topic Blocking premium rate text message in Discussions & Feedback

Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:45:24 GMT

I came to O2 as it offered the best coverage for the area I work in.
Today I attempted to place a premium rate text message bar on my phone as I have done with my Vodafone service. The reason for this request is to prevent the M type premium charge incoming text messages that I have been receiving. Replying to these disguised messages will invite countless reverse charge premium rate messages and even texting STOP as advised by the O2 operative will cost me £1.50

When I telephoned customer services, I was advised that "O2 does not offer the premium call bar service".
I requested that the text message service on my number be blocked, again I was informed that "O2 does not offer that service". (I'm beginning to think I have made a wrong decision going with this provider).

Can anyone advise if it is possible for me to reclaim the remaining credit I have on my payg phone and transfer it, along with the number to a provider that does offer the premium text bar or total text block I asked for.

Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 20:26:06 GMT

Seems O2 are not interested in stopping the scams, but then if they make money out of the misfortune of others, why should they care?..............not impressed at all!

Blocking premium rate text message

jonsie — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 20:40:26 GMT

You shouldn't receive premium texts unless you subscribe to them. If you have a complaint about these texts then report it to PhonepayPlus here. All information on these services can be found on the site as they are the regulatory body of phone pay services.

You can obviously take your number to another provider of your choice but not your credit, you will need to use that or lose it when you port your number.

Blocking premium rate text message

perksie — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 22:16:11 GMT

You rarely hear of people having this problem, it usually only happens when you have asked for this type of service.

I don't believe unused credit is refundable.

Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:41:39 GMT

I have received these messages as have my friends and I can confirm that none have requested them, the scam texts are disguised as from a bank or insurance company and are a known problem just the same as email scams.
These scams have been around for quite a while, the phone companies are aware of them but choose to allow them to go unchecked. Most will put a premium block on your phone if requested (but not O2)

As I have difficulty reading from the phone's small screen, I do not use text messaging, my contacts are aware of this and do not send any.
The only other annoying text messages that I receive are from O2 trying to get me to spend more money.

Sorry O2, you had an initial top up from me, you won't be getting any more.

Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:59:28 GMT

These messages are not widespread as it is illegal to send them. If you do get them then you need to report them to the statutory body. Which is phonepayplus. They have the power to refund you and fine the company who sent them.
If they are just spam messages then that is also illegal and you would report them to the office of the information commissioner. A premium rate block wouldn't stop these.

Blocking premium rate text message

adamtemp64 — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 07:30:03 GMT

and o2 has the spam reporting short code of 7726 just forward them to that no.

Taken from http://www.o2.co.uk/assets/O2HybridNav/ ... actice.pdf page 11 look at other usefull info in that pdf

Blocking premium rate text message

perksie — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:15:25 GMT

You have also elected to recieve marketing messages from O2, these can be turned off if you don't want them in MYO2.

Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:35:35 GMT

All that has been posted is fine, good advice thank you......but if I only use the phone to receive voice calls and don't use text messaging service ever, then why on earth can I not opt to have the SMS service (incoming & outgoing) blocked on my O2 phone as I have done with other providers in the past?
(Can't find the turn off O2 messages option in myO2)

Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:49:55 GMT

You can delete the message centre number from your handset.
You cannot block all SMS messages, as the SMS service is an intimate part of the GSM specification.
Some networks claim to block premium messages, but what this actually does is maintain a blacklist of numbers. As you can imagine this is prone to errors and these networks receive many complaints.
So there are certainly good reasons for and against a provider offering the service. Incidentally, not all other providers offer the facility.

Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:56:00 GMT

Then the providers that do offer either a premium number text bar, or a total outgoing/incoming SMS block on my number are the ones I will be speaking to.
If one can do it without affecting the GSM , then (other than for their own financial gains), there are no sound reasons why the rest cannot do the same.

Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:05:24 GMT

Text messaging is nothing to do with GPRS.
SMS uses the control channels which set up a voice call. Its just not possible to completely disable SMS without making the change for everyone in your area or disabling calls.
By all means choose a provider that operates a blacklist, but be aware there are good reasons for and against doing it.

Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 20:40:15 GMT

Weighed up and will be switching soon.

Re: Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:26:30 GMT

I can't believe that people are still having problems with premium rate text messages. In 2006 I had a problem with my 02 contract which reckoned that I had been using premium rate text servicing. I was allegedly receiving text messages every 30 seconds of the day and night at a cost of £1.50 a time. I alerted 02 who did absolutely nothing about this. They did not give me any advise but were happy to take a share of £2,760 pounds bill which ran up. I had thought this problem was resolved only to find out I have been passed to a debt collector. At the time I advised 02 these calls were fraudulent and not to pay the service provider to be advised "they already had". I think it is a disgrace that 02 are getting away with this and will now be taking things through the proper channels, after getting free advice from the Citizen's Advice Bureaux! :robotindifferent:

Re: Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 08:18:13 GMT

You obviously didn't read the whole of this thread.

Re: Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 08:49:42 GMT

As i was alerted to a new message on this thread, I thought I'd reply.
msb01 you have my full sympathy. My issue was nowhere near as frightening as yours and I wish you success. At least I have resolved my issue with O2.
I have sinced ported my number to a new provider who were only too pleased to put the requested SMS blocks in place that O2 could/would not, I have not received one single SMS since the switchover.
I have two phones on the same network, one(my phone) with the SMS block my wife's without, the statement Its just not possible to completely disable SMS without making the change for everyone in your area or disabling calls.has been proven to be incorrect.

Re: Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 22:11:43 GMT

After many years both as a BT then O2 customer I started to receive marketing messages from O2. After a while I got so fed up with them I sent STOP to the number stated. I received one more message then no more until about 6 months later and now they've started again.
It cost me at least £1.50 to stop the messages the first time and I'm damned if I'm going to pay to have them stopped again.
The only way that they tell you to get the messages stopped is to send STOP to them (at your cost). Personally, I give these people one chance to get it right, after that it is reported to the regulator.
Ofcom, here I come. (not that they'll do much)

Re: Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 07:51:04 GMT

Interesting thread, Tesco Mobile have a premium rate SMS barring afaik, which is funny as they use O2.

Re: Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 08:56:54 GMT

I too would like to see some kind of block. I have had the same mobile number for over ten years. In all that time I have NEVER requested any kind of subsription via sms and yet in the last year I seem to get more and more of these messages that I have no interest in. It may only be about £3 extra a month, but for goodness sake, I went onto a cheaper tariff to save that much money a month!

It's all very well texting STOP but then that's another £1.50 I had no interest in spending so my bill gets hiked up by nearly £5! We already know our details are being passed on to third parties whether we like it or not. Why isn't there a service to protect us from other companies' dishonesty?

Re: Blocking premium rate text message

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 09:34:11 GMT

I must agree I don't see why O2 can't block them if you request it should be a simple thing to do