Text Message Scam

r.jenkins36

This isn't about investing cleverly or finding cheap rates for services, but it is about not wasting money - so I hope it is allowed in the chat forum.

I hope someone can help me with this.....I had a text message from 87070, which belongs to Opera Telecom, 3 Brindley Place, Birmingham, B1 2JB. I have never subscribed to them (or anyone else) so it was a totally unsolicited message. It was to "remind" me that I could "call 1st choice.co.uk for free" - big deal! Then I found out the cheeky b***rs had charged me £1.28 to send me this text!

My mobile service provider and I both complained to Opera Telecom, but they have ignored the contacts and still send me texts, so I have tried to complain elsewhere.

The mobile is registered with TPS - but they say that such texts "are not their responsibility" - they recommended I contact ICSTIS.

ICSTIS don't want to know about "back-charged" texts - they say that they "are not their responsibility" - they recommended I contact the Information Commissioner.

The Information Commissioner doesn't want to know about back-charged texts, "as they are not their responsibility" - then admitted that this is because the mobile phone companies have told OFCOM that these texts can't be sent unless there is an agreed subscription - so they don't count as "marketing texts". Mind you, the IC acknowledged that they have had "loads of complaints" from people who say they haven't subscribed but still receive text messages like mine. They said legislation doesn't seem to cover this area.

So it seems that all you need is get a licence for a telecom service, send out a load of unsolicited texts, then sit back and wait for the £1.28's to roll in!!! What a scam!!! HELP!

jf2404

Sounds like your not going to get anywhere with any of the above.

I'd just make sure you text "stop" back or cancel or whatever and just put it down as a learning curve.

Mattjimf

i'd get in touch with watchdog to get it highlighted on national telly then maybe something will be done.

RogerPJ

jf2404 wrote:

Sounds like your not going to get anywhere with any of the above.

I'd just make sure you text "stop" back or cancel or whatever and just put it down as a learning curve.

You can forward the message to 7726 (SPAM) or 87726 (VSPAM on Vodaphone) and they group all the complaints together and report them to ICSTIS. I'm not 100% sure about those numbers, so please search MSE as that's where I got my info from!

My wife had the same problem and Vodaphone didn't do anything. We ended up texting them to stop sending us texts and the cheeky fiddlers texted us back to say we'd stopped and charged us for that text!! I was going to take it further, but considering the amount was less than £5 I decided it wasn't worth it. Something must be done to stop it...

jf2404

RogerPJ wrote:

You can forward the message to 7726 (SPAM) or 87726 (VSPAM on Vodaphone) and they group all the complaints together and report them to ICSTIS. I'm not 100% sure about those numbers, so please search MSE as that's where I got my info from!

My wife had the same problem and Vodaphone didn't do anything. We ended up texting them to stop sending us texts and the cheeky fiddlers texted us back to say we'd stopped and charged us for that text!! I was going to take it further, but considering the amount was less than £5 I decided it wasn't worth it. Something must be done to stop it...

ICSTIS don't want to know about "back-charged" texts - they say that they "are not their responsibility" - they recommended I contact the Information Commissioner.

so the spam and vspam wont make any difference.

Edinburghlass_2

Mattjimf wrote:

i'd get in touch with watchdog to get it highlighted on national telly then maybe something will be done.

This sort of thing has already been done by Watchdog, usually with a kid having lost £10 of credit by applying for one ringtone or similar

samarate1

Hi All spoke to a company today after complaining about 87070 scam txt STOP ALL this will stop all txt from now on .... Hopw this works for you as it did for me x

Oscar_The_Grouch

If you continue to have issues, get in touch with your network and arrange for them to change your phone number. It's a hastle having to give out a new number to everyone, but at least the texts will stop!

davetrousers

This thread is 5 years old

Intasun32

davetrousers wrote: »

This thread is 5 years old

Yet the scammers are still able to steal money off of unsuspecting mobile phone accounts due to lack of interest from:

The Networks (who earn up to 50% of the text charge).
Phone Pay Plus aka ICSTIS, the Premium rate regulator, ( Due to the fines made on companies that commit these scams go to paying for the running costs of Phone Pay Plus, it's not in their interest to stop them)
OFCOM ( totally uninterested unless it makes the headlines like the X Factor voting scam)
The Police (whose hands are tied by law, they can only act if asked by Phone Pay Plus. Not so odd that has never happened since PP+ was formed!)
Our Members of Paliament (Far too busy, working out their expenses maybe, to get involved with such minor matters)
The Media (Unless it is a TV show, not worth the effort)
Various Consumer Bodies ('Outside our remit to act' & pass the buck back to PP+ or the Networks-see above)

I was also a victim, hence the remarks which I had experienced from above. The Thread maybe FIVE YEARS OLD but the problem still remains. Account are being scammed on a regular basis, as we see here far too often on MSE & other forums.

:beer: