Scam Text Messages!

WindChill

Hello. I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place - it's technically a mobile issue, but it's also consumer rights so I wasn't sure where to put it. Please feel free to move the thread if I'm wrong.

I've been using Tesco mobile for a year or so now. It's £7.50 a month and I've had no issues up until now. However the last two months the bills have been close to £30 each. I thought I'd been using too much data (it's happened before), so I downloaded an app that watches data usage and I kept an eye on it.

However this month I logged in and I found that I'm already past the £30 mark. I rang Tesco and they told me that the charges are coming from a number sending a text that's charging me £4.50 a pop to receive! Apparently they can't block them as they're incoming texts, and the best they could do was tell me the number that is causing the issue.

Of course, I've done a quick Google search - the only results that turn up are nonsense and unrelated pages. I have no clue where to go from here. I'm close to £90 down and I have no clue how all this is happening or how to stop it. I don't have any texts on my phone or anything so I'm at a loss.

Do I have any comeback from this? How do I stop it?

maninthestreet

Try texting STOP to the number.

maninthestreet

....and post the number here.

Country_Cousin

What do the texts say - are you aware that you have been receiving them?

NotRichAtAll

long press on the number in question "block or add to auto reject list" job done

same in messages long press on message "add to spam numbers"

WindChill

It's more than one number, apparently. The one the Tesco support worker gave me isn't even listed on my phone anywhere - I've had no texts or calls from the number at all. At least, none that have been recorded.

Will adding them to the block list actually do anything? Tesco said they couldn't block them from contacting me and every time they did there would be a charge. They said the best thing to do would be to change my number, but that's a bit of a hassle as I use my phone for work purposes as well.

naedanger

The following is worth reading:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phones/stop-spam-texts#premium

tibawo

My tesco sim lets me put a buffer on. It is set at £2.50 so that if i do go over i know it will never be more than this. Is there any reason you can't do this?

NotRichAtAll

I've had no texts or calls from the number at all. At least, none that have been recorded

well something is wrong somewhere, if it were me i'd be on a new sim certainly cheaper and alot less hassle as you put it, or just bite the bullet and continue to be scammed

Ectophile

Just a thought - is it an Android smart phone, and did you install any new apps shortly before the mysterious texts started being billed?

If so, look very carefully at what you have installed. There's nothing to stop an app sending a text message, and then receiving a string of premium rate texts in reply - all without your knowledge.

System

My mum has been stung by them this is something she posted on facebook.

If you get a text from this number 66299 don't ignore it you have to reply saying STOP in capital letters if you don't you will be charged£4.50 each time it's from oxygen 8 and they won't refund you its cost me £22.50 an expensive lesson for deleting them