Free Stuff fleeced money out of my mobile

Azari

paddyrg wrote: »

They're known as 'reverse billed', it's been the favourite billing model of premium SMS since the services first appeared - I looked into it in the 90's as a revenue stream, and the preferred model then was reverse-billling, and it has only got worse with 'subscriptions' etc, which heavily abuse reverse billing.

Under what circumstances are companies allowed to send you a text for which you can be charged?

fluffnutter

Azari wrote: »

Under what circumstances are companies allowed to send you a text for which you can be charged?

I guess if you've agreed to that when you were given their T&Cs. Isn't this how those stupid ringtone download things work? Sign up for the service, they'll text you three irritating ringtones a week and for the privilege they'll charge you £1.50 per text.

Which, I should imagine, it's exactly what's happened to the OP. She probably didn't realise that's what she was doing when she supplied her number on whatever site it was, but that's what's happened. I suspect it was in the small print somewhere or in one of those T&Cs boxes that you have to click to say 'I accept'.

Azari

fluffnutter wrote: »

I guess if you've agreed to that when you were given their T&Cs. Isn't this how those stupid ringtone download things work? Sign up for the service, they'll text you three irritating ringtones a week and for the privilege they'll charge you £1.50 per text.

Which, I should imagine, it's exactly what's happened to the OP. She probably didn't realise that's what she was doing when she supplied her number on whatever site it was, but that's what's happened. I suspect it was in the small print somewhere or in one of those T&Cs boxes that you have to click to say 'I accept'.

Thanks, fluffnutter.

It seems to me that the rules should be changed to that you have to explicitly click a check-box alongside a clearly worded statement about the exact costs of any service before anyone can charge you by whatever means - including, obviously, text message and CC.

fluffnutter

Azari wrote: »

Thanks, fluffnutter.

It seems to me that the rules should be changed to that you have to explicitly click a check-box alongside a clearly worded statement about the exact costs of any service before anyone can charge you by whatever means - including, obviously, text message and CC.

Ain't that the truth, Azari. What galls me particularly about mobile phone stuff is that so much of it's aimed at kids. Who couldn't work out an unfair contract if you slapped them round the chops with it. It's so... I don't know... opportunistic. Sure, it's legal but it's not very moral.

peter_the_piper

Does everyone give their correct phone number when there is patently no need for them to phone you.

fluffnutter

peter_the_piper wrote: »

Does everyone give their correct phone number when there is patently no need for them to phone you.

I did a wine tasting the other day at a street food fair. Just a couple of sips of a couple of different wines. They wanted my name, dob, email address and phone number. !!!!!!? They didn't get them. If that's their stipulation, I'll give the wine a miss.

peter_the_piper

Whilst I would not expect to have messages like the OP had, I never give the correct phone number, I can't see a need.