topic Re: Text scam in Pay Monthly

Text scam

At2 — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 06:56:10 GMT

I just received a text message from a number I don’t know. The text message read ‘ FreeMsg: Reminder. You are subscribed to Books4you for £4.50 every week from Lasevia until you text STOP to 83463. HELP? 03300538806‘ I instantly googled the number and discovered it’s a scam. Lots of people have revived this scam and cost them hundreds of pounds. But most of the chat online is old messages from 2016 and no one seemed to have a solution then. Allot of talk about having to change your number number which just isn’t an option for me and that the networks couldn’t help. I don’t want to be charged and I’m scared to reply stop. Any advice is appricated. Thank you

Re: Text scam

Glory1 — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 07:16:52 GMT

Hi @At2

Jnformation on what to do if you have inadvertently been subscribed to a premium rate number is given in the link below:

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/How-to-Guides/Have-you-fallen-for-or-been-conned-into-a-premium-rate-scam-What/ba-p/968023

I would recommend you text stop to the number given asap to, hopefully, prevent being charged.

Re: Text scam

Anonymous — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 07:48:58 GMT

Sometimes sending stop will show that the line is active & wont be unsubscribed

Re: Text scam

MI5 — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 07:55:19 GMT

Previous thread here with additional info https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Pay-Monthly/Additional-charges/td-p/1114707

Re: Text scam

Cleoriff — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 07:57:45 GMT

@Anonymouswrote:
Sometimes sending stop will show that the line is active & wont be unsubscribed

Although the advice in Adams guide quite clearly shows all the scams he indicates should use the STOP ALL

text.. If no number can be found for the company to contact them directly, texting stop is the only way forward.

@Anonymous(as well as following the rest of the advice in the guide)

Re: Text scam

Cleoriff — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 08:07:29 GMT

Lasevia claims to use the double opt in service. Clearly they don't if @At2 has no idea how they were subscribed..

Edited to add that the Lasevia website does have a phone and email address If @At2 wants to contact them directly http://servicechecker.comreg.ie/PR6468/CHANCES_TO_WIN

Re: Text scam

At2 — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 08:59:38 GMT

I was hesitant in replying stop for that very reason being charged and confirming the line was live.
Thank u all for ur help and suggestions.

Re: Text scam

Anonymous — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 11:27:20 GMT

@At2 You are very welcome

Re: Text scam

Cleoriff — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 11:37:47 GMT

No problem @At2 I hope you get it sorted soon

Re: Text scam

MI5 — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 11:41:39 GMT

Best of luck

Re: Text scam

Payforit_Sucks — Sun, 08 Apr 2018 15:28:53 GMT

@At2wrote:
I just received a text message from a number I don’t know. The text message read ‘ FreeMsg: Reminder. You are subscribed to Books4you for £4.50 every week from Lasevia until you text STOP to 83463. HELP? 03300538806‘ I instantly googled the number and discovered it’s a scam. Lots of people have revived this scam and cost them hundreds of pounds. But most of the chat online is old messages from 2016 and no one seemed to have a solution then. Allot of talk about having to change your number number which just isn’t an option for me and that the networks couldn’t help. I don’t want to be charged and I’m scared to reply stop. Any advice is appricated. Thank you

83463 is a shortcode which regularly features in reports of Payforit scams

I'm sorry you have become a victim of one of these scams. It is quite possible that your number was provided via a rogue App on your ‘phone, or you may have clicked on an innocent looking Ad while browsing the web.

You need to be aware that while you are connected to the internet via mobile data, your number may be passed by O2 to third parties for charging purposes. The mechanism by which this happens is called 'Payforit'. This can’t happen while you are connected by WiFi.

Once the third party has your number they can send you chargeable text messages and, very unfairly in my opinion, it will be your job to argue for a refund!

The Payforit mechanism was intended to make it easy for consumers to purchase goods and services and have them charged to their 'phone bill. Unfortunately Payforit has proven to be very insecure and hardly a day goes by without someone reporting another scam.

I have put details of how to deal with these scams on my website at http://payforitsucks.co.uk.

Unfortunately O2 and all of the other networks have no incentive to bring these scams to an end, as they receive a share of the income from them.

The steps you ought to be taking are (with links to detailed instructions):

1. Stop further charges being made

2. Get a refund of any charges already taken

3. Complain to the Phone-paid Services Authority

4. Protect yourself from further 'charge to bill' scams

Let me know if can offer any further help or advice. These scams are a disgrace to the mobile communications industry.

Paul

http://payforitsucks.co.uk

Re: Text scam

jonsie — Sun, 08 Apr 2018 17:06:07 GMT

Good information Paul 😀

Re: Text scam

HolBrook — Sun, 08 Apr 2018 18:20:37 GMT

I have just had the same message from books4you and it has charged the £4.50 to my O2 account. Does texting the word 'stop' charge any more to the account and did it work?

Re: Text scam

MI5 — Sun, 08 Apr 2018 18:36:38 GMT

It should stop it but you'd be advised to follow up by contacting them directly as per the advice posted on the thread.

Re: Text scam

jonsie — Sun, 08 Apr 2018 18:42:41 GMT

They do sometimes make a final charge for the STOP text, it depends on the particular company. I believe it should be legally a free text nowadays.

Re: Text scam

Cleoriff — Sun, 08 Apr 2018 19:22:32 GMT

@Payforit_SucksI noticed your post on another thread a couple of weeks back. I mentioned it to @Marjo (Community Admin) in the hope it could be added to our existing thread here HERE

I understand she was looking into it...

Re: Text scam

Tomasz — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 05:48:31 GMT

Thanks for the advice! Those thieves stole £ 18 from me! I sent txt STOP just to see what is going to happen. Hopefully it will stop charging me £4.50 every week! These people should be on a Police 'black list'!