Text message scam

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Text message scam

Skolink

1081 posts

Uber Geek

#73788 22-Dec-2010 14:05

A workmate has just mentioned to me that she has been ripped off by a text message scam.

She received the following messages (from 4414)

"U r now registered at Funmobile, CSW Group and will receive ur order shortly Help:0800-45579 Cost:$5/msg, 4msg/wk + joining fee $5 To stop:txt STOP to 4414"

"Welcome to Funmobile, CSW Group! Want hottest ringtones, wallpapers & games for your phone? Visit nz.funmobile.com Help:0800-452279 To stop:txt STOP to 4414"

She then sent "STOP" to 4414 and received:

"Welcome to Funmobile, CSW Group! Want more? Visit nz.funmobile.com Help:0800-452279 To stop:txt STOP to 4414"

She then sent "STOP" again to 4414 and received:

"(FreeMsg) Thx 4 subscribing to Funmobile, CSW Group Polytones Club, 10 credits r granted Help:0800-452279 5/msg,4msg/wk + joining fee 5 To stop:txt STOP to 4414"

She sent "STOP" again to 4414 and received

"Signup completed..."etc
and
"Thanks 4 your order...."etc

At which point she called Telecom who said they could not refund any money or block that number and she would have to call the company Funmobile.com herself on 0800452279 (yes Telecom had a record of them).

So after calling the number and entering her cell number she spoke to some one who of course refused any money saying she had registered on their website and confirmed by entering the PIN or 19 Dec (same day the first TXT was received). They do seem to have stopped the 'service' as one last text was received:
"(FreeMsg) Ur Funmobile, CSW Group Polytones Club is now terminated"

All up it cost $20.60 ($5 x4 + 20c x3)

What I don't get is how it is possible for someone to just start charging your cell phone, regardless of what may have been typed into some website (by some scammer).

Anyone else had any joy getting money out of Telecom for this type of scam? Time to get them on Fair Go again?

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3885 posts

Uber Geek

#420442 22-Dec-2010 14:21

Most people know better than to respond to these messages, however what does it have to do with Telecom? Why should they have to pay?

Take this example...someone throws a rock through your car window smashing it. Do you blame the company that manufactured or fitted the window? No.

Sad as it is I think your friend will be stuck trying to deal with the funmobile company.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

mattRSK

822 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#420444 22-Dec-2010 14:24

I would notify the police.

Skolink

1081 posts

Uber Geek

#420448 22-Dec-2010 14:32

Does Telecom send the money direct to these companies, or is it hidden from Telecom by just being a termination charge from another Telco?

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#420450 22-Dec-2010 14:33

scuwp: Most people know better than to respond to these messages, however what does it have to do with Telecom? Why should they have to pay?

Take this example...someone throws a rock through your car window smashing it. Do you blame the company that manufactured or fitted the window? No.

Sad as it is I think your friend will be stuck trying to deal with the funmobile company.

Telecom are the one who have the ability to block these scams. Telecom are the one who passed the money to the scammers.

A better analogy would be "Telecom gives someone a rock and they throw it through your car window"

richms

28187 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#420451 22-Dec-2010 14:35

scuwp: Most people know better than to respond to these messages, however what does it have to do with Telecom? Why should they have to pay?

Take this example...someone throws a rock through your car window smashing it. Do you blame the company that manufactured or fitted the window? No.

Sad as it is I think your friend will be stuck trying to deal with the funmobile company.

Your analogy makes no sense at all.

Telecom provide the charging method that these guys are abusing.

If someone randomly charges your credit card, the issuer deals with the unauthorized charges.

yet these scammers are allowed to just start sending texts to someone based on the number being entered somewhere online, and the telcos will not do anything about it. You are doubly screwed if you are on prepay since you have already given them money which they then have given away to the scam companies.

Telcos using the lame excuse to send back stop etc is unacceptable, since that is a chargeable text in addition to what has been charged (unauthorized) already.

Richard rich.ms

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#420459 22-Dec-2010 14:54

if she was sending STOP each time then she has a record of this and, IMO, should be able to get a refund.

After the first STOP didn't work I would have just called their freephone number straightaway.

NealR

426 posts

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#420463 22-Dec-2010 15:01

I strongly recommend you contact the NZ Government Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) and lay a complaint through them.

The first step is to forward one of the "Funmobile" text messages to 7726 (SPAM).

The following link has more detail on the DIA complaints process.
http://complaints.antispam.govt.nz/SMSComplaint.aspx

Neal

The comments I write on this forum do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer and as such cannot be taken as official statements of my employer.

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Skolink

1081 posts

Uber Geek

#420472 22-Dec-2010 15:31

NealR: I strongly recommend you contact the NZ Government Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) and lay a complaint through them.

Thanks Neil, we will do so. It's great that such an official complaints mechanism exists. Cheers, John

scuwp

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#420475 22-Dec-2010 15:32

richms:
scuwp: Most people know better than to respond to these messages, however what does it have to do with Telecom? Why should they have to pay?

Take this example...someone throws a rock through your car window smashing it. Do you blame the company that manufactured or fitted the window? No.

Sad as it is I think your friend will be stuck trying to deal with the funmobile company.

Your analogy makes no sense at all.

Telecom provide the charging method that these guys are abusing.

If someone randomly charges your credit card, the issuer deals with the unauthorized charges.

yet these scammers are allowed to just start sending texts to someone based on the number being entered somewhere online, and the telcos will not do anything about it. You are doubly screwed if you are on prepay since you have already given them money which they then have given away to the scam companies.

Telcos using the lame excuse to send back stop etc is unacceptable, since that is a chargeable text in addition to what has been charged (unauthorized) already.

My point was that Telecom provide an 'open' service for all to use. They are not the police and I don't think it is up to them to cancel a business transaction because someone didn't like how the business was being conducted. Just like they don't cancel accounts from customers they know are downloading pirated material (although I know they will have to soon under order).

I agree the scam sucks, but I don't see how Telecom are responsible for paying. Go to the scamming company - yes, lodge a complaint with the police - definitely, contact the credit card company and get a refund - for sure. But blame Telecom right from the start, not IMO

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

savag3

188 posts

Master Geek

#420500 22-Dec-2010 16:04

scuwp: My point was that Telecom provide an 'open' service for all to use. They are not the police and I don't think it is up to them to cancel a business transaction because someone didn't like how the business was being conducted. Just like they don't cancel accounts from customers they know are downloading pirated material (although I know they will have to soon under order).

I agree the scam sucks, but I don't see how Telecom are responsible for paying. Go to the scamming company - yes, lodge a complaint with the police - definitely, contact the credit card company and get a refund - for sure. But blame Telecom right from the start, not IMO

This is totally incorrect. The contract is between Telecom and their customer. Telecom have to refund any incorrect charges just like credit card companies have to refund incorrect charges.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
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Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#420520 22-Dec-2010 16:29

This scam is going for too long.

The telcos come with the lame excuse that somehow YOU started the process, and since they require these "providers" to confirm with a double opt-in then YOU are liable.

They never ever consider the possibility that those companies are actual scams and could simply ignore the part where they are required to confirm opt-in, and start sending charges without you actually agreeing to anything.

The telcos treat the scam companies as "great buddies" and their customers as "dumb people".

There are cases where people entered their phone numbers in Facebook applications and started receiving these messages - where the fine print said it was a subscription, but none of the people I talked to actually ever got a double opt-in message.

This is really getting out of hand. New Zealand telcos SHOULD NOT PROVIDE ACCESS TO THESE SERVICES.

richms

28187 posts

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#420523 22-Dec-2010 16:33

Lets find a vodafone and telecom staff directory and start entering those numbers into these scam sites?

Richard rich.ms

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
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Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#420526 22-Dec-2010 16:35

That'd be hilarious. I can bet very quickly they would stop these services.

tarasutherland

28 posts

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#420528 22-Dec-2010 16:41

richms: Lets find a vodafone and telecom staff directory and start entering those numbers into these scam sites?

awesome. cos you are assuming that we dont get enough of this type of thing already?

Talkiet

4793 posts

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#420531 22-Dec-2010 16:43

freitasm: That'd be hilarious. I can bet very quickly they would stop these services.

Really? Deliberately signing up people to scam services would be funny?

I understand you're passionate about this, but really?

Cheers - N

Please note all comments are from my own brain and don't necessarily represent the position or opinions of my employer, previous employers, colleagues, friends or pets.

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