Orange free phone upgrade text - beware!

chocolatechipcookies

If you get a text from UpgrdCentre saying you get a free camera phone for your loyalty, delete it straight away. It tells you to call a number which isn't 150. I was confused about it because the number seemed wrong so I called Orange to ask about the number and text, the lady told me it was a third party and to ignore it.

saver8

I have had the message twice already but on Martin's advice I delete anything that sounds too good to be true. Thanks for comfirming the scam

reehsetin

whoever calls you or rings you whatever network your on never ever ever take the deal in my experience
so many customers complain, the deals are 99% of the time misrepresented and any problems the network will refer you back to the retailers who can be impossible to get ahold of especially if your looking to complain and cancel to downright nasty,
common problems are giving people deals which are actually 'non handset upgrades' these mean in lieu of a phone you get money off the retailer gets a huge commission of it but it means the customer cant upgrade for another year without realising
or they say its an upgrade but actually, its a new contract
saying the contract is 12m when its actually 18m
misrepresentation of the deals
cashback promised not turning up
or some people can fall for they were just giving me a free phone when they want to cancel thing

rdsaver

interestingly, the advertising standards authority recieved complaints (3)about this ad (or one very very similar) earlier in the year.
and adjudicated that the complaints were upheld....(link below)

http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_42217.htm

but the advertiser appears to be ignoring the requests made.

so why not make a complaint. perhaps if enough of us (ie more than 3:rolleyes: ) do this the ASA might be able to sharpen its teeth and actualy penalise them.

you can make a complaint to the ASA by following this link.

http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/how_to_complain/
and then follow the link near the bottom (online complaint form)

this is the text i put in my complaint...
so go on....it only takes a minute or so...
and i've done most of the work.

----
''Orange customer,you may claim your FREE CAMERA PHONE upgrade for your loyalty.Call now on 0207 1539153.Offer ends 19thAugust.T&C's apply.Opt-out available Sender:UpgrdCentre''

This message implies it is from Orange.

it mentions an opt-out but no details how to do so.

After searching for this message on the internet i found previous complaints, responses & assessments on the ASA website. referencing an identical advertising method with identical text (apart from a the offer expiry date)

for the complain i found your (the ASA) action consisted of "Action
We told World Networks to obtain explicit consent from recipients before sending such text messages in future and reminded them that they should provide a clear and simple means for recipients to opt out of receiving future messages. We asked them to seek guidance from the CAP Copy Advice team before advertising in future."

if i have recieved this message and it is on behalf of worldnetworks. then they have failed to respond to your request.

perhaps the ASA could make a more robust response to this advertiser this time around ?

regards

---

xJonny

Just got one today, it was very similar:

UpgrdCentre wrote:

Orange customer,you may now claim your FREE CAMERA PHONE upgrade for your loyalty.Call now on 0207 153 9153.Offer ends 31st Aug. T&c's apply. Opt-out available.

giger

I received this text message today, stating it must be claimed by tomorow. I have reported it using the link above. I would urge anyone else to do the same to try and get this stopped.

I would love to know where they have got my details from, as I am very careful when disclosing them

snorlax555

Thoughts on this please...

my Mum received this very same text message and without talking to me phoned them, and seems to have signed up for an 18 month contract!!! As soon as she told me and once I had told her the error of her ways! I then this evening I phoned them and they assured me it was being canceled and that one of there agents would call me to confirm this.

My questions are:

- Do you think they will and how will I actually know?

- If they don't how can I cancel it (with any network given that it is a credit agreement you are signing up for I presume there must be some sort of cooling off period)

- Given that she gave out her credit card and bank details to this firm, would they abuse them?

Everyones thoughts would be gratefully appreciated.

hairygit23

I complained to ASA and they replied saying that their compliance team have not been successful in curtailing World Networks Ltd, who are not cooperating with them.. The ASA have no power to enforce the law on unsolicited marketing, and have suggested I refer this to The Information Commisioner - I've done this with an email to [EMAIL="mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk"]mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk[/EMAIL] and would urge other victims to do the same. The ASA also say that Lambeth Trading Standards are looking into this in more depth,.

trisontana

There is another company called Yes Mobiles running the same con. Story here :- http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/investigates/2008/01/31/phone-cheat-redial-89520-20304606/

simgranny

My daughter was nearly conned by "upgrade centre" today with an identical text message and phone number - except she is with t-mobile.
:mad:

chocolatechipcookies

I got one of those, offering me a free camera phone. I called 150 just to make sure and they confirmed it was a scam. But I also got one from an Orange shop (about two weeks ago), saying I was 15 months into an 18 month contract and I am eligible for a free upgrade. I went into the shop and they confirmed it was real. They offered some crap phones so I called 150 and got the one I wanted.