SMS 'subscriptions'

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › SMS "subscriptions"

1 | 2 | 3

1 post

Wannabe Geek

#53995 28-Nov-2006 14:39

Hi, I have unfortunately fallen victim to this scam and have lost at least $20. If you know the unsubscribe number could you please let me know. Thanks heaps.

[Moderator edit (MF): removed e-mail address]

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79250 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#53996 28-Nov-2006 14:40

Talking to someone at Telecom I was told that one can unsubscribe from those services by replying "STOP" to the sender number.

JAMMAN2110

871 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#56278 24-Dec-2006 13:16

Just to touch on premium SMS 'services' like some that have websites.. (incredibly interesting)

The cost of receiving a sms is $3, including GST. The cost for sending a sms will be at the standard rate of $0.20.

You will be sent a series of trivia quiz questions.
Answer 5 questions correctly to qualify for the knock-out final.

Twice a month a new round starts with new prizes, we"ll keep you informed!

And now for the real doosie:

Play this exiting game and have a chance to win:

A Powerplate worth $5

So lets see, for a $5 prize.. thats $3(+0.20)x5=$16 and then you have to actually win.. Then they send you sms messages at a total of $3.20 each twice a month until you figure out how to unsubscribe...

SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM SCAM

Note: Also posted here

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79250 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#56294 24-Dec-2006 16:44

Hmmm. What a prize!

Katie44

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#57000 5-Jan-2007 15:08

Petra123:
Hi, I have unfortunately fallen victim to this scam and have lost at least $20. If you know the unsubscribe number could you please let me know. Thanks heaps.

A friend of mine googled the number and the name of the company and found their website. They had listed there the number where you can text STOP to. I actually think it is free to unsubscribe fortunately. Unfortunately they also have a huge 'Terms and conditions' section on their website so they have pretty much covered themselves.

As for Telecom, I think they should advertise that this is happening and that they are not associated with it. If having a service to stop such texts is easy to implement then I think it is a great idea. But they can't be blamed for another company's wrongdoings.

Why shouldn't the broadcaster be blamed? This is an interesting article if anyone can be bothered reading it...

203.152.114.11/decisions/06/06287.rtf

cathyvm

1 post

Wannabe Geek

#57784 13-Jan-2007 17:27

It took a while but I managed to track down the registered owner of the company that created these scams:
N Haagsma, Postbus 76253, Amsterdam, 1070 EG, Netherlands. Company website tmg-company.com and he can be emailed at support@tmg-company.com. I got scammed for $15.00 thanks to a small TV and not particularly good eyesight (though you would have to have > 20/20 vision to see the "fine print"). Feel free to send this unpleasant, sneaky individual your honest opinion.

alasta

6701 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#57786 13-Jan-2007 17:57

Anyone who is concerned about this should also consider writing a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority.

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#57789 13-Jan-2007 19:00

There was an article in the Dom Post about them today. I suspect we may not see them for much longer..

johnr

19282 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#57804 13-Jan-2007 22:12

sbiddle: There was an article in the Dom Post about them today. I suspect we may not see them for much longer..

They won't be missed by me and I won't miss there DUMB!!! Ads

chiefie

I iz your trusted friend
5877 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#58068 16-Jan-2007 13:23

Xtra has a cover on this topic too. Company Investigated For Text Promos

Internet is my backyard...

«Geekzone blog: Tech 'n Chips Takeaway» «Personal blog: And then...»

Please read the Geekzone's FUG

cokemaster

Exited
4927 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#58086 16-Jan-2007 14:51

Excellent... the more people know about this stuff - the more they can avoid these dodgy text schemes.

webhosting

Loose lips may sink ships - Be smart - Don't post internal/commercially sensitive or confidential information!

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79250 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#169612 7-Oct-2008 16:07

Bringing back an old topic... In the USA MobileMessenger is being hit where it hurts - in the pocket. US$9,000,000 (or $12.5 million if something brings AT&T to the fold) to be paid to elegible people that join a class action.

We should see something like this here too.

brentbart

137 posts

Master Geek
Inactive user

#169616 7-Oct-2008 16:31

My personal opinion is that I don't understand what the fuss is.

If you are silly enough to subscribe to these sorts of things then is that the fault of the company ... or of the person who made the decision. How about some personal responsibility?

Teach your children about the tricks that companies use and if they are too young to understand then perhaps they are too young to have a mobile.

I know it won't be a popular opinion but how about people pause for a moment and check things out rather than jumping feet first and complaining. Like a person who has smoked for 50 years suing a tobacco company as they got cancer.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
79250 posts

Uber Geek

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#169619 7-Oct-2008 17:13

The problem is that adults - not only kids - fall for these tricks. The companies say "free ringtone" and then use very small fonts or just flash a message for a couple of seconds on the bottom of a TV ad warning about the "subscription". It's deceiving.

nate

6473 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#169666 7-Oct-2008 20:05

Slightly OT, but these paid subscription services are a good money maker for Telecom/Vodafone.

Had a client who was interested in selling advice through SMS, so I made the enquiry with both networks as to the costs involved. Typical setup costs, both networks take half of whatever the advertised rate is. If you want to charge your clients $5 a message, Vodafone/Telecom take $2.50 for themselves. If you charge $20 a message, you get $10, the network gets the other $10.

Complete and utter BS when you know it's costing them mere cents.

1 | 2 | 3