Premium Text Message Waiting

[Kiota]

I just received a message saying I have a Premium text message waiting and that I have insufficient credit, even though I have the 'Premium rate information text bar' turned on. I have been plagued by these text scams before which is why I switched to Vodafone. Will I be charged if I top-up?

[Annie_N]

@Kiota

Your mention of two step verification may have given me a clue! Recently I've received a couple of verification texts that have arrived as two texts - the first 160 characters in the first, the rest of the message in a second text some minutes later.

Texts of this length are usually sent as a single text which counts as two messages, but I wonder if the text server is making occasional errors with them - sometimes treating them as two separate messages, other times treating them as MMS which require a very small amount of data to receive them. That in turn might be generating these strange messages about premium texts waiting.

I've taken screenshots of my recent split messages, but I'm posting from my phone at the moment, and can't face trying to add them. I'll post them a bit later, when I'm using my PC.

[Annie_N]

As promised, here are the screenshots of my split texts:

  24 minute delay!

  9 minute delay!

@Kiota, @Claretash I'm not certain exactly what is going on, but I've reported it. At any rate I'm now fairly sure that, whatever it is, it's just some silly error, rather than anything sinister or any sort of scam.

[Claretash]

Would it be safe to open the text message beginning 'Hello we'd love your help . . .' or should I delete it? 

Thanks for your help.

[Annie_N]

Well, I now feel reasonably confident that it's a genuine message from Vodafone, so I'd probably open it if it were on my phone, but it's up to you to decide. The main thing with any message that you aren't 100% sure of is to avoid following any link within it, as that's where any dangers would be lurking.

I'd guess that they're asking for feedback on some aspect of their service, as Vodafone has had a bit of bad publicity over the last year or so, and are understandably keen to move on from that.

[Claretash]

Spot on Annie_N, it was for a survey. Panic over!!!