premium rate charges

[Donnydave]

I have been using a £20 big bundle for months now, in fact I bought my vodafone mobile from the points I accrued. Up to recently I have had no problems, but when I went to add credit for my next bundle I noticed that £20 of my £27 credit had gone? When I checked my useage there was three pages of WWM charges of £2.50? I queried this with vodafone and they said I had been using it on a gambling site ? which I know nothing about? Then two days ago I got a text from vodafone saying the was a technical issue? I checked my useage again and there was only £4.58 of the remaining £7 credit so I asked vodafone to put a block on premium rate numbers, this as stopped the leakage of credit, so I was able to add £20 for my next big bundle due tomorrow, but how do I go about getting my money back? And I have heard no more about the technical issue?

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi,

In the first instance you should try to contact the company that has levied the charges. 

Http://psauthority.org.uk/ may be an avenue to provide some information and advice. 

[AnnS]

Hi @Donnydave

It's the unsolicited short code premium rate SMS bar you need to stop these unwanted reverse charge SMS messages.  The premium rate call bar will only stop you making premium rate calls.   There is a quick link for the bar on the main page of the forum.  Alternatively, if PAYG is the same as pay monthly, you should be able to enable bars through your online account.

Some recommend replying with STOP but I always avoid doing this as you are only confirming your mobile number for other scammers to start spamming you with reverse charge messages.

If the messages were unsoliced, it will mean having to contact the sender to make a complaint and get your money returned.

[Annie_N]

@Donnydave

I've just had a look at my PAYG online account. My impression is that the list of possible bars may be slightly shorter and less bewildering than when I last looked. I'm not going to screenshot the whole lot, but this looks like the most promising part of the list, under Services and extras, then Bars and data alerts - with "Premium rate information text bar" maybe the most likely. Can you advise further on this, @AnnS?

[Donnydave]

Thank you for replying but these phones are just over my head? How do I access these bars you mention please?

[Annie_N]

@Donnydave

I presume you haven't set up an online account? Go to https://www.vodafone.co.uk/myvodafone/faces/home, and you should see an option to register your phone number. You'll have to have your phone to hand, to receive at least one security code during the process, but it should all fall into place. I'd suggest completing as much of the personal information as possible, name, DoB, address, set up a security code, and also give an alternative contact number if you can, as having that sort of information on your account makes it a lot easier to pass DPA if you need help from CS or Live Chat.

It sometimes takes a little while for the account to become fully active, but then, from Bundle usage, you'll see various options down the LHS of the page on the full site, or in a menu if viewing from your phone, including the ones I mention above.

[Donnydave]

I do have a vodafone account online, that is where I buy my big bundles or top up credit, but I cannot find who these £2.50 have been going too?

[Annie_N]

@Donnydave

Did you manage to find the link AnnS described? It's http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Pay-monthly/Premium-rate-SMS-FAQ/m-p/2421982#M4422 and gives a lot of useful advice. If you can't figure out who is initiating the messages, you'll need to use one of the contact routes mentioned if you follow the onward link from there, in order to get in touch with Vodafone.

But, as you have an online account set up already, I'd suggest using the Premium rate information text bar immediately, to try to stop further losses, as well as getting help via one of the CS routes.

[Donnydave]

This is what I have been charged on out of bundle charges but how do I find out who as charged me?

[Donnydave]