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Mobiplanet SMS scam (57976)

1246

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 399 ✭✭king2


    unkel wrote: »
    Same. I just hope people in this situation will google it and some will end up reading this. You will get all your money back if you persist!

    I got a full refund from the UME Limited crooks. It was not easy though. emails back and forth for about 24hrs. They initially offered 30% then 50% and finally 100%. Dirty operators these companies, something really needs to be done about them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,180 ✭✭✭✭fritzelly


    I've posted a similarly veined thread today
    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058115484

    Did anyone when contacting their operator find they couldn't tell you where the credit was going?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,916 ✭✭✭Grab All Association


    :confused:

    A Nokia 5110 from 1998 with no internet access. SIM card is an old o2 sim still in use.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,811 ✭✭✭Ten Pin


    Why would it need internet access? It's all done via SMS as that's where this whole "industry" started out...buying ringtones and games over GSM.

    The excuse that red27 and others were using was/is that somehow clicking on an ad is considered giving consent when that doesn't comply with the code of practice at all.

    Have charges actually been applied or is it possibly a phishing text to trick the recipient into calling them and confirming that the number exists after which they start charging for fresh air. That phone number isn't the one given as contact on Comregs website.


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭User Steve


    Hi All,


    Just realised i've been paying mobiplanet about €300 per month since January! Almost €300 in total. Encouraging to hear some are getting refunds. Would love to know how much 'service providers' like Virgin Media are getting out of this scam. The Irish state also collects VAT on this! Anyway, about to lodge complaint with Commreg. Will post up anything relevant that hasn't already been said. Thanks very much to previous posters.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭User Steve


    First response from help@umelimited.com below :-)

    Dear Steve,

    Thank you for escalating your claim via our internal complaints escalation process.

    After further investigation, I can confirm that your subscription was activated in line with the standard processes and expectations of the service flow, as hosted by our third-party payment provider.

    Nonetheless and in consideration of your unfortunate dissatisfaction, I would like to offer you a refund for the last week of your subscription, totalling €7.50, by way of full and final settlement of your complaint.

    Should this be acceptable, please respond with your Paypal address or bank details (IBAN + SWIFT written correctly), so we may promptly process the refund.

    Best regards,

    Liliana

    Customer service UME

    help@umelimited.com


  • Registered Users Posts: 412 ✭✭PickYourName


    I think that’s exactly what my first repose was. Just say you reject the offer and repeat the original complaint.

    By the way, it’s pointless going to ComReg, as they’ll just send you back to keep going until resolution.


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭User Steve


    Thanks PickYourName

    Ya, it's actually the 2nd email i got back this morning ...the first was so long and well written that there was no way 'Lilliana' knocked it out in 30mins :-)

    I'll keep going back to them.
    will keep the thread posted .


  • Registered Users Posts: 412 ✭✭PickYourName


    User Steve wrote: »
    Thanks PickYourName

    Ya, it's actually the 2nd email i got back this morning ...the first was so long and well written that there was no way 'Lilliana' knocked it out in 30mins :-)

    I'll keep going back to them.
    will keep the thread posted .

    Just to warn you, it'll take a while, though once engaged they do seem to respond fairly rapidly.

    For the craic, I went back to check, and here's how it panned out for me:

    Offer #1:
    “Nonetheless and in consideration of your unfortunate dissatisfaction, I would like to offer you a refund for the last week of your subscription, totalling €7.50, by way of full and final settlement of your complaint.”

    Offer #2:
    “Having looked further at your complaint and escalated this matter to my supervisor, I have authority to process a €20 refund”

    Offer #3:
    “Thank you once again for your response in relation to your open complaint. It is never ideal to see an unhappy customer. Therefore, in order to resolve the problem and move-on we are willing to proceed with a €40 goodwill refund.”

    Offer #4:
    “Thank you once again for your response in relation to your open complaint.
    Despite opt-in being explicit and final, and of course you have received entries into all draws as per the terms of service, since you are unhappy with the service I am happy to arrange a goodwill refund of €55 as a gesture of good will and in order to move on. Sadly, that is all I am permitted to offer in the circumstances.”

    Offer #5:
    “My director approved your full refund request as a gesture of goodwill and in order to move on.
    Please provide us with your Paypal address or bank details (IBAN + SWIFT written correctly), so we may proceed.”


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭User Steve


    I think that’s exactly what my first repose was. Just say you reject the offer and repeat the original complaint.

    By the way, it’s pointless going to ComReg, as they’ll just send you back to keep going until resolution.
    Just to warn you, it'll take a while, though once engaged they do seem to respond fairly rapidly.

    For the craic, I went back to check, and here's how it panned out for me:

    Offer #1:
    “Nonetheless and in consideration of your unfortunate dissatisfaction, I would like to offer you a refund for the last week of your subscription, totalling €7.50, by way of full and final settlement of your complaint.”

    Offer #2:
    “Having looked further at your complaint and escalated this matter to my supervisor, I have authority to process a €20 refund”

    Offer #3:
    “Thank you once again for your response in relation to your open complaint. It is never ideal to see an unhappy customer. Therefore, in order to resolve the problem and move-on we are willing to proceed with a €40 goodwill refund.”

    Offer #4:
    “Thank you once again for your response in relation to your open complaint.
    Despite opt-in being explicit and final, and of course you have received entries into all draws as per the terms of service, since you are unhappy with the service I am happy to arrange a goodwill refund of €55 as a gesture of good will and in order to move on. Sadly, that is all I am permitted to offer in the circumstances.”

    Offer #5:
    “My director approved your full refund request as a gesture of goodwill and in order to move on.
    Please provide us with your Paypal address or bank details (IBAN + SWIFT written correctly), so we may proceed.”






    :-) I'm on Offer#2 now - The €20 Level


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  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,059 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Once you've got your money back, go to your TDs and complain about Comreg refusing to act. Nothing else has any chance of fixing this.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,811 ✭✭✭Ten Pin


    This thread from reddit may provide some useful vocabulary to help speed up the process...

    https://i.reddit.com/r/ireland/comments/gzrgya/our_victory_over_red27mobile_scam/

    The initial response from red27 detailed in thread below gives an idea of what the providers think of the regulator...ie breaching the code of practice has no consequences...so they just brazen it out hoping that you give up and there are probably many that do give up.
    https://pastebin.com/bsYrLUKn


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭User Steve


    Ten Pin wrote: »
    This thread from reddit may provide some useful vocabulary to help speed up the process...

    https://i.reddit.com/r/ireland/comments/gzrgya/our_victory_over_red27mobile_scam/

    The initial response from red27 detailed in thread below gives an idea of what the providers think of the regulator...ie breaching the code of practice has no consequences...so they just brazen it out hoping that you give up and there are probably many that do give up.
    https://pastebin.com/bsYrLUKn




    Thanks a mil TenPin. This helps alot- Even to just copy and paste some rubbish to send back to them. The lads really threw chapter and verse at them..... I'm on the €40 offer level now after a few emails back and forth.


  • Registered Users Posts: 412 ✭✭PickYourName


    User Steve wrote: »
    Thanks a mil TenPin. This helps alot- Even to just copy and paste some rubbish to send back to them. The lads really threw chapter and verse at them..... I'm on the €40 offer level now after a few emails back and forth.

    Only two more rounds of offers to go! :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,180 ✭✭✭✭fritzelly


    How the hell did you not notice 300 euro going missing every month???


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,197 ✭✭✭SuperS54


    Assume it was 30 per month, totaling 300 now.


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭User Steve


    SuperS54 wrote: »
    Assume it was 30 per month, totaling 300 now.


    Yes, €30/month average over 9 months - €300 total - i'd say there are a lot of company phones that will never notice these charges.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,811 ✭✭✭Ten Pin


    Yes, €30/month average over 9 months - €300 total - i'd say there are a lot of company phones that will never notice these charges.

    There's a huge can of worms just waiting to be opened on these scams...the "service" must be extremely lucrative and if it ever comes out in the open, there'll be a lot of refunds due to those who were unaware of the charges they were paying. Who will pay the cost....yes, you guessed it....consumers will be levied yet again and the scammers will get away scot free.

    Pity there isn't a regulator to police it...oh wait...


  • Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭User Steve


    Ten Pin wrote: »
    There's a huge can of worms just waiting to be opened on these scams...the "service" must be extremely lucrative and if it ever comes out in the open, there'll be a lot of refunds due to those who were unaware of the charges they were paying. Who will pay the cost....yes, you guessed it....consumers will be levied yet again and the scammers will get away scot free.




    A previous poster mentioned €12m turnover last year.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,991 ✭✭✭slegs


    Just spotted that I am being done for 30e a month on this scam via my sons phone (on family account). Going through process with UME right now and emails are identical to above. I work in the mobile industry and know senior people in Comreg, Three, Eir, Voda and Tesco Mobile. Will be making some people very uncomfortable about this when I kick off.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,776 ✭✭✭Joe Public


    slegs wrote: »
    Just spotted that I am being done for 30e a month on this scam via my sons phone (on family account). Going through process with UME right now and emails are identical to above. I work in the mobile industry and know senior people in Comreg, Three, Eir, Voda and Tesco Mobile. Will be making some people very uncomfortable about this when I kick off.

    Best of luck with the big picture but may need a Prime Time Investigates team to do the digging. The network operators are making money from these scams and are walking on thin ice regarding legality. Not easy to catch the big companies as they can afford the best legal teams. Reverse SMS billing should be outlawed on mobile phone accounts, failing that then premium rate SMSs should be disabled by default.


  • Registered Users Posts: 413 ✭✭Merowig


    dudara wrote: »
    First thing I would do is submit a Subject Access Request under the GDPR to the company asking them to share where they got your number and asking them to provide evidence that you gave them permission to contact you. It’s free and it’s your right to do so under the GDPR.

    They must respond to the SAR within 1 month https://www.dataprotection.ie/en/individuals/know-your-rights/how-long-will-it-take , or advise you if it will take longer.

    Depending on the response you receive, you can then officially complain to the DPC. They have lots of info on their website.


    Is there a template for that? My wife also has now problems with that scam
    Where and how can I make an complaint? She got subscribed without her consent to a subscription service for mobiplanet - also English is not her native language and she just saw the messages as scam.
    How can we get the money back here

    Thank you and best regards


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,059 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    No template for a SAR as you just tell them you are doing a Subject Access Request for all data they hold


  • Registered Users Posts: 412 ✭✭PickYourName


    Merowig wrote: »
    Is there a template for that? My wife also has now problems with that scam

    You shouldn't have to go down the GDPR route- if anything, it could slow things up.

    Just email them with the basis of your complaint (presumably, like others you never signed up?), saying you want all your money back. Make sure you know how much that is before you start, as you cannot trust them to have the correct figure.

    You will need to be persistent: they seem to follow a well-worn path of starting off offering you some token amount, then increasing it if you keep rejecting it.

    If they claim they have proof you signed up, ask them for it, saying you don’t believe their claims as you know for a fact that you didn’t.

    The main thing is, though, is to be persistent, don’t accept any offer until they offer the full amount. You should get it after about 6 or 7 offers (see above). Best of luck!


  • Registered Users Posts: 413 ✭✭Merowig


    Thanks a lot - my blood is boiling


  • Registered Users Posts: 412 ✭✭PickYourName


    Merowig wrote: »
    Thanks a lot - my blood is boiling

    If it's any consolation, I know exactly how you're feeling!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,776 ✭✭✭Joe Public


    Merowig wrote: »
    Is there a template for that? My wife also has now problems with that scam
    Where and how can I make an complaint? She got subscribed without her consent to a subscription service for mobiplanet - also English is not her native language and she just saw the messages as scam.
    How can we get the money back here

    Thank you and best regards

    Follow my advice on page 5 of this thread, it proved very effective and painless on my part and no time wasting.


  • Registered Users Posts: 413 ✭✭Merowig


    Thank you

    The text messages received by my wife are MobiPlanet;s Unlimited - on the Bills it appears as Text received TxtNation -- 57976

    the email my wife received from Red27 reads as


    "Thank you for your email. We cannot see any subscription associated with this number. The charges you are referring to may be associated with a different provider, kindly verify.

    Best regards,
    Customer Support
    Red27 Mobile"

    Are we right here with Red27Mobile as the source of the scam and they are just playing games ? Or is someone else behind that?


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,180 ✭✭✭✭fritzelly


    Two different companies - why are you contacting Red27 and not MobiPlanet?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 413 ✭✭Merowig


    fritzelly wrote: »
    Two different companies - why are you contacting Red27 and not MobiPlanet?

    Thank you - confused Mobiplanet with Mobizone like the first post here in the thread.


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