Premium Rate Text Services

Starks1769

My daughter came across a text service whereby you ask them a question and they give you an answer, the service is clearly aimed at kids as it promises to tell all about friends etc.
The web site is called Genie Knows You and then charge you £2.50 for every reply. She saw this on a you tube clip that didn't mention the costs.

She has managed to ring up a bill of £270 from this 'service'

The web site says you must be 16 and have the bill payers permission, she isn't and didn't. Vodafone were less than helpful and I have not heard form the 'service' provider. There is meant to be a cap at £30 per day on the text line, but it did not stop them sending texts to her questions, thus more cost. I have one very distraught daughter and to say im fuming is an understatement.

Does anybody have any experience of these things and how to try to minimise the damage. I have seen the texts and there is no warning to state the costs and she says she was not aware of them as she has an unlimited text bundle.

Any thoughts greatly received and appreciated.

Thanks

grumbler

Starks1769 wrote: »

...The web site says you must be 16 and have the bill payers permission, she isn't and didn't.

So, who is to blame: the website or the daughter?

Does anybody have any experience of these things and how to try to minimise the damage.

http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/

I have seen the texts and there is no warning to state the costs and she says she was not aware of them as she has an unlimited text bundle

Without seeing the evidence it's hard to believe that at no stage she was told about the cost.

So, she was given a contract phone with virtually unlimited credit while having very vague idea what her allowances could be used for. For any adult it would be perfectly clear that incoming premium texts have nothing to do with unlimited allowance for outgoing texts.

Starks1769

Don't get me wrong, I do hold her responsible, but I have read the texts and none of them say how much each text will be.

She has had the phone for 12 months now and there have been no issues, sadly this one is costly.

Thanks for the link.

john1

Phonepayplus suggests

"Speak to your phone company to discuss any disputed part of your bill and request that they suspend that part of it until you
can sort out the problem."

If you cant resolve then I strongly suggest you follow this guidance and stick with the procedure (unless resolved to your satisfaction) finally going to the Ombudsman

During 2011/12, The Ombudsman Services: Communications resolved 88% of complaints for the consumer See page 38 :beer:

The figures for 2012/13 were 85% for the consumer see page 33

[Deleted User]

Starks1769 - I don't know which provider you're with but Tesco Mobile provide a premium rate text blocking service so I assume that other providers do too.
This service prevents the phone receiving any premium rate texts at all and it can be extended to also stop premium rate calls as well.

With TM you can activate or de-activate the service online once you've created a user account so it might be worth checking with your own provider to see if they offer the same service.

grumbler

Deleted_User wrote: »

Starks1769 - I don't know which provider you're with but Tesco Mobile provide a premium rate text blocking service so I assume that other providers do too.

You assumption is correct.
As the OP is with Voda, it is worth saying that their frontline CS are notorious for denying that blocking is possible and one has to be very determined and persuasive to get put through to a competent person that can do this.

Starks1769

Thanks for the advice, we are pursuing every avenue we can and hopefully we will get a result.

forgotmyname

The issue with saying she should be over 16 and should have the bill payers permission. She clicked the yes button.

So maybe you need to report her to the police for fraud them they may drop the charges.

With Voda you can block premium calls etc online with a couple of clicks.

I didnt see any way to add price caps though? Maybe i missed it or its just not there?

tyllwyd

I used to be a researcher on a similar 'answer your question' service. I wasn't aware that there was any warning about costs when you used the service - the information was all on the website. (Obviously if you asked in a text it would have been answered, but as a normal answer to a question.) Texting 'STOP' wouldn't work because it isn't a subscription service, you only get charged when you use it.

Vodafone

Hi Starks1769,

If you'd like any help from me, could you email me with your details via the link in our profile here?

All you need to do is copy and paste the link into your web browser and it'll take you to the Contact us form on our website. To make sure it reaches me could you also quote the code WRT135 - MSE in the subject line?

Once sent you'll receive an automated reply with a reference number. So I can make sure I've got it could you update the thread with this and I'll get back to you as soon as possible?

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations

Vodafone UK

macman

So she used it 108 times before you realised?
The simple solution is never to allow children to have contract phones, unless it's a capped contract.