the text number (87448) belongs to a company
2 Ergo Ltd
St Marys Chambers
Haslingdon Road
Rawtenstall
Lancashire BB4 6QX,

Quick search on Companies House shows 2 Ergo Ltd are registered at 4th floor, Digital World Centre, 1 Lowry Plaza, The Quays, Salford, Manchester, M50 3UB
The company number is 03816463
This company, since it's incorporation im 1999 has changed it's name several times, originally Wellinquest Ltd, then Lammtara Industries Limited, then Lammtara Multiserve Limited, now 2 Ergo Ltd.

With this informaiton you then see that this company in it's many guises constantly ask the networks to simply send them some money, the networks comply, ergo they are perpetuating the fraudulent activitity and have the ability to stop it by breaking ties with this company.

Their website www.2ergo.com shows all the company details, directors names etc, I for one will be writing to them, but of course I am a lone voice, and I know for sure there are many others.

For goodness sake t-mobile, 02, three, orange, vodaphone etc.. do something about this scam, it won't hurt your profits - or are you so reliant on fraudlent income that you don't want to do anything about it?

Intasun32

princessjessica08 wrote: »

Excuse me, I work for T-mobile and I do not refuse to help customers with problems like this, I've been in a position getting unsolicited sms when I didn't start it (reason I know, is it was a new number from orange and as soon as I switched it on I got messages through). We can give limited info on who these ppl are and possibly info on what the sms contain (because we only have limited info) but I give info on how to stop and advise the charge bar on the account to avoid future problems. We can't give refunds as these have to be given by the 3rd party company. But I/WE should try to help out as much as possible in these circumstances

Jess

@Princessjessica,

Of course I will excuse you for working for T-Mobile, it could be worse, you could have said you worked for Vodafone :rotfl:

If you refer to my post #29, you will see that I have credited TM for being the first of only two networks that allow its customers to block shortcodes. This was my main reason for taking a TM contract. Sadly from experience I have known how difficult they also make it when you need information regarding a rouge number or shortcode. This information if available to CS at the press of a keyboard, yet they are reluctant to disclose it, why?

You state that you would have limited info of the sms. You will have the shortcode, you would then have access to the aggregator and the content provider. You would also know the company that the stolen money will be paid to, what more info do we need?

Uksal is correct in saying that as TM, or any network, takes a cut of the charges made fraudulently to an account then they party to the theft. They also collect and pay the money to the thieves, in any other business the law would be down on such a practice like a ton of bricks but this is Telecoms. For some reason, known only to those who make the laws of the land, this scam come under a grey area of the law. Why? To you, me and everyone else that has had money stolen from their account with the help of their network, this is a straight forward theft.

Good luck Uksal, keep us all informed of what happens and how far you intend to take matters. :T

Just a note Uksal, 2 Ergo are well known to Icstis/PP+, check out the 'Adjudications' on the web site and see how many times they have been fined for various scams. Yet they continue to trade with the blessing of PP+, Ofcom & Trading Standards. I ask why ? and How? You are far from being a lone voice.

uksal

So today's update.
I have called tmobile again and asked them to clarify whether or not I can l block these costs. Today (weekday staff perhaps are better trained?) I am told that absolutely my account is barred, but it takes 24 hours to effect, so the Sunday text might just have been a fluke. I think Mark Noname at Mobile CRM did it himself, but there you go, I have no proof of that, and probably Mark Noname is a figment of my imagination, actually come to think of it I dreamt that part, for all you budding libel lawyers.
Interestingly I also have been credited for the initial charge of £9. Sure I have no proof that it actually has happened, but the very nice person I spoke to said they had done that, as I had advised them I was going to cancel the ddr and pay by cheque until it was resolved as the charges were outside the contract I have with them.
Again, the networks are best placed to stop this from happening, (regulation does not work as it is self regulation) I intend to follow this up and spread the message as wide as I am able, if intasun32 is correct and only tmobile and vodaphone are stopping these premium rate messages, then surely they are in a good position to take loads of business from their competitors by highlighting this extremely worthwhile option. (Should be an opt in not opt out option mind)
Alas until the regulator takes proper interest in stopping this criminal activity I doubt that the networks will bother to change their ways as they must be financially rewarded for allowing this theft to perpetuate.
I'll let you know how I get on.

uksal

And another thing..... I have started a petition if anyone is interested in signing.

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Paymentbymobile/

thanks

will start a new thread with this on too, but if you could ask anyone you know to sign if they are in agreement it may help...

bigsheep

Just to let everyone know that Fraud Assurance from T-Mobile have now been in touch apologising for the account being opened at my address without permission.
The account has been cancelled and, very importantly, we will not get a bad credit rating with the credit reference agencies because of the account.
They thanked me for telling them about it as it would help to combat fraud in future.
So thanks to all who helped on here. Very much appreciated.

evenasus

Glad it's now all sorted out for you bigsheep.

princessjessica08 wrote: »

Excuse me, I work for T-mobile.....We can't give refunds as these have to be given by the 3rd party company.
Jess

Oh yes they can! I was scammed last month this way on my PAYG T Mobile. Four incomming text charges in four days at £1.50 a time. I was furious.
My first call to T Mobile got me the ‘We cannot give refunds – nothing to do with us, you will need to contact the text sender yourself.’
Not blooming likely I thought.

Anyway, a very strongly worded email via T Mobile website got me a call back and a promise to refund the charges as a gesture of goodwill.
They also barred any more third party premium rate texts from my phone.

A couple of days, I received two more of more emails and a phone call from T Mobile. They wanted to check that all was well and if could they do anything else for me.
So really can't complain about their service.

I was going to change to Family Mobile (Ikea) as they are much cheaper but still the ability to see my PAYG charges online.
I enquired if they could stop incoming premium rate texts but unfortunately they can't. They can stop them going out - very useful - NOT.

Could go back to using Tesco Mobile, as they will stop the texts. But they don't have the 'view call log' online.

Think I'll stick with T Mobile for the moment.

Whoa, look at the time - fell asleep on sofa all evening, :rolleyes: so not tired now.

evenasus

uksal....Did you get your T Mobile problem sorted?

I did sign your petition.

greyster

bigsheep wrote: »

Over the past few weeks I have had bills from T Mobile sent to my address. These bills relate to someone who does not live here but who used to live in a block of flats up the road and mistakenly used our postcode. The amounts owed have steadily got higher until today when it reached over £1200 - including a termination penalty. I have done everything I can to stop these bills. I have phoned T Mobile many times explaining the postcode situation and giving them the correct address. But they totally ignored everything. The latest "customer service" person I spoke to assured me I would receive no more bills. A couple of weeks ago I got a letter from a debt collector in Glasgow threatening action. I have written to T Mobile customer service on several occasions and also informed the debt collector of the mistake but today is the final straw. This amounts to harassment. I am in fear of leaving the house empty in case the bailiffs come round. Has anyone any suggestions please? I am at my wits end.

Incase anyone else gets something similar, use this form:

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/service/fraud-notification/not-my-bill/