KKO Mobile - What to do about these scamming, fraudulent conmen.

Intasun32

Yet another thread about KKO, more mobile phone accounts having unauthorized payments taken.

The networks don't care as they profit from the it.

:beer:


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3388114

Vodafone

Hi Intasun32,

Having just taken a look at this case I've noticed that the customer has provided an update following her contact with KKO Mobile.

It seems that things have been resolved following their investigation.

Thanks,

Lee

Web Relations

Vodafone UK

Intasun32

@Lee

When you quote 'This Case' I take it you mean the original poster of the thread as there seems to be quite a few other posts by mobile phone owners that have had funds taken from their accounts without their consent (THEFT) on this and the other thread I mentioned which is also about KKO.

This is only one company that has been highlighted, as you will know there are countless others that are scamming accounts daily and still the networks refuse to act.

Only T-Mobile (no I am not an employee) clearly give the option to protect accounts and bar short codes, the means which the cowboys use to send chargeable texts and steal our money.

When I was a victim to this scam in 2006 I was told by VF that they had contracts with the content providers and due to this they were unable to block traffic on their network. Only TM would answer questions regarding their network traffic flow, which they said they had total control. O2, Orange and 3 all refused to give any answers.

As this type of theft is a grey area in law the cowboys are allowed to continue with the blessings of the networks who take their cut, which can be up to 50%.

One satisfied customer doesn't make the problem go away!

:beer:

Vodafone

Hi Intasun32,

I was referring to the post from Angellica1 from 14 August which was updated a couple of hours after it's initial posting confirming that a solution had been reached.

Although I appreciate your stance on this it's good to see that a positive outcome came about so quickly in this instance. In regard to the other cases posted I can't recall many returning to MSE with updates. As such, it's difficult to gauge how many have been resolved to the customer's satisfaction.

For anyone else with similar concerns I'm sure KKO Mobile (or any other premium rate service provider) would be happy to investigate things further.

Naturally, if anyone would like help from me they can email me with their details.

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations

Vodafone UK

Rory_the_Filmmaker

Hi, I am the creator of this thread and I must contribute my opinions having read over the replies.

All Lee has done is switch on defence mode, and has made no actual effort to provide any of us with clear instructions, except to follow vague steps to complete a laborious and elaborate procedure.

Intasun32 has made some very good and true points. Vodafone were already aware that this is a con and people have had problems with them as early as 2006, yet they did not go out of their way to try and verify that I had subscribed to this "service" (and, come on Vodafone, who the hell would actually subscribe to a "service" which provides nothing of any quality, for a outrageous sum of money A WEEK which I could probably get for free elsewhere?).

Credit card companies often notify their customers if they notice an untoward transaction, so why don't Vodafone have that level of attentiveness?

While I understand that Lee from Vodafone has at least attempted to respond to unsettled customers, I must say that the procedure you are asking people to carry out is a little elaborate to say the least.

Vodafone have been quite pathetic in dealing with this matter. They will notify you almost immediately when you are close to reaching your data allowance, why not have that level of swiftness when it comes to a godforsaken company charging you £4.50 a week for absolutely no reason?

I am thoroughly disappointed, and I recently received another text from KKO, insinuating that Vodafone do not really care about this matter, in fact they probably do, because they profit from it. Why would a mega company like Vodafone inform you if you're being charged for nothing?

'Power to you', their motto is extremely inaccurate to say the least. This isn't over.

*update* Furthermore, I will be demanding that KKO charges be stricken off my bill as they aren't receiving a penny off me, that's for sure.

More is to come on this matter.

Vodafone

Hi Rory the Filmmaker,

I'm sorry to see that you feel that the information we post about how to contact us isn't customer friendly.

Company representatives are required to follow strict guidelines when posting on MSE. Part of these prohibits links to any pages outside of the MSE Forum.

With this in mind we've tried to provide instructions which are as clear as possible to help customers who wish to contact us via email.

In regard to KKO Mobile you're naturally entitled to your views. However, if you'd like any further help from me please email me as per the details previously posted.

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations

Vodafone UK

Meile

Hi,
Thank you for this opportunity to hopefully resolve the matter with dreadful kkomob. I have been charged in total £45 without a single use of their services. I have sent an enquiry ref. 11802225.

Thank you
Regards
Darius

Rory_the_Filmmaker

I got another text yesterday, and called Vodafone today. I spoke to quite a pleasant man about it, and he told me to reply to their number "STOP". I had heard that this doesn't do anything but tried it anyway.

I immediately got a reply telling me my subscription is terminated. Hopefully, that's it from them. However, I am now sorting the matter of the charges being removed from the bill.

As of now, things are looking a little better. Perhaps it's that easy? Reply STOP to 64546? We will see. Thanks for all help so far.

cals

Intasun32 wrote: »

Maybe a quote from an old post but I had to add to this thread.

To his credit @Lee has helped quite a few VF customers but the quote from his post must have been made when he had his fingers crossed!

This and many other forums are full of victims of the scam known as 'unsolicited reverse bill texts' and in March 2007 as a VF customer I was also a victim. I was told by VF that I was at fault, that I must have subscribed even though like many victims of this scam I never knew it could happen. That is, to be charged for receiving a text. Unlike VF and the other networks who knew only too well!

KKO Mobile, who must be well known to all the networks, have been found guilty many times of breaching rules and regulation by scamming, you can find this info on the PhonePayPlus (The premium rate industry Regulator:rotfl:) web site. There are many other companies that are scamming but nothing is being done about it.

Why? Well to start, the networks can take up to 50% of what you are charged for the scammed text. That is, to put it correctly, money that has been stolen from you. The Revenue and Customs takes 20% in VAT and the remainder is shared between the content provider and the company that despatches the texts.

This is a quote from a meeting in 2006 between the City of London Police and representatives of the networks;

• If a Network takes money (and keeps it or passes it on) that has been made as a result of criminality (that they knew or suspected was criminal), the Network may also be committing an offence.

Some years ago there was a thread on the VF forum to try to make VF introduce a system to block these scam texts and protect it's customers, much like the choice that T-Mobile was giving and still does. After over 5,000 posts in less than a month VF removed the thread and three months later introduced the option to protect an account from scams such as this. Try to find any mention of it on the web site, it is not there. Or ask VF customer service they will have no idea what you are talking about.

A few VF customers have raised concerns, really Lee?

:eek:

Hi there,

Having just looked at my Vodafone account I've just discovered that I've been charged £115 + VAT by these KKO Mobile people since April this year. I cannot believe this scam is not a breach of regulations.

I called Vodafone yesterday and got such an unhelpful and frankly patronising response from the customer services representative that I asked for a call-back from a supervisor (which I have yet to receive).

Having googled this scam I think I may have inadvertantly signed up to this by clicking a banner in a free iphone app called flashlight. Apparently by clicking on it you can authorise this weekly charge of £4.50. The fact that they send you an SMS to warn you of this and ask you to reply with a STOP is hardly a strong consumer protection mechanism. I get SPAM texts all the time from people trying to sort out my PPI claims or whatever and the last thing I would ever do is reply to them as who knows what you will end up getting sent next.

In actual fact this whole industry looks and smells to me like the next PPI scandal and I think the MNOs would be well placed to take a clear position on this in favour of their customers or risk significant reputational impact when this stinking mess hits the national news which I'm quite sure it will.

I've raised a complaint with PhonePayPlus who apparently 'regulate' MyDOO/KKO Mobile but I'm not satisfied they are going to do much/anything about it. My concern is that there are lot of conflicts of interests relating to this scam and nobody is in a hurry to protect the consumer.

Intasun32

Rory The Filmaker has posted the advice given by both the networks and the content providers (aka The Scammers) that is to text back STOP and you will be removed from their mailing lists. Maybe you will and maybe not!

Live numbers are worth money to these companies, the good guys as well as the cowboys. They use software to randomly generate numbers in their hundreds and thousands and send them out. I can hear some of you telling me that this is illegal well so is taking money from our accounts without consent but it happens. By texting back STOP you alert the sender that your number is live and it will then becomes of value to the premium rate industry.

So what do we do? Try to e-mail or call them, unless they use a 0844 or 0871 number, if they answer the phone that is. Others advise to ignore and delete the text, ignore it and be scammed or reply and be scammed, whatever we do we are wrong yet no one will help!

Advice from the Vodafone Team or any other network team please?

:beer: