Unwanted text scammers 65202

[BeerCat]

Spent nearly an hour on the phone today trying to get a refund for the unwanted premium texts i never signed up for. Been meaning to call them for a while but its one of those things i kept putting off. Was down £36.50 since January. The phone company initially asked me to call the company to ask for a refund but i refused. Partly because why the hell should i and i would of just sworn at them without doubt and got nowhere.
Anyway they called the company on my behalf and blocked their number and refunded me as i told them i would cancel my contract otherwise.
The scammers are oxygen8 communications, a company set up on the 17th January 2018 which is about the time i got my first text. I find it maddening these sharks can setup a company and add peoples numbers without their consent and collect a monthly fee for the privilege. This is the third or fourth time i have had to deal with this. To be fair the phone company did tell me to call them straight away if i receive anymore so that would be my advice to anyone else getting them.
Anyone else been ripped off?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

How do they set up the scam, how do they get your number then use it surely if you haven't signed anything they cannot take money from you.

 

[foxbat]

These direct-to-bill systems were a scam waiting to happen.

The legal, honest way to use it is to run the type of advert you've all seen on the satellite channels, often for a charity, that ends with a plea to text XYZ number to donate £10 per month. They respond by sending you one or more premium rate texts which are charged directly to your bill and the company receives nearly all the value with a small slice going to the mobile operator.

Sadly as soon as the criminals got wind of free money the blindingly obvious thing happened and they bought up databases of mobile numbers and spammed the lot of them hoping that some percentage wouldn't notice. Sorry Beercat, your number must be on one of those lists.

These things should work with a text-back acknowledgement code from the mobile operator before they can be set up. Doesn't happen though.

 

[Oneiroi]

I was always under the impression you couldn’t be charged for receiving a text as you have no control over it and thought the charity donations could only charge on texts you sent them.

Looks like I was wrong! Thanks for the heads up


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BeerCat]

To be honest they are less than relieving in how this can exactly happen. I believe its a fraud abut they imply it is something you unwittingly ticked or from filling in forms for comps etc. Wastes time dealing with it but worth checking your bill now and again.

 

[foxbat]

I was always under the impression you couldn’t be charged for receiving a text as you have no control over it and thought the charity donations could only charge on texts you sent them.

It can work both ways and I wasn't really clear about that in my reply. Yes you can send a one-off text to a premium number (e.g. vote in a TV competition) and it'll cost you whatever they say on screen. The other more insidious way is the one that Beercat seems to have fallen victim to where they send you texts as a subscription service and you pay to receive them. It was in the news a few years ago but seems to be still going on.

[edit] I just found this setting in my online Vodafone account. I didn't know it existed and it was off by default. I've switched it on.

 

[BeerCat]

Well i am now getting texts from three different spammers and my lat bill doubled. No help from three network so time to cancel my contract. Easier said than done as i could not understand a word the lady was saying. Partly down to her accent but mostly from the noise in her office and the three bit phone line they seem to favour.
Does anyone know if "shortcodes" can be blocked from UK phone. If i port my number to a new network can they block them. Three normally refund me to stop me leaving but this time they were not helpful at all. Advice welcome please.

 

[An Ankoù]

You could try explaining the situation to your new service provider and tell them you'll transfer your account if they can sort it out for you.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

This was posted in 2018 so if anyone has skimmed through it have a look at post number 6 as you may also have the option to turn them off.

 

[phildo79]

@BeerCat
New network, new number. Cut the scammers off completely. And be more vigilant in future.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I showed this thread to SWMBO and she told me it happened to her earlier this year (i vaguely remember her mentioning it) she rang O2 and they said she must have clicked or subscribed to something which she was sure she hadn't they then took her through some steps ending in her texting STOP to the number sending them she didn't get any more.

 

[phildo79]

I don't think I have ever sent a text to a number that consisted of only 5 digits. I also do not text STOP to numbers that have sent me a random message. I do not trust that I won't get charged for sending the STOP text. I just ignore them but keep an eye on my bill to make sure I am not getting charged. But if I was to be scammed in this way, I'd request a new number from my provider. Because once they have your number, they will keep trying to scam you.