Spam Texts costing £1.50 (merged threads)

Edinburghlass_2

From experience you won't get anywhere with Orange as they will just tell you that you must have subscribed to something. Text STOP again and have a look at grumbletext website and see if they have this particular company mentioned.

worldwheeler

Davey_s2 wrote:

It amazes me that these companies are allowed to do this. I would be tempted to stop the dd on my mobile phone, and pay only the part of your bill related to your calls, and not pay for the spam texts, not sure how legal it is though. I feel that your mobile supplier has a duty of care and why should you be expected to pay for unwanted and unrequested services like this is ridiculous. Go to watchdog?

I have had a intrusive "premium text" which prompted me to phone Orange customer services. They were as helpful as a chocolate teapot. I asked to have all text facilities barred from my phone. I was told that this was impossible to do, that all facilities of text,tv,photo, internet, microwave oven , portable toaster and what ever they decide to add to a phone are fully operational and CAN NOT be turned off. I then asked if there was a phone which had no camera, internet access or text ability available. In essence a phone which was just a phone. I was told no such device is made. I then protested that Orange is giving direct access to my bank account to any company that gets hold of my mobile number. They replied that they do not do this. When I explained that the premium text company will be paid by Orange and then Orange will be paid by the direct debit on my bank account. The reply to this is that "I" will not be paying the text company. With this logic anyone who pays a hit-man to kill someone is uninvolved in the murder because they have routed the event via a third party. I asked to have my bills sent to me and I will decide whether or not to pay premium charges levied against me without invitation. I was told that to pay by any other method than DD would involve a charge of nearly £4 a month from Orange and that Orange would pursue any non payment and stop my mobile service.
So to have better security from these W***er text companies firstly I would have to pay for the privilege and secondly if I refuse to pay I would get a black mark against my credit rating and future access to communication services. Orange said they had no way of offering any kind of security that I was asking for and had no plans to look into implementing any such security. Funny I can have my phone barred from making overseas calls or premium rate calls but no such facility exists for text function.
These premium text companies seem a good business to be in. Send unwanted texts to every mobile in the country, the mobile operators will pay you your % of £1.50 (probably around £1) for every text. Get one payment from every mobile user, so as not to infuriate individuals, and multi millions of pounds will roll in from the mobile providers.

Anyone had similar experience with Orange? Anyone know of a mobile available today that is just a phone?