Subscription Scam

[darrenp63]

I was awaken at 5.30 this morning by a text message saying I had subscribed to something and it was £4.50 per week. I have never subscribed to anything on my phone and even have a bar to stop this.

Just checked my account and £4.50 has been added to my bill.

I don't want to send 'Stop' only to end up being charged even more or on some kind of scammer list and this happen again.

So, will the amount be removed from my bill seeing as I have a bar and this shouldn't happen.

[BandOfBrothers]

Sometimes this happens when a person is innocently surfing on pages and not always a tap on a link. 

I would suggest to use this link to find out about the contact details of the company as it's up to them to refund you and not Vodafone. 

https://psauthority.org.uk/for-consumers

Also Vodafone has the premium rate bar you can apply. 

More here Premium-rate-SMS-FAQ.

[darrenp63]

I already have the bar. This should not have happened.

[BandOfBrothers]

I'm not able to advise how this happened Unfortunatley. 

Please do considet using the link to get the companies details and claim your money back. 

Also ask Vodafone Customer services if the bar is 100% turned on in your account. 

[darrenp63]

There is a screenshot of the bar setting in my original post.

I just find it despicable that this happens and that telecoms operators allow it to.

Prior to posting I googled this and it is a widespread issue with 1000s of people being done over in the same way.

Anyway, thanks for your reply.

[hrym]

It certainly shouldn't happen.  After you've stripped out all the inadvertent sign-ups, there's a small core of issues that look very much like slamming (your being signed up unawares and with no interaction from yourself).

The bar in question blocks premium texts.   If this is a subscription, that may be how it's apparently circumvented the restriction.

Hang on for the forum team as this needs to be investigated.  I don't think replying STOP will help if it's a subscription and not SMS.   You also need to find the originator so that you can complain to the relevent regulator.  Whether the sub itself can be blocked by the network, I don't know, but you can ask.

Edited to add: I can't remember if your account has a charge-to-bill bar.   If it does, it would be worth turning that on too.

[darrenp63]

The 'charge to bill' bar is the one I had switched on.

I've just looked at the bar for not allowing premium sms that wasn't on, it now is.

I still don't see how it's fair that I have to pay £4.50 for a sms that somebody sent me.

I'm guessing I'm going to have to just swallow this even though I know I haven't knowingly signed up for this.

[hrym]

No, you shouldn't have to swallow this.   If the originator can show that you clicked on something to sign up, that's fair, but they should do that.  If they can't or won't, find out who regulates them and complain.   In the meantime, hang on for the forum team, who'll be able to get account access and find out what's going on.  Apart from anything else, you need to know how the bar was circumvented as that should have stopped the whole thing (unless it was a premium SMS after all).

[Josh]

@darrenp63 I agree with @hrym we'd never want you to feel like you have to swallow this charge without close investigation. Please send us your details following the instructions I've sent in this private message, we'll take a look into how the charge has come about and the validity it holds.

[darrenp63]

Sent the PM.