Pay as you go services

[MaxUK]

Hello, I'm posting on this forum in a desperate attempt to sort out the mess that is Vodafone customer services email.

(I have seen some helpful replies to other customer's problems).

On Sunday I spoke to CS via the land line & found that my rapidly reducing credit was caused by "Zing" charging me (Via Vodaphone) for texts which they have been sending to me.

(I note from another forum that Zing's parent company have been heavily fined at least twice in the past, so why are Vodafone still dealing with them?  Also it seems, some on monthly contract have been taken for much more than I have)

I subsequently managed to stop (hopefully) the texts by sending STOP ALL to 81002.

To do this I had to again top up the account with £10. The STOP ALL text & their subsequent reply, immediately reduced the credit to £6.94.

I've since contacted Vodafone via the CS email service & had nonsensical replies, to the effect that "they couldn't access my account"  etc. (All fully documented)

Finally, after repeatedly sending my details, they seemed to be able to check my account & told me that my fast reducing credit was caused by me "sending Texts". This was my original query.

It seems pointless to carry on conversing with CS via email.

Is it a deliberate policy to fob the customer off or a total inability to read previous emails. Either way, I've had enough .

If nobody here can help me get some reimbursement for the more than £20 that Vodafone have paid to Zing, I intend writing to the BBC Watchdog programme & also the Chief executive of Vodafone.

Can anybody offer assistance,

A very angry & unhappy Vodafone customer.

Regards,

Max

[AnnS]

Vodafone have a bar available which will stop all these short code scammers.  If you would like the bar, give Customer Care a call, they will be able to add the 'unsolicitied reverse charge premium rate short code SMS bar' to your account.

The regular of these premium rate text is Phonepay Plus and you will be able to find all the information on how to report these scammers and get your money refunded from the Phonepay Plus website.

[Max_UK]

Anns

Thank you for your reply, but with respect:

Customer care was my first port of call but the lady said she could only give me a phone number (81002) to text "STOP" to.

Although purporting to try, for some reason she was not able to do it from her terminal. I was not offered a bar.

Others have also said that the bar is no longer available (think I read it on this forum)

The texts seem to have stopped now but I want recompense from Vodafone.

Everyone seems to deny the point that I only pay my topups to Vodafone:

Zing (Zamano Ltd) get paid by Vodafone & I assume they also take a percentage of the text charge?.

Phonepay Plus is the association to which the various Premium Rate Text firms belong. Zamano still seems to be a member despite it's previous form. I will however register a complaimt with them as well.

Why are Vodafone dealing with a company which has already been fined twice for suspect practices?

Perhaps the only way to stop this for others is to go down the Watchdog route.

Regards,

Max.

[AnnS]

Hi Max

The bar is available to stop these messages being delivered to your number as it has been now for more than three plus years.

If Customer Services will not offer to add the bar to your account, and if you would like the bar, I am sure one of the Tech Team will soon be emaling you for your details and will add the bar for you.

[Wayne]

Hi Max_UK and welcome to the eForum

Thanks for your post here.

I’ll send you an email over to the email address that you registered with so that we can get this put on for you. All you need to do is hit reply and fill in all of the information it asks for. We’ll then get back to you as soon as possible.

Thanks

Wayne

eForum Team

[Max_UK]

Thank you Wayne for at least  trying to help.

AnnS previously wrote:

"The bar is available to stop these messages being delivered to your number as it has been now for more than three plus years"

Wayne's reply to me:

"As this is PAYG account, there isn't a bar that can be added to stop any further texts to come through"

So the bar is not available to PAYG customers (& we are on the PAYG forum)

Also "As the charges are from Zing, I would recommend following your complaint with them to get any credit returned as the charges are from that company and not charges from Vodafone"

Why can no one grasp that it is Vodafone I pay & Vodafone who then pass my money on to a Premium Rate Text  company which has already been fined twice. It is primarily Vodafone I look to for re-imbursement.

(They also have the simple means of doing it by adjusting my credit balance)

So thank you to those who have tried to help, but I shall now put all the correspondence together & forward it with a covering letter to the BBC Watchdog Programme. A copy will also be emailed to the highest placed board level executive I can find an address for.

Regards,

Max.

[scoobylyn]

I also have just noticed for the past two months I have been also charged for this service that I have not requested.  I thought I was just getting annoying spam texts.  I have been charged almost £30.  I am seriously concerned about this and do not want this service or to be charged and want my money back.

Has anyone managed to get their money refunded?  Are Vodafone willing to help their customers with this?

I apologise for posting in this section as I am a monthly contract customer... a google search brought this thread up.

[Andy]

Hi scoobylyn,

I've noticed you've since posted your query, with additional information, here on its own thread. So that we don't duplicate information, we'll only respond on the linked thread.

Thanks

Andy

Moderator