Most PAYG credit used up for no apparent reason, twice.

Worztron

Hi.


I've a relative that's with eir. Their smartphone has a PAYG SIM. They topped up a few weeks ago - I think it was a tenner. They never sent any text or rang anyone and noticed a few days ago that there was just 88c (not 100% certain on exact amount but it was certainly <€1) credit on the balance. So they topped up again the other day. Today, the balance is 88c. I looked at the phone and mobile data was never enabled. Can anything else cause this or is there some error on the side or eir?

Thanks.

Shefwedfan

Worztron wrote: »

Hi.


I've a relative that's with eir. Their smartphone has a PAYG SIM. They topped up a few weeks ago - I think it was a tenner. They never sent any text or rang anyone and noticed a few days ago that there was just 88c (not 100% certain on exact amount but it was certainly <€1) credit on the balance. So they topped up again the other day. Today, the balance is 88c. I looked at the phone and mobile data was never enabled. Can anything else cause this or is there some error on the side or eir?

Thanks.

I know someone mentioned before to me their kid had replied to some text and it set up a auto bill to take money out of phone, they had no idea till all credit was burned...why not ring provider and ask what is taking money?

Also ask them to remove number from phone book if it is onnit

Atlantic Dawn

What was the balance when she topped up?

Some plans no longer give you any credit for topup, the amount is used entirely for the plan so no gain in balance each month.

Ten Pin

Text OFFER to 50104 to find out what plan, if any, is set for the account.

https://www.eir.ie/support/mobile/managing-your-plan-or-offer/

If registered with myeir, the details of plan, balance, etc are available to check online.

Worztron

Hi guys. He went to the eir store and they said he was being charged €2.50 per text received (premium rate text messages) from some crowd called MobiHub. Their number showed as 57977. He rang ComReg and they said to send STOP to the 57977 number and send an email to a crowd that owns/runs MobiHub.

Ten Pin

Did Eir apply the bar on premium services?

If not you can do it yourself by texting...

PRSMSBAR to 50104



To get the money back, ask Mobhub for proof that an AGREE SMS was sent from the phone. Without that (and they won't have it) they have broken the rules of their licence. After a bit of waffling they will give the refund and call it a 'goodwill gesture' but it's actually because they have breached the rules and don't want any further scrutiny.

Shefwedfan

Worztron wrote: »

Hi guys. He went to the eir store and they said he was being charged €2.50 per text received (premium rate text messages) from some crowd called MobiHub. Their number showed as 57977. He rang ComReg and they said to send STOP to the 57977 number and send an email to a crowd that owns/runs MobiHub.

I did say this

Ask to remove the number from the directory and they won’t get these texts

2012paddy2012

Worztron wrote: »

Hi guys. He went to the eir store and they said he was being charged €2.50 per text received (premium rate text messages) from some crowd called MobiHub. Their number showed as 57977. He rang ComReg and they said to send STOP to the 57977 number and send an email to a crowd that owns/runs MobiHub.

Be careful with this ... my elderly mother is with three (3) and pays 20 e a month.
Similar crowd called Red 27 took 130 euro one month and 35 euro or so ...following month bill ..... had terrible issues getting it back ....
You automatically opt in , when you fail to send STOP to an uninvited premium text.

Mention breach of the data regulations and unclear consent ... of having difficulty.

Comreg need to be proactive here .. no teeth ... useless
Best of luck

Shefwedfan

2012paddy2012 wrote: »

Be careful with this ... my elderly mother is with three (3) and pays 20 e a month.
Similar crowd called Red 27 took 130 euro one month and 35 euro or so ...following month bill ..... had terrible issues getting it back ....
You automatically opt in , when you fail to send STOP to an uninvited premium text.

Mention breach of the data regulations and unclear consent ... of having difficulty.

Comreg need to be proactive here .. no teeth ... useless
Best of luck

This has been going on for years, the person I mentioned had to happen 10 years ago now and still comreg do nothing. Most of these "companies" will sit outside Ireland etc so they have limited control over them......

Worztron

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

What was the balance when she topped up?

Some plans no longer give you any credit for topup, the amount is used entirely for the plan so no gain in balance each month.

Hi AD. I'm not sure what their balance was - probably small enough - like < €5. I will have to find out what plan he's on.

Worztron

Ten Pin wrote: »

Text OFFER to 50104 to find out what plan, if any, is set for the account.

https://www.eir.ie/support/mobile/managing-your-plan-or-offer/

If registered with myeir, the details of plan, balance, etc are available to check online.

Hi TP. Is that 50104 number only for eir or can it work for 3 or Vodafone, etc. also?

Worztron

Ten Pin wrote: »

Did Eir apply the bar on premium services?

If not you can do it yourself by texting...

PRSMSBAR to 50104



To get the money back, ask Mobhub for proof that an AGREE SMS was sent from the phone. Without that (and they won't have it) they have broken the rules of their licence. After a bit of waffling they will give the refund and call it a 'goodwill gesture' but it's actually because they have breached the rules and don't want any further scrutiny.

Hi TP. Does texting PRSMSBAR to 50104 also work for other networks besides eir?

Ten Pin

Does texting PRSMSBAR to 50104 also work for other networks besides eir?

No, unfortunately not.

3 and VF each have their own separate procedures for barring which probably involves contacting their customer service.

Worztron

Thanks, guys. He topped up his credit via the eir website with his debit card. There are no more texts from that crowd (unsubed from them). His balance is still there. He's not sure how it all started but is willing to leave it go.

Worztron

That crowd got back to him and offered to refund some credit - something like €7.50. They wanted bank details/PayPal. He's not comfortable with giving bank info and doesn't use PP. Perhaps he should ask them to refund by topping up his phone credit again?

Ten Pin

Not sure what he can do without giving an IBAN, not sure they can refund via credit but worth a try.

Either way he should insist on a full refund, if they had any proper consent they wouldn't offer anything. The psychology of thinking that a partial refund is better than none is what they profit from. Might as well see it through once he started the ball rolling.

What proof, if any, did they produce to show that he subscribed?

Shefwedfan

Worztron wrote: »

That crowd got back to him and offered to refund some credit - something like €7.50. They wanted bank details/PayPal. He's not comfortable with giving bank info and doesn't use PP. Perhaps he should ask them to refund by topping up his phone credit again?

They won’t be able to, get someone to take the PayPal, safest and they can give you money

Remember the person receiving the PayPal won’t get the full 7.50, probably a percentage taken by PayPal

Worztron

Ten Pin wrote: »

Not sure what he can do without giving an IBAN, not sure they can refund via credit but worth a try.

Either way he should insist on a full refund, if they had any proper consent they wouldn't offer anything. The psychology of thinking that a partial refund is better than none is what they profit from. Might as well see it through once he started the ball rolling.

What proof, if any, did they produce to show that he subscribed?

Hi TP. I was thinking that if they can take the phone credit so easily - surely they can put it back with ease also. Good point about the partial refund. He said he got some message about them saying he subscribed to them - I think he's fed with the whole thing. We'll see how it goes.

Worztron

An email, he got from 'Red27 Mobile', posted a screenshot and read: "Please find below the welcome SMS delivered to your handset on the day the subscription was activated:". I think, my relative will just let this go.

Ten Pin

IMO nothing that they have provided is proof that he subscribed at all.

The only thing that proves anything is an AGREE SMS sent from his phone number and received by Red27. If they had that they'd be showing it but they don't have it and they can't "pretend" to have it because it's just a matter of cross referencing with Eir that a SMS was or wasn't sent from his phone. That requirement is stated in the Code of Practice that applies to the licence.

Anyway, if the SMS was sent it would be showing in the phone's sent items.

Has he asked for data file from them? Under GDPR rules they must supply, on request, all data they have on file relating to his number. This also applies to Eir which would assist in matching any alleged SMS traffic.

Maybe you can compose the email for him if he's getting tired of the battle...

Worztron

Ten Pin wrote: »

IMO nothing that they have provided is proof that he subscribed at all.

The only thing that proves anything is an AGREE SMS sent from his phone number and received by Red27. If they had that they'd be showing it but they don't have it and they can't "pretend" to have it because it's just a matter of cross referencing with Eir that a SMS was or wasn't sent from his phone. That requirement is stated in the Code of Practice that applies to the licence.

Anyway, if the SMS was sent it would be showing in the phone's sent items.

Has he asked for data file from them? Under GDPR rules they must supply, on request, all data they have on file relating to his number. This also applies to Eir which would assist in matching any alleged SMS traffic.

Maybe you can compose the email for him if he's getting tired of the battle...

I did a factory reset on his phone on the same day as that SMS agreement was supposedly sent (3-Mar 9:53am). I don't see it on the phone. He's right fed up with the whole thing and has decided to give it up. Thanks, guys, anyway for your help. I hope the info on this thread will come in handy for others in the same situation.

jobeenfitz

Hi, I recently received my Vodafone bill, €7.50 added for 3 texts, text nation, red27 mobile.

I had downloaded an app for learning Spanish and had been routed to some sort of gaming. I was suspicious, deleted app straight away.

I got 3 texts and was suspicious that it would cost me money. I seen that there was a number I could text to unsubscribe, again I was suspicious about sending a text, so I didn't.

Instead I emailed, explaining I wanted nothing to do with their games or texts. I got an email back that same day saying my subscription was cancelled.

I tried Vodafone chat today but I was told that the payment was correct and chat was ended.

I emailed red27 mobile customer service back again today, complaining that I had not authorised any payment. I quickly received email offering me a full refund.

I don't have a PayPal account and am unsure if it is safe to give them my Iban?

Ten Pin

Do you have any bank account with nothing in it that you could use?

Open to correction but the only way they could use your IBAN to take money from your account is if they were authorized for direct debits and that can easily be reversed so it's probably safe enough to give an IBAN.

In the meantime, if they haven't already done so, instruct Vodafone to block all premium services on your account.

Just to clarify, their wording of cancelling the subscription is just BS, there was no subscription, they just took money without authorization as you would have had to confirm the sub for it to be valid.

jobeenfitz

I gave my Iban yesterday and received a full refund today. I would find it hard to sleep if I let them keep the €7.50

jobeenfitz

I don't actually believe it but I have just been charged €7.50 again by my mobile company Vodafone, for the same three texts that I got refunded by redmobile 27 recently. I didn't get any more texts because I was unsubscribe immediately. Its showing up as the same date for the texts as originally charged, on my mobile phone bill.

Its the weekend so il havt to wait until tomorrow to deal with it.

Its not just about the €7.50, it's also the time and annoyance.

I belive this is not accidental and is actually a fraudulent scheme. They know a certain percentage will just give up. They probably make millions worldwide from these schemes. Because its small amounts its not worth anybodys time or expense to take them on legally.

I wasn't happy with the lack of interest from my provider Vodafone, when I contacted them last month wit initial complaint.

Ten Pin

I wasn't happy with the lack of interest from my provider Vodafone, when I contacted them last month wit initial complaint.

Did VF apply a block on all future premium rate SMS? Request your data file from VF and from Red27....might prompt them to sort it out properly this time.

I suggest lodging a formal complaint with VF and get a ref number that's needed to proceed to Comreg.

Comreg are great for radio ads but not much else in relation to these scams, they should be ordering a ban on all reverse charge SMS in light of the current circumstances.

jobeenfitz

I'm in Spain at the moment, getting through to VF customer service is difficult.

I contacted through live chat. I explained to rep that this money was stopped without my permission. He said the charge was correct. I told him I was not happy with his response, he sent me a pre-prepared list and ended the chat.

I am a stubborn man, I will not give up. I will be back on to red mobile 27 for another refund. If I don't get satisfaction I will consider next move.

I am also going to contact VF, make a complaint and if I'm unhappy again with their response il ditch them.