T-Mobile SMS Scam and 700036004?

The_Watcher

I checked my balance to find I'd only got 40p left on my PAYG T-Mobile phone. On checking my account online I've been charged for 5 messages over the last month to 700036004 costing £2.50 a message!

According to my account I last sent a text to 700036004 on 1.3.13, although I've not sent such a text and the number does not appear in my inbox or sent box!

I'll be phoning T-Mobile in the morning as this is clearly a scam.

Can anyone shed any light on this, and also what I need to do to stop these texts?

:mad:

smileygill

A quick Google search came up with these results.

You're apparently getting charged for receiving the messages. Seems to be a known problem.

redux

Yes, these are received messages from 5 digit short code numbers, and for some reason T-mobile shows the numbers in a different format

If you have not subscribed to any premium rate message service, they ought to give you the actual sender number

Then there is a search box on the Phonepayplus, and that should give you contact details for the provider

If it begins with 08, you might try saynoto0870 or a Google search for a non-premium rate number.

Contact them and say you never subscribed, stop the messages and ask for a refund. Stay clam and polite, as the number provider isn't necessarily the same as the service provider, and if so they'll pass on the refund request.

If you don't get a refund, complain to Phonepayplus

The_Watcher

Much to my surprise T-Mobile were quite helpful and they have refunded me the £12.50 I'd lost.

However, my last 'text' to/from 700036004 was yesterday, but I never received anything! T-Mobile advised me to text STOP ALL to 49011 but also advised that it could still happen again.

I can understand being charged for a text I've sent or received, but how can I be charged for something I've not received? And, unless I check my account, I won't know I've been charged again!

wantmemoney

The_Watcher wrote:

T-Mobile advised me to text STOP ALL to 49011

That is nonsense and apart from costing you 12p won't help you in the slightest.
That 'shortcode' is used to stop T-mobile marketing spam.

700036004 is a T-Mobile Payforit code and is used by T-Mobile for them to identify the company that sent you the premium rate text so they know who to send and share your money with.

Payforit is a billing scheme setup and owned by T-Mobile and the other Network Operators.
The company T-Mobile is using for this code is

WIN
customer.service@imimobile.com

WIN and their various clients have been fined between them many tens of thousands of pounds for sending unsolicited premium rate services to Network Operator customers!

It appears WINS client has obtained your mobile number somehow.

and the normal shortcode is 82344