Will 2degrees be mobile scammer friendly?

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Will 2degrees be mobile scammer friendly?

rubygirl

67 posts

Master Geek

#37269 9-Jul-2009 22:00

Will 2degrees be participating in the scamming that other mobile companies are supporting?
Vodafone, Telecom etc allow scams such as the IQ Quiz scam to flourish. They do this becuase they skim off some of the profits for themselves.
The mobile companies claim that
(a) they do not make money from this - wrong! (otherwise why would tey allow their customers accounts to be drained? get real! Their helpdesk people still insist that their companies make no money form this. Yeah, right!
(b) that the people who subscribe genuinely want this service - wrong! who wants to pay $5 to $10 on a regular basis for a bit of useless trivial information. And, if it was genuine, why are customers complaining?
(c) customers have texted a PIN to the mobile company confirming their subscription - wrong - no text is required from the mobile for the mobile account to be scammed - they just need a mobel number which they can get off Facebook or wherever.
(d) the mobile companies are bound by law to take on these scammers as customers and must hand over the dosh when their customers are scammed - wrong, the UK equivalent of our Commerce Commission was able to stop this practice. The scammers are now concentrating on the countries who have yet to do anything about it like New Zealand and South Africa (maybe Australia but I'm not sure). What is wrong with the Commerce Commission? Arethey being leaned on by the ig boys or are they just slack?

If it sounds like I am getting heated about this well, yes, I am!

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3009 posts

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#233268 9-Jul-2009 22:52

Some good questions here, as we have been stung by the exact same problem on VF.

The big question, what security measures will be put in place to ensure third party providers cannot covertly sign you up for a service you did not wish for?

It has been suggested that there should be an OPT IN for any premium text service, as well as a dual opt in process to absolutely confirm the customer wishes to subscribe to this 'premium text service'.

Will 2Degrees be enforcing strong security measures to prevent such third parties doing such thing to their customers?

rubygirl

67 posts

Master Geek

#233282 9-Jul-2009 23:12

Can we get a lobby group together do you think? Loved your website, btw :) Sorry re all the typos in my previous posting - I do that when I'm riled!

rubygirl

67 posts

Master Geek

#233288 9-Jul-2009 23:15

Btw, it was months ago that I got scammed but I'm still steaming mad - I'm not letting this one go. Even though it could jeopardise my business if I get my communications cut off - but Telecom has done that anyway for 5 days a couple of weeks ago through incompetence. Wish they had some real competition ...

old3eyes

9119 posts

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Subscriber

#233402 10-Jul-2009 08:42

But if you sign up for one of these "scamming" services isn't it your problem??

Regards,

Old3eyes

rubygirl

67 posts

Master Geek

#233445 10-Jul-2009 09:39

What I just wrote on another thread:
I have noted that there are a number of people who are quick to leap to the defence of the mobile companies when this practice is discussed. Either they are unaware of the level of complicity in which these companies are involved in ripping off their customers or, more likely, they are stooges for the perpetrators. Another possibility has occurred to me and that is that they feel so clever that they have never been taken in by this that they love to crow about it. Or maybe they have been taken in and this is their way of feeling better about it by putting the boot into others who have the guts to do something. Who knows, not me - I'm certainly no psychologist. Just a geek who feels if I can be so easily scammed then there must be a lot of people out there who are also being ripped off but less able to use online means of doing something about it.

And no, to the previous poster, I did NOT sign up for this service.

richms

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#233489 10-Jul-2009 10:15

I know people which have subscribed to the crap like text your name and the guys and we will give you the match along with 3 texts a week crap - and I have no sympaty for them since its all clearly spelled out in the advet.

The problems are the ones that have happened to a couple of people I know where there is nothing to warn them about the charges when they put their number into things on facebook, or in the case of one of them just clicked to get the results.

Now the fact that inorder to list a mobile number on facebook there is no verification, I can see this is widely open to abuse.

Perhaps if people started to put in the ceo of telecoms number things might start to get done?

Richard rich.ms

rubygirl

67 posts

Master Geek

#233516 10-Jul-2009 10:37

richms "Perhaps if people started to put in the ceo of telecoms number things might start to get done?"

Yes, I've thought that as well. And also lawyers, politicians, Commerce Commission employees and other people who can do something when they realise there are no controls on this practice.

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nickd

447 posts

Ultimate Geek

#233610 10-Jul-2009 12:03

Perhaps if people started to put in the ceo of telecoms number things might start to get done?

I like it.

manhinli

2483 posts

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#233643 10-Jul-2009 13:26

The thing is - SMS Premium TXT services will always be here.

There are also some good services out there (TXT 2 Vote on some TV shows is an example), and 2degrees probably won't just say "We're going to not let you register your number on our network" plain simple like that.

These "scams" are also registered on the same list as other premium TXT services.

What 2degrees needs to do is to ensure that the premium service providers don't go abusing this etc. through valid security measures or active monitoring.

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rubygirl

67 posts

Master Geek

#233647 10-Jul-2009 13:30

It is very easy for them to sift out the scammers. At the very least, if they get 100 complaints about any particular service they can discontinue accepting charges from them. I can't imagine they would have any complaints from their mobile customers about not being able to be scammed. Customers would be only too happy if their mobile comapny was ethical enough not to deal with these scum.

Madmax77

152 posts

Master Geek

#233650 10-Jul-2009 13:44

Seriously, how many threads do you intend hi-jacking to get your point across? Please just stick with your original thread so we can keep track of the conversation, you're all over the place here.

tonyhughes

Hawkes Bay
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#233654 10-Jul-2009 13:51

rubygirl: It is very easy for them to sift out the scammers. At the very least, if they get 100 complaints about any particular service they can discontinue accepting charges from them. I can't imagine they would have any complaints from their mobile customers about not being able to be scammed. Customers would be only too happy if their mobile comapny was ethical enough not to deal with these scum.

Excellent idea.

Then I can set up some legitimate premium text services, and make 100 complaints about my competitors. Then I will control the market.

rubygirl

67 posts

Master Geek

#233658 10-Jul-2009 13:58

I have been involved in only three threads on this topic -
(1) The first was when I contributed to someone else's thread regarding being scammed.
(2) The next was when I introduced myself in the introduction forum discussion - it tuened into to a discussion because some posters objected to my use of TXT (which I'm not doing now) and my stating I was currently venting on the scamming topic.
(3) My next was this one where I am hoping to get some clarity as to whether 2degrees will also be supporting this practice because if they are not then I am signing up with them.

So, is there a problem with this?

rubygirl

67 posts

Master Geek

#233664 10-Jul-2009 14:02

Oh, I never realised how difficult it would be for the mobile companies to screen out false complaints against legitimate premium text services. How silly of me. I guess it must be really difficult for them and I should be a little more understanding of their dilemma as obviously they are putting their best efforts into ending these scams.

Madmax77

152 posts

Master Geek

#233665 10-Jul-2009 14:05

Of course they will be, some of these services are actually legitimate...tainted only by the actions of a few. It would be commercial suicide for them not to do so (think of all the TXT campaigns used currently, TXT voting, that Wheel of Fortune TXT the winning wheel campaign. Don't expect companies to disregard these services just because the end user doesn't read the T&C's correctly. In these rather PC times it's a lot easier to blame a large corporate (easy target) than to take some personal responsibility. There's plenty of Cheque fraud happening every day...do you see the banks being blamed for that...would you expect them to stop issuing Cheque books?

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