Spam Texts costing £1.50 (merged threads)

DonnyDave

Check out https://www.grumbletext.co.uk

Del_Boy_Gupta

Just to provide some background I have never used my phone for texting purposes in the three months that i have had it and yet just this morning i received three message in a minute from the above number (80160) - the first stating Fonetastic football thanks you for chosing EPL live. This is the first of three monthly subscription messages costing £1.50 each.
Immediately after this i have received two more message tellling me I can update as much as possible throughout the season and finally to unsubscribe to this service at any time to reply FOOTBALL STOP to the number.

Initially I thought this a scam trying to get me to subscribe by allegedly unsubscribing and as such I did not reply but having checked my phone balance i found I had already been charged £4.50.

I phoned up Tmobile after looking at Grumbletext's website (see similar post on spam texts below) and to say they were unhelpful would be an understatement.

The person i spoke to said it had happened to him and that sometime these texts were sent to random numbers and that I would have to pay for it.

He suggested i unsubscribed by texting back but since i hadn't subscribed in the first place i didn't see why i should do that.

The gist of their message was it wasn't T mobile's responsibility and that when I suggested blocking texts on my phone he said he couldn't do that but then said he would block incoming and outgoing texts.

Whilst this should stop it from carrying on in the future I am still allegedly liabile for this charge even though I have not subscribed to anything in the first place- can anyone help me as to what to do.

Edinburghlass_2

Have you texted back STOP? You need to do this even if you don't feel you signed up for anything.

I didn't sign up for anything but got these spam texts, the suggestion being it was because I had texted a vote to Fame Academy and the numbers had been "sold" on. Orange were no help either.

Del_Boy_Gupta

thanks for your message Edinburghlass.

The only question I have is that i have never used my phone for text purposes, therefore if the numbers have been sold on, whether it is by T mobile or someone else then how can i be liabile.

I would have believed the onus would be to prove that i have agreed to subscibe to receive these texts in the first place. If the firm cannot prove this then why should i pay- is this not a form of extortion- not with guns and masked bandits but bought up to the 21st Century.

t mobile were interested when i said i have never used the phone for texting purposes- surely that suggests non signing up to a premium number service.

I am tired of the little man being trod on whilst the big companies make large profits with the I don't give a s**t attitude!

Edinburghlass_2

I can understand your frustration but I would still text STOP otherwise you will continue to receive them.

When it happened to my daughter's phone, the texts went on all night until the available credit was used up.

MickKnipfler

look at the message details on the phone and see if it enables you to see the originating SMSC adress. Some phones allow you to do this

Somerset

I had the same spam text problem. My mobile provider was Vodafone. The first time it happened Vodafone gave me the company phone number, I rang them, complained, got taken off list - Vodafone refunded £ 3 of the £ 4 charges. Then it happened again after 2 months ( different company )

I also never text full stop. I had never signed up to anything. But Vodafone couldn't stop this and I didn't want to go through this hassle every single time. I was obviously on some 'lists' as a mug to be spammed which presumerably was being circulated.

I cut my losses and got Vodafone to change my number. It was drastic but touch wood I haven't had any since. The providers can't control/police this text spamming and I just knew it was going to keep on happening if I kept the old number.

Del_Boy_Gupta

the problem is my phone is one that has cashback so i presume if i get t mobile to change the number it will effect cashback? Am i incorrect in this also i presume they will charge to change my number

fox2319

I got a new t-mobile contract 6 months ago with a new (to me) number. I started receiving premium text messages on day 1 and immediately phoned customer services to complain. Initially they were completely unhelpful, saying I would have to pay for it. When I threatened to leave they gave me a new (virgin) number, credited the account then put a block on premium messages (also restricting international numbers and roaming).

It was and still is a pain to be under siege when you're on t-mobile but I can always leave when my contract expires.

Cheers

Jeff

Anon

Del_Boy_Gupta - yes, be careful changing your number as it could affect your cashback. Best to check with the retailer first as some will be completely unreasonable, others may see this as a port and allow it.

Anon