Barclays - charges for replying to their text messages

Steve_xx

My friend just made a large withdrawal from Barclays to a newly setup Santander account. Barclays sent him a text message asking him if he did authorise this and the text invited him to press yes or no. When he pressed yes his mobile network immediately flashed up that there would be a charge for the message to be sent and did he wish to continue. He declined and phoned Barclays instead.

He doesn't pay for text messages as these come as part of the contract he's on. So this reply number must be a special number. No idea what the charges to send the message would be. But something to be aware of if you bank with Barclays

apollo_

If your friend uses an Android phone, they come up with a generic warning notifying you of potential charges sometimes, depending on the reply number. I work for one of the mobile networks and our customer feedback texts come up with a similar message when they're free to respond. I'm not a customer of Barclays so I can't be absolutely sure but just wanted to say that may be the reason.

Steve_xx

Yes he does use an Android device, and it's on the 3 network. You could be right. But then wouldn't he receive such a warning when replying to any text message received from a friend?

Consumerist

You raise an interesting point.

If texts are free under your friends contract then perhaps the charge would not actually have been made but just added to his account as if a text had been sent. Those on PAYG tariffs might, however, be charged.

Thanks for the warning, though.

Steve_xx

Thinking about this some more I'm wondering that if he was to have replied, particularly with a NO, that the reply may have actually initiated a telephone call from him to Barclays, and if that was the case the phone company would have been right to flag it up because the number that may have to be called may not form part of his bundled minutes? For instance it may have wanted to dial a number starting 0844.

Lokolo

Steve_xx wrote: »

Yes he does use an Android device, and it's on the 3 network. You could be right. But then wouldn't he receive such a warning when replying to any text message received from a friend?

No. Because it is a normal mobile number. If your friend text from a shortcode number (80400 etc.) then it would warn you.

You can buy short numbers and put an alias on them. You can also set these up to charge (or not to).

Cycrow

Steve_xx wrote: »

Thinking about this some more I'm wondering that if he was to have replied, particularly with a NO, that the reply may have actually initiated a telephone call from him to Barclays, and if that was the case the phone company would have been right to flag it up because the number that may have to be called may not form part of his bundled minutes? For instance it may have wanted to dial a number starting 0844.

thats unlike. Sending a text message cant create a phone call.
The warning was most likely from the phone, not the network.

i have had these texts from barclays, and never been charged for replying

Steve_xx

Cycrow wrote: »

thats unlike. Sending a text message cant create a phone call.
The warning was most likely from the phone, not the network.

i have had these texts from barclays, and never been charged for replying

Ah right, well that resolves it. Unfortunately he didn't mention to me what, if it was shown at the time, that the return number was.