Multimedia charges

margaretdenholm

My mobile service provider, Orange, has just charged me for Multimedia Services Received, 3 all at exactly the same time and a cost of £1.28 each! My argument is that I haven't received them but they say that the fact they are on my bill is proof that I have!!?? Is this a scam or what? Does anyone know how to avoid this type of charge. I seems that a company called win.com sent them but I don't have them. Help please!

Mickyfinn

I'm in the same boat I have a handset that doesn't leave the house and I rarely use it. This multimedia charge has appeared this morning. I'm going to call Orange to dispute it now. I never subscibe to any premium services £1.28! Also three times this sounds like a scam - which is why I searched on here. Did you get a refund Margaret?

Micky

proplusplus

£1.28 is ex vat. Each SMS received is £1.50incl. Vat.

These Multimedia Services are sometimes multimedia messages, sometimes simply text messages, but appear on your bill as multimedia services received.

You can complain to Orange, but the general line for ALL networks, not just Orange is that it is something which occurs in 1 of 3 ways:

1) You send an SMS to a 5-dgit shortcode, or competition entry number. (this is sometimes charged at your standard sms rate, 10p, or anywhere between £0.10>£5.00). they then respond, charging you 1-10times for your entry as per competition/information guidelines. (Hence 3 charges @ £1.28[£1.50])

2) You, or sometimes someone else, may be able to enter your details online for chargeable rate services (now i'm not sure if this is 100% true, but i've heard of such cases)

3) these companies (some are unscrupulous!) randomly send messages to randomly selected telephone numbers ( a bit like Junk/unsolicited mail)


The resolution process is:

1) identify the 5-digit shortcode charging you.
2) Phone up operator to get details of 3rd party Service
3)Contact them stating you never signed up, plus ask to be removed from their database.
>> There will be a method to remove yourself by texting STOP or STOP ALL back to the number, a telephone contact number, an email address.

You can request that 3rd party services feedback is sent via your operator, as these companies have agreements with the netowrks to charge for SMS/MMS for the services they provide. By reporting it, if the companies are indeed found to be abusing the contractual agreement, they should be dropped.

Orange are not the company charging you, they are billing you in respect of information provided by the 3rd party company. (much in the same way as if you call an 099XX or other chargeable number from your BT line, BT charge you, cos the 099XX company bill them for the call you made)

you can help prevent yourself from these sms/mms by:

1) not responding to any unsolicited messages/calls
2)not calling/texting back numbers you do not know
3)not entering competitions/3rd party services/information from your mobile
4)keeping your handset with you at all times, sometimes even a PIN for your handset in standby mode (in most cases, these charges appear when a friend/family member uses the handset without your knowledge)
5) registering with the telephone preference service hXXP://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/ (bare in mind this will not prevent the random generation of your number category as described above)

hope this is of some use / information

proplusplus

pS) look at the three charegeable SMS/MMS received, and see if in the prior 10mins an SMS/MMS (either chargeable or incl.) was sent to either a 5-digit short-code, or an unrecognised mobile number. similarly look for any calls to unknown/08XX numbers - this may help identify if you are randomly affected by this MMS charging issue, or whether it is actioned from the handset, and may be someone you know/don't know who sent it. This will also help future similar undesired charges.

ppS) check sent messages on your handset aswell, you may get some extra info!

ppS) Post back your results so others can benefit from what you discover, or what you manage to resolve in relation to this problem - cheers!!!

hyperbole_2

I am in the same trouble. Kept on recieving three mesages at the time maybe twice a week or more and i ignored them everytime(regret it now). When i recieved my phone bill i was shocked. I have been charged £50 for those messages!!!!! I called Vodafone and they have provided me with the phone number to unsubscribe. I phoned the company and using automated service have unsubscribed. There was an option to speek to a customer service advisor, but everytime I call it says : "Currently all our customer service advisors are busy" . Tried searching info about the comany online e.g postal adress but had no sucsess. Does anyone know how I could trace the company down and if I do can I request a refund as I have NEVER subscribed to their texts. Thanks

Mickyfinn

Right I think I understand the procedure for dealing with unsolicited Premium Rate Text Messages- in my case it is with Orange. Here's a mini guide to help you if this happens to you which I have put together from MSe users help and trawling the web.

This is what I have done - Always write down times of calls and who you spoke to plus what was said:

1.) Call Orange to dispute the charges and to identify the service I am being billed for (in my case 87070), the shortcode owner's contact details etc. State clearly that you didn't request the service and use the bill to demonstrate this (they have a log of every message you have ever sent - so they know you didn't request it!) Also say that you want them to write all details in the call notes to report them to ICSTIS (the premium rate number regulator.)

2.) Text two messages one saying STOP (nothing else) to the shortcode that sent the messages and another saying STOP ALL (they may have subscribed you to more than one service) to the same number. This should stop you receiving any more messages - if you don't your costs will increase.

3.) Call the company that owns the Shortcode - in my case it is Opera Telecom (It's an 0870 number (more money for them:mad:) so use your landline NOT your mobile) get them to remove you from their database and dispute the charges. If they refuse to refund you find out why, explain that you will be filling out an online complaint to ICSTIS to get them fined for fraud. If they agree accept the refund - I suggest you may still wish to complain to ICSTIS.

4.) Complain to ICSTIS
ICSTIS complaints can be made here (but remember you have to contact the company who sent the messages FIRST!
http://www.icstis.org.uk/consumers/default.asp

5.) Call Orange and get all premium services barred on your handset. Alternatively you can do it yourself by texting BLOCK ALL to 5155 (I know! Not another shortcode!)
Source:http://www.orange.ch/pricesservices

6.) Register your mobile with the TPS to stop people sending you unsolicited calls and messages.
http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/

By looking at the ICSTIS website's list of companies that have been fined - I'm sure that some premium rate companies profit from the fact that the fines for their illegal actions are not high enough to deter the activity. I could setup my own company, trawl the internet for numbers subscribe them all to my premium service and the ones that complained either ignore or refund and make myself a millionaire overnight knowing the fine would not exceed my profits. I could even generate random numbers.

Mobile providers charging in excess of £1.50 for itemised billing also fuels this activity as you may not know if you are effected as you do not see them on a bill.

I would like to see Martin Lewis running a campaign to stopping this practice.

:money:**Update** 30/08/07 1127
Orange got Opera Telecom to call me. Ollie from Music HQ who own the shortcode called me to say I would be removed from their databases. I explained about my sim card sitting in a drawer and he asked me how long I had the phone number (I have had it about 10 years) he said I subscribed on an incoming text on 01/05/2004 to a competition - I explained that I didn't text competitions and he agreed to send me a refund for all three messages £4.50 asked for my address and name to send the cheque to. He was very pleasent and apologised for the messages, also that 3 were sent due to a system error instead of two - apparently they were for Creamfields and V festival. Hopefully the cheque will arrive.

I hope this helps you - thank you to everyone who replied and for your help.:T

Best wishes

Micky:beer:

proplusplus

Mickyfinn wrote: »

5.) Call Orange and get all premium services barred on your handset. Alternatively you can do it yourself by texting BLOCK ALL to 5155 (I know! Not another shortcode!)
Source:http://www.orange.ch/pricesservices

Very good info there, well written aswell.

One thing to note with this point here though is again, this will not prevent you from receiving chargeable rate SMS/MMS, it will just prevent you from subscribing/calling them.

If you are unfortunate to receive an unsolicited chargeable rate sms/mms it will be billed, though you will have a strong case for a refund seeing as you have a preium rate block!

proplusplus

pS) i've not heard about the option to text 5155 to block the service, i presume if you've found the info it works, but you have linked seemingly to the swiss Orange website, and the terms/conditions may not apply in the UK.

Mickyfinn

Good point ProPlusPlus it was a foreign Orange site and may not be in the UK terms and conditions. Thank you for your responses - they were the foundation of the post.

Thanks again for your help lets hope my cheque arrives!

Micky;)