Unsolicited reverse billed SMS

[Adastra]

I have recently started receiving reverse billed sms texts. I did the reply STOP thing and immediately informed Vodafone that these charges were both unsolicited and fraudulent. They said that it was up to me to reclaim the charges from the companies concerned ( which they supplied to me).

 

I asked vodafone to block all such messages on my account but they state they cannot do this. Also that they are not in anyway responsible for the activities of companies using their network, even if it is to commit fraud.

 

I have been left wondering weather this is a technical issue or a profit led

decision?

Surely a company that facilitates a fraud or profits from a fraud must be liable in some way shape or form.

The final slap in the face ... they even charge you to text STOP back

[miss muppet]

Hi Adastra, I have been getting the same on the BT landline at our business. Bt give you a number to ring to stop them, sometimes they stop and then they start again. One day I got telephone calls from someone saying they had dialled another number and got mine, on the third call I gave our number and about five minutes later someone appeared in the business trying to get us to switch to their company, it drives you mad!

[btonbadger]

TRy texting "STOP ALL" to the number. PhonePayPlus (the artist formerly known as Icstis) are your next port of call if you can't resolve it with the owner of the number or if you don't know who they are.

 

PhonepayPlus - welcome to the PhonepayPlus home page

 

BB

[Conniff]

This has definately got to be a profit con job. They instigated the reverse billing system, and they can stop it.

 

If you want a reverse call with BT, they ask the receiver if they will accept the charge before connection.

 

I think your beef is with the phone company and not the sender.

[Cattolica]

I have recently started receiving reverse billed sms texts. I did the reply STOP thing and immediately informed Vodafone that these charges were both unsolicited and fraudulent. They said that it was up to me to reclaim the charges from the companies concerned ( which they supplied to me).

 

I asked vodafone to block all such messages on my account but they state they cannot do this. Also that they are not in anyway responsible for the activities of companies using their network, even if it is to commit fraud.

 

I have been left wondering weather this is a technical issue or a profit led

decision?

 

Surely a company that facilitates a fraud or profits from a fraud must be liable in some way shape or form.

 

The final slap in the face ... they even charge you to text STOP back

 

 

Hi Adastra,

 

This is an old thread on the subject.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/telecoms-mobile-fixed/91992-unsolicited-reverse-bill-texts.html

 

Also a thread from Vodafones own forum about blocking short codes, the method by which this [problem] is made;

 

Vodafone eForum -> Product and Service Support ( See 'Blocking Short Codes')

 

 

Hope it helps

 

Note: Do you have the five figure short code from the text?

[Adastra]

Thanks tor your reply Cattolica , I shall certainly be looking into those threads

[Adastra]

At last a minor success, having spent alot of time on the phone to vodafone and 20 or so emails, I received this 5 minutes ago:_

 

As a gesture of kindness on this occasion I would like to offer a refund of the charges incurred. Please note that as these companies are not regulated or controlled by Vodafone we are not obligated to refund these charges to you.

 

This still doesn't solve this problem but there is a glimmer of hope that they will introduce a bar

[Cattolica]

At last a minor success, having spent alot of time on the phone to vodafone and 20 or so emails, I received this 5 minutes ago:_

 

As a gesture of kindness on this occasion I would like to offer a refund of the charges incurred. Please note that as these companies are not regulated or controlled by Vodafone we are not obligated to refund these charges to you.

 

This still doesn't solve this problem but there is a glimmer of hope that they will introduce a bar

 

Adastra,

 

Don't raise your hopes, I can tell you from my own exerience from being in the same situation as you with VF, They will not bar these texts because they can earn up to 35% of the cost of the text acting for the company that has scammed you. I have moved to T-Mobile the only network that will bar short codes.

 

IMPORTANT: You still have to get yourself off the data base of the company that has scammed you. Do you still have the text? If so it will have the short code, a five figure number, post it and I will try to trace the company contact details for you. If you don't have it VF will, request all the info from them. If you dont get yourself off the data base these text will continue to arrive @ £1.50 each.... Then your detail will possibly be sold on to another company.

[Adastra]

Thanks I got their details from vodafone and told them to remove my details from their database

[buzby]

There is no technical issue preventing the blocking of premium texts. For example, if you are out of pre-pay credit, these texts are automatically blocked, so you are being lied to.

 

However, since Vodafone have refunded you, why not respond whilst it is still fresh in their minds, stating that whilst you take your responsibilities seriously, you will not accept responsibility for the delivery of premium rate tests you did not request or authorise. Ask them again to ensure that a block on these is placed on your mobile number, however if they choose NOT to do so, you will call on them each and every time an unauthorised premium rated text is delivered, and copy the correspondence to OFCOM.

[Cattolica]

There is no technical issue preventing the blocking of premium texts. For example, if you are out of pre-pay credit, these texts are automatically blocked, so you are being lied to.

 

However, since Vodafone have refunded you, why not respond whilst it is still fresh in their minds, stating that whilst you take your responsibilities seriously, you will not accept responsibility for the delivery of premium rate tests you did not request or authorise. Ask them again to ensure that a block on these is placed on your mobile number, however if they choose NOT to do so, you will call on them each and every time an unauthorised premium rated text is delivered, and copy the correspondence to OFCOM.

 

Buzby

 

Click on this link on VF own eforum and go to page 2, thread titled 'BLOCKING SHORT CODES'. I think you will be surprised.

 

Vodafone eForum -> Product and Service Support

[buzby]

I was aware of your debate in the Vforum, but there were a number of cross- issues being discussed and the responses were disparate and confusing (now THERE's a surprise!).

 

With regard to the VSPAM solution, this is bogus, as this is not what was being complained about. SPAM is free, and is sent in a scattergun manner via direct input or SMS gateways. There is no way for premium content to be sent in this manner, so Vodafone and all the other mobile networks eventually provided a Text spam alert service where recipients forwarded the messages they received (at no cost) and the network either investigated or blocked them from further misuse.

 

The short-code mechanism, developed by OFTEL/OFCOM for mobiles opened the way for premium rated texts, and despite my representation at the time (2002 or so) 'adequate safeguards' would be in place to prevent the situation complained of arising.

 

Vodafone's explanation of their Vbilling system - or to be more precise, the ability of a contractor to upload a list of numbers expecting an immediate payment irrespective of the status of delivery doesn't seem logical from anyone's point of view. We're being asked to believe that Vodafone will happily pay out the percentage of the call revenue for what could be a substantial number of mobiles that are disconnected, out of credit or a variety of other issues, simply on the say so of the message instigator?

 

I do recall being told (although this was on the Orange platform) that only messages deemed successfully delivered can be billed - and I'm currently on a tariff that simply will not allow the delivery of premium texts, so what Vodafone describes may be true for the way they set up their premium rated SMS handling (and more fool them) expecting punters to take the hit for their shortcomings is wrong, and if it came to court I do not see them winning.

[Cattolica]

Just to sum up, we all know that it is a fact that the technology to bar short codes is available now to all networks dispite the excuses and explanations that they want to give us. The problem is that the networks (except for T-Mobile) are not willing to make the choice of blocking short codes available to its mobile phone accounts for reasons which we can guess.

It's a fact that no one has ever taken this issue to Law. I was informed that it is such a grey area it would drag on for months. Can you see an individual taking such a risk for the sake of 3 x £1.50 texts. Sadly all those involved also know this.

[Adastra]

At least Vodafone are (according to their e-forum) looking into introducing a bar - I'm not holding my breathe though!!

[Adastra]

With regards to taking legal action againt the non-conforming networks the only way for this to happen would be if enough people grouped together and took a class action.

[buzby]

It would come to that. Unless your terms of service specifically stated that your phone would be capable of recieving reverse charge SMS which you could not opt out of, the issue is clear. Just the same as if a taxi driver delivered you to your destination with a £3 additional fee because he chose to take you via a congestion charging zone (yes, I know taxis are exempt), unless you agree beforehand, there's no liability.

 

I have only ever had 3 premium SMSs that were never requested, and after much shouting the fee was refunded 100%, so a class action would be unneccesary - just like other unfair penalties, they'll often take the easy route.

[goodwill]

Mobile phone firms on edge as Ofcom prepares to set out plans for 3G auction - Times Online

January 3, 2008

 

The initial sale of 3G licences, at the height of the dot-com boom, attracted bids at unimagined levels.

The operators, convinced that it was make-or-break technology, paid a total of £22.5 billion during frenzied bidding.

However, after the technology and telecoms market crashed they were left with significant debts and technology that had failed to live up to its promise. One industry executive remarked that the early handsets were hot enough “to fry an egg on”.

While 3G was supposed to transform handsets into mini-computers, consumers remained uninterested in using them for anything other than calls and texts.

The Government/DTI allowed a 'better regulation' market place where this 'inward investment' could be repaid (with interest).

Mobility: Content: A cut above

1/9/2007

 

Based on the model of a premium SMS costing 1.50, Orange UK keeps 68 pence including VAT while Virgin Mobile keeps a whopping 98p.