Premium rate text - 57052

Sponge Bob

At this stage the whole industry is so disreputable and the treatment of the fraud victims is so despicable that we need a fresh start. Kids getting their credit robbed on brand new sims ( that were 13 months minimum in quarantine and out of use) shows how corrupt the whole system is.

Sponge Bob

Conor Pope has done some research today. This happened to an O2 customer and that is not a co-incidence. It probably would not have happened to a customer of Three or Vodafone or Meteor.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2012/0403/1224314286336.html

LATE LAST MONTH, Eleanor McCarthy got a text message from 57756 telling her she was subscribed to some service and that the charges were €4.50 every five day.“I am not aware of ever subscribing to such a service,” she writes. She did get some random unsolicited texts from something called “cuddlytv” periodically over the last month or two, which she ignored. “Today was the first time I was told of any charges and that to unsubscribe I should text back ‘stop’ which I did. I then checked my bank account which was okay, but my O2 bill was unduly high and there was €36 worth of charges from this premium number.”
She rang O2 and was told they accept no responsibility for the charges “or feel any duty to care towards me, their customer.

So far so normal. O2 never accept any responsibility for anything. But how did Eleanor get into this situation??

She says she suspects the problem started when her four-year-old was playing a game which our reader downloaded from the app store and a banner appeared on the screen which she “tapped” into.“This ‘tapping’ appears to be acceptance of some ‘subscription’ to which I am liable to pay fees for.

So a Banner ad tap by a 4 year old playing a gam is a contract in the eyes of O2.

It is beyond high time that the Irish Consumer is allowed to blanket block this scum from their mobiles.

doleman2010

Thanks for that information , I think that I might try and contact Mr Pope and tell him of our appalling treatment by O2 when they robbed our dead sons account and then tried to blame him for subscribing to their service .
Just because these scumbags and scumbagesses wear suits they think they can do and say anything they want to people and get away with it.
Is there a link between O2 , Zamano and rugby by any chance , ?

Sponge Bob

There is a link between O2 "Trusted Partners" and onward transmission of personal data pertaining to O2 customers.

spookwoman

Thanks for that. Just tweeted Conor Pope ref mums issues. Comreg not returning my mums calls

doleman2010

Are there 2 different locations for comreg ? I know that the main one where I got assistance in the end is in their Hq in Dublin , a statutory body staffed by professionals .

The other arm of comreg that deals with consumers seems to be an outsourced call centre operation in Waterford , run by the same crowd that answer the phones for a mobile phone co.

Going by the posts about the staff in that place you could have little trust in reporting anything to that part of comreg ,
I did report the matter to them in the first place , and they were most unhelpful and done everything in their power not to proceed with the complaint.

jluv

I too got stung by a scam like this.I think my pride was more hurt than my bank balance that it could happen to me. I would have thought i am a very careful person when it comes to signing up for anything on the internet. However entered a competition run by a major supermarket chain as I thought.Did check for Ts n Cs.Saw nothing unusual. As soon as that text came through I knew I'd been had! Text stop immediatly and thought oh well theres €2 down the drain. The texts kept coming in and as soon as I'd top up all my credit would be gone!! Called my provider and they gave me the number of the company to call and if not satisfied to call Comreg. Called said company and I have to say they backed down pretty fast.I was really upset as I didn't have the ability to top up for essential calls as the money would go right away. The person in this company while offered me a refund on all credit used explained that other texts had already been programmed to my phone so there were still more suffering to come.Was reimbursed for my credit but not the inconvenience.And I thought I was savvy:(

spookwoman

Sent email to someone higher up the food chain. Showing phone logs from o2 with no texts from prize club. Also stated that o2 are linked with modeva which is linked to inkrefd wheich is linked to prizeclub. Basicall email written in not a happy camper mode.

BrianD

I think Conor Pope is very interested in this arrangement between the operators and these premium rate suppliers. I think everybody has a right to know if there is an downright underhand arrangement between the two parties that involves your number (personal data) being transferred without your knowledge so you can be billed for something you are not knowingly buying. They simply can not point to some term in the small print.

It is simply unacceptable for these operators to do something like this. It is not the expected behaviour that you should automatically buy something when you click on an advertisement.

Name and shame time time. This is the only way it will change. And this stage the onus is on the operators to say that they are NOT facilitating this underhand and sneaky practice. There is now a lack of trust between customers and the operators we pay to provide a mobile phone service.

So far there have been very similar complaints on these boards about Vodafone (who acknowledged it), a similar story involving Three (over on the legal forum) and one about O2 (in the paper). What are our operators up to?

The response by O2 detailed in the Irish Times stinks to high heavens and O2 should be ashamed of this.

Sponge Bob

Comreg spat out around 3 documents earlier on the premium rate bizniss.

Some good stuff, lots of missing links in their system and 2 months grace for the knackers in the industry to continue rob people under the old rules....same as they always did

If they used to send you 2 texts a week, think 10 for the next while.

spookwoman

Got reply and they are going to review. I also said I could knock up one of those xlt reports in a few mins and with screen shots, modifications leave artifacts. Also that no report was sent from o2 except the once I sent them.
Do Comreg go to the sites of these companies? They should go there unannounced and check these records instead of relying on god will. Seems this company has a lot of complaints against it.

BurnsCarpenter

Comreg's new rules were due to come into effect next week but the high court has granted a stay after an appeal by the industry.

So, more delays.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/premium-rate-service-providers-win-order-to-stay-sections-of-new-code-553961.html

Solair

and this is why Ireland's a disaster when it comes to regulation.

Regulators basically seem to have absolutely no power whatsoever!

Boomer08

Does anyone know what the content of the texts where.
Is it football, mones etc.

I dont remember signing up but I must have at some stage

Hopi watcher

Warning to all; Zamano are running a <SNIP> survey on the net. You are asked 3 questions and asked to send you mobile number to be included in a draw to win an iPhione. If you send your number you become entrapped in a "subscription service" and they will take €12 a week from your call credit.

Boomer08

I rang Vodafone who gave me the name of the company, rang them and then sent me a refund cheque.

Sponge Bob

New Comreg rules came in friday last.

RossD12

This is why you enter competitions from RTÃ႒‰ haha..

slimjimmc

Mod note:Thread is almost 3 years deceased, no need to resurrect it.