Text competitions

luckat

I entered a competition advertised on Aertel last night - Win a Mini! - which advertised itself as 'first entry free', then 'Cost €2 every 4 days'.

I figured, fine, I'll enter the first (free) time.

Next thing I start getting texts from the company with questions. I went back to the Aertel page and found that if I texted 'stop' to the number, these were supposed to stop. I did so, and got another question in response, so I turned off the phone and rang the Vodafone customer helpline.

A really helpful lad there told me never to text these numbers, that they're just a sucker-trap (my words, not his), and said 'stop' probably wouldn't work, that the word to use was 'quit', and even then it probably wouldn't work, and I'd have to call the company. He gave me the company's number and name. I asked how to complain about this, and he said to go to Regtel, and gave me their number too.

The company was IVT, and their number was 2143704. When I rang this at 9am, I got first a number to call a 'customer representative', then when I didn't call that, a receptionist who rumbled a bit, then said I was now unsubscribed.

I then rang RegTel (1850-741-741) and got a rather unhelpful 'customer representative' there. He told me that the statement on the Aertel page that 'T&Cs apply' meant 'terms and conditions', and these allowed the company to do this texting-back-and-charging-€2.

I asked if it was possible to opt out of these things, as you can for junk mail, and he said that junk mail was different, because there was a list. So can you opt out, I asked. Well, you'd have to text your number to the list, he said. What number is the list's, I asked. There is no list, he said.

Becket country.

I can't understand how this kind of sucker-trapping is allowed. And when I asked was he not supposed to be representing the Government - as you'd imagine from the title 'RegTel' 'Regulation of Telecoms?' he said no, they were *mediators* between the customers and the companies. Heavens!

Is there any organisation fighting for an opt-out list?

Linford

This is from the regtel website http://www.regtel.ie/unsubscribe.php There is also the communications regulator if you are not happy with your mobile phone company http://www.comreg.ie/

luckat

Oh, no, the mobile phone company was great. Really great - Colm was the Vodafone call centre guy's name and he was sensible, intelligent, kind and helpful. Cavan kind of an accent.

luckat

From that Regtel page:

"On spending €20, you will receive a free reminder message containing details of the subscription service, charges and frequency of charges and how to exit the service by texting the word stop."

Heh - new definition of a "free" reminder message!