Annoying and costly sales text messages

too_short

I have a mobile phone on Orange contract and have noticed that for the past couple of months I have been charged for unwanted text messages (mostly browser ones) which I have received from Orange and other companies.
I started to make a note and keep these messages (as opposed to deleting them straight away) so that I had all details when I called Orange Customer Services, but when I eventually got through to them and after 45 minutes and a very frustrating conversation, I was told that they could only stop the Orange texts and could not stop the texts from other numbers.  Since then I am receiving texts from Orange and a number of companies and still being charged for these and I'm getting no joy from Orange.

Is there anyone else out there who has/is having the same problem? and does anyone know how I can get these unwanted texts stopped without costing me more money? as my mobile bills are getting bigger and bigger and my bank balance smaller and smaller.




Another thing that I'd like to know if anyone has the answer is how do these companies know your number in the first place, especially when you don't give it out to strangers.....?!!! Now that I find creepy.

Tom_Jones

Yep been having the same problem with Vodaphone, and I find it pathetic that we have to go through the rigmarole of keeping numbers/ringing customer service/cancelling the authority for these texts, surely the phone provider could block all these texts if you request them to do so. The cost of the texts added up to £7.74 on my last months bill.

kaaloo

Trust me you are not alone - this issue has been discussed many a time on this forum (often by me!).

I left orange because of the same problem - I suggest you do the same!

It wont solve it but it will teach em a lesson for not being helpful!

This is the only help I could find
http://www.grumbletext.co.uk/index.php

too_short

Trust me you are not alone - this issue has been discussed many a time on this forum (often by me!).

I left orange because of the same problem - I suggest you do the same!

It wont solve it but it will teach em a lesson for not being helpful!

This is the only help I could find
http://www.grumbletext.co.uk/index.php

Thanks for the link Kaaloo. I was thinking of moving to another provider, but my partner brought me a new phone for Christmas, now I'm tied to them for another year.

Jonni2bad

I've recently questioned all the mobile phone companies regarding this and I've posted Orange's reply here for you.

I think they are basically all the same, from the replies I've had, in that they are fully aware it's going on, say it doesn't happen with them, and shrug their shoulders! I have highlighted some bits to show they are aware that companies randomly send these out, yet they don't appear to comment about how they will tackle it.

mmmm. Money talks!

My question to Orange;

I would like to know your policy regarding unsolicited premium rate text messages, namely - would it be possible for ANY orange mobile customer to receive one even if they had not subscribed or requested such a message?

Their reply;

Thank you for your email regarding unsolicited text messages.

Unsolicited messages differ from Third Party text messages, in that they are messages that a customer has not actively requested or subscribed to. A common
type of unsolicited message is a marketing message offering the customer a service, mystery prize, or upgrade offer.

This is just another version of junk mail or unsolicited sales calls that customers may receive at home.

Often numbers are randomly generated and the same text is sent to thousands of subscribers, the customer has not personally been targeted. The problem affects all mobile networks not just Orange.

Please note that Orange do not provide customer's telephone numbers to third parties for marketing purposes. However, certain providers use randomly
generated numbers to contact customers. If the customer receives a message requesting them to reply, we should advise that they do not reply to the message
unless they are sure of the service they will be obtaining as a result of replying.

I hope this information is of assistance.

Kind regards.

Christine
Orange Customer Services

Glad

after receiving an unwanted text, press reply and send the word STOP this stops them sending anymore
for more discussion see here

kaaloo

after receiving an unwanted text, press reply and send the word STOP this stops them sending anymore
for more discussion see here

2 Questions

1) If you receive a spam text - do you get charged to simply receive it or does it activate once u reply?

2) Do you get charged for sending STOP as suggested above?

K ;D

fatboyonadiet

if you're on vodafone you can forward these messages to the SPAM number, which is 87726, for free. I've used it in the past and don't get bothered by the same number twice

Jonni2bad

2 Questions

1) If you receive a spam text - do you get charged to simply receive it or does it activate once u reply?

2) Do you get charged for sending STOP as suggested above?

K ;D

1) Not all spam texts you receive will be charged, some companies just send out useless info to a wide range of numbers hoping that the odd one might reply (and then I guess receive the premium texts).

I would advise you check that any spam you receive is charged before replying with STOP, otherwise you might unwittingly let the sender know they have found a "real" number!!

2) If you have been charged for receiving one, find out what your provider requires you to do in order to report it. But yes, you would have to pay to send a STOP message.