Trying to stop absusive (and costing?) texts from 899 95

icedgemma

Hi All,
I have received 2 texts (one yesterday, one today) from the number 899 95. They both say (without the stars) "What the F*** were you thinking?! <then a link> Bluestream, help: 08448870432 Free Msg."

The first one yesterday I just ignored and deleted (didn't click on the links or anything obviously) but when I got one today I decided to look into it. Having googled and looked around it seems that these kind of numbers actually charge you for receiving texts? How can this happen when I have not signed up to anything of the sort? I haven't texted STOP yet as I am worried that I will be charged even more.

So far I phoned o2, and after about half an hour on the phone with a useless customer service person I managed to establish that I could put a block on premium numbers, so I have done this. Does this mean these abusive messages will now stop? It has really upset me actually, especially as I may be charged for the 2 I have already seen. Is there a limit to the amount that it might have cost me or could it be anything? They couldn't tell me yet whether it has cost me to receive these messages since the billing system takes 24 hours to update or something... Since the text said "Free Msg." perhaps I didn't get charged after all?

Would be grateful for any advice, this has really angered me. What if a child or vulnerable person had received a text like this?! It's just not on. :mad:

OneADay

!!!!!!!

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/08448870432

I just thought I should highlight the word!
Follow the suggestions on the site there - contact PhonePayplus to complain too.
http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/Number-Checker/Check-a-Number-Results.aspx?ncn=89995

icedgemma

hey, yeah I'd come across the same kind of info when I googled it. I've never looked at !!!!!! though ... You're probably thinking oh yeah right, but I haven't, and even if I did I wouldn't be stupid enough to give a phone number. Any idea how I might have been signed up for this or is it literally just spam generated by a random number generator or something?

OneADay

It could be any number of things - someone using your number without your permission, some web site offloading data - or just guesswork.
Just put in a complaint to phonepayplus if you were not responsible for it - which helps protect others.

staffie1

icedgemma wrote: »

What if a child or vulnerable person had received a text like this?!

That's what they're banking on!

wantmemoney

I think people should be kicking up blue murder with the useless !!!!!!!s at PhonepayPlus.

Blue Stream Mobile have been allowed to get away with this for years

this is just one of their latest scams
http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/89995

4rchibald

I have received the same message yesterday (twice). I have contacted PhonePayPlus and made a complaint. I have also sent Bluestream an e-mail requesting to remove my number from their database and to give detail on how they got my number.

I don't think anyone can be charged for receiveing these texts, but we could be charged when responding. Thats why I decided not to sent "STOP" - why we should pay to stop ads that we didn't order?

wantmemoney

04 March 2010
Information provider Blue Stream Mobile Limited
Service provider Wireless Information Network Ltd
Information provider location Bucks
Service provider location High Wycombe
Telephone network All mobile networks
Service type WAP pay-per-page
Cost £3 - £6 per page, billed £1.50
Number of complaints 67
Source of complaint Members of the public
Fine 7500
Sanction A Formal Reprimand

04 March 2010
Information provider Blue Stream Mobile Limited
Service provider MX Telecom
Information provider location Bucks
Service provider location London
Telephone network All mobile networks
Service type WAP pay-per-page
Cost £3 - £6 per page, billed £1.50
Number of complaints 359
Source of complaint Members of the public
Fine 50000
Sanction A Formal Reprimand

31 July 2008
Information provider Blue Stream Mobile Limited
Service provider Wireless Information Network Ltd
Information provider location London
Service provider location High Wycombe
Telephone network Mobile Operators
Service type Video promotions
Cost £1.50 per transaction
Number of complaints 10
Source of complaint Public
Fine 6000
Sanction A formal reprimand

31 July 2008
Information provider Blue Stream Mobile Limited
Service provider Sybase 365
Information provider location London
Service provider location Berkshire
Telephone network Mobile Operators
Service type Video promotions
Cost £1.50 per transaction
Number of complaints 9
Source of complaint Public
Fine 24000
Sanction A formal reprimand

13 May 2008
Information provider Blue Stream Mobile Limited
Service provider Wireless Information Network Ltd
Information provider location London
Service provider location High Wycombe
Telephone network All mobile networks
Service type Mobile Content Downloads – WAP Access
Cost Picture downloads £1.50 each, Video downloads £3.0
Number of complaints 0
Source of complaint PhonepayPlus monitoring
Fine 7000
Sanction Formal reprimand; a requirement that WIN Ltd seek and implement compliance advice

24 October 2007
Information provider Blue Stream Mobile Limited
Service provider MX Telecom
Information provider location London
Service provider location London
Telephone network All mobile networks
Service type Adult content download
Cost 69944 - £1.50 per reverse SMS
Number of complaints 0
Source of complaint ICSTIS Monitoring
Fine 7500
Sanction A formal reprimand; A bar on the service until it was compliant; The information provider must submit any new advertisement to the ICSTIS compliance team for advice (Case Ref: 705402)

05 September 2007
Information provider Blue Stream Mobile Limited
Service provider MX Telecom
Information provider location London
Service provider location London
Telephone network All mobile networks
Service type Adult content download
Cost 69944 £1.50 per reverse billed SMS (Picture packs
Number of complaints 0
Source of complaint ICSTIS Monitoring
Fine 7500
Sanction A formal reprimand, A bar on the service until it is compliant, The information provider must submit any new advertisement for copy advice

02 April 2007
Information provider Blue Stream Mobile Limited
Service provider MX Telecom
Information provider location Marlow - Buckinghamshire
Service provider location London
Telephone network All mobile networks
Service type Adult mobile service
Cost 82007 - Between £1.50 and £4.50
Number of complaints 1
Source of complaint Intra-industry
Fine 5000
Sanction Bar on service until compliant with the Code of Practice, Formal reprimand, Future promotional material to be submitted for approval, (Case Ref: 294566)

02 April 2007
Information provider Blue Stream Mobile Limited
Service provider Wireless Information Network Ltd
Information provider location Marlow - Buckinghamshire
Service provider location High Wycombe
Telephone network All mobile networks
Service type Adult mobile service
Cost 69555 - Between £1.50 and £4.50
Number of complaints 1
Source of complaint Intra-industry
Fine 5000
Sanction Bar on service until compliant with the Code of Practice, Formal reprimand, Future promotional material to be submitted for approval, (Case Ref: 294567)

23 October 2006
Information provider Blue Stream Mobile Limited
Service provider Wireless Information Network Ltd
Information provider location N/A
Service provider location Buckinghamshire
Telephone network All mobile networks
Service type Reverse-billed SMS
Cost £1.50 per message received
Number of complaints 0
Source of complaint Monitoring
Fine 5000
Sanction Access to the service barred until it complies with the ICSTIS Code of Practice, Formal reprimand

18 March 2010
Information provider Antiphony Limited
Service provider Wireless Information Network Ltd
Information provider location Buckinghamshire
Service provider location High Wycombe
Telephone network All mobile networks
Service type N/A
Cost 0
Number of complaints 0
Source of complaint N/A
Fine 75000
Sanction A Formal Reprimand; the Information Provider remedy to the breach by complying with the original sanction

26 November 2009
Information provider Antiphony Limited
Service provider Wireless Information Network Ltd
Information provider location Buckinghamshire
Service provider location High Wycombe
Telephone network All mobile networks
Service type Virtual chat
Cost £1.50 per message received from the shortcode
Number of complaints 20
Source of complaint Consumers
Fine 50000
Sanction Formal Reprimand; seek and implement compliance advice, claims for refunds are to be paid by the Information Provider for the full amount spent by complainants

20 August 2009
Information provider Antiphony Limited
Service provider Wireless Information Network Ltd
Information provider location Buckinghamshire
Service provider location Buckinghamshire
Telephone network All mobile networks
Service type Contacting and dating service
Cost £1.50 per minute
Number of complaints 1
Source of complaint Member of the public
Fine 0
Sanction A Formal Reprimand

22 January 2009
Information provider Wireless Information Network Limited
Service provider Antiphony Limited
Information provider location Buckinghamshire
Service provider location Buckinghamshire
Telephone network All mobile networks
Service type Unknown
Cost £1.50 per message received
Number of complaints 106
Source of complaint Public
Fine 30000
Sanction The information provider to remedy the breaches; a formal reprimand; the information provider to seek and implement compliance advice in respect of the service

The Wap site belongs to Antiphony. They are owned by the same people who own Blue Stream.
Above is the record of 'regulatory' 'fines' the have both received.

PS the 'fines' are paid directly from withheld revenue purposely put aside. In other words the victims pay the fines.

The Networks earn revenue from Blue Stream for sending the bulk sms spam and take up to 50% of the victims phone bill.

PhonepayPlus (aka Icstis) is a industry sponsored fraud and a sham but complain anyway

alex99

4rchibald wrote: »

I have received the same message yesterday (twice). I have contacted PhonePayPlus and made a complaint. I have also sent Bluestream an e-mail requesting to remove my number from their database and to give detail on how they got my number.

I don't think anyone can be charged for receiveing these texts, but we could be charged when responding. Thats why I decided not to sent "STOP" - why we should pay to stop ads that we didn't order?

I'm afraid you CAN be charged for receiving texts. That's the problem. Any premium rate company that has (or can guess/autogenerate) you phone number can send you spam and charge you for it. Ofcom and PhonepayPlus could put a stop to this or at least force the networks allow us to opt out, but they refuse to.

Vodafone and T-mobile will allow you to opt out of reverse charge SMS but it's very difficult to explain to the CS people on the phone what you want them to do - they often just give you a vague assurance that they've "blocked premium rate calls" (which could mean various things) and are often not technically literate enough to discuss the details. Worth a try though.

Marivanna

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone managed to get their ££ back for unsolicited premium texts?

Any success stories so far?

Thanks.

Marivanna

Hello everyone,
just to let you know, once I inadvertently entered my tel number on a site asking for it as means of identification. And as of then I started receiving texts with links to download ringtones, games, etc.

I thought they were nothing but annoying, I never replied to any of them. It is only when I got to look at my bill I saw, reply or no reply I was charged £1.25 each, 3 texts a week like clockwork. 2 months billed and current month unbilled. 33 in total.

Called my mobile provider who said they had nothing to do with it and are simply passing the charges to the third party. What I got from them is the name of the this third party and £10.00 gesture of good will as consolation.

I Googled the third party, Zamano, they appeared to be a platform used by other companies, like the ones that sent texts to me. I Googled those as well.

I emailed to all of them. Those that sent me texts returned failed delivery, they had bogus customer service emails. But Zamano replied immediately with more details request and a promise of refund.

So I did. Got my cheque in the post within 2 weeks.

I did also contact PhonepayPlus - they did reply, coincidentally a day after I got the cheque. They are asking for more information about the company that sent the texts [not Zamano, but actual ringtones, etc company]. They are building a case against such practice and need more evidence. Please help them by sending as more info as possible.