Blocking a premium rate text message

[spireman54]

I have received a text saying thank you for subsribing to OFFERGURU you will be charged £3 per WEEK unless you cancel sending STOP to a premium rate number. The other numbers provided are outside the EU and do not exist according to O2.  I asked O2 to stop any payment but they said they could not do this as the charge is from a thrid party and has apparantly been approved by me.(which it hasnt) So I am trapped into 

a) paying £3 per week for every or

b) calling a premium rate number that could charge me anything they like and still not stop the texts. 

The company appears to be in India so there is little I can do with UK protection agencies.

HELP

[MI5]

@spireman54 some additional help here, good luck https://payforitsucks.co.uk/

[Cleoriff]

@spireman54

Offerguru' would appear to be the latest in a series of 'Payforit' scams using shortcode 64055.

They are not even on the list the PSA holds

If you have been reverse charged by this company, you have the phone number to call and tell them that you never consented to a subscription, that you want the fake subscription cancelled and a full refund of the money taken.

You can also ask o2 to put the two following bars on your account

• Bar all Direct to Bill Debits
• Premium Bar (calls to premium numbers, 090, 070 etc.)

Just to add, this scam is affecting giffgaff and Vodafone customers as well

@Payforit_Suckshave you any info on this new scam company?

[Payforit_Sucks]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

@spireman54

Offerguru' would appear to be the latest in a series of 'Payforit' scams using shortcode 64055.

They are not even on the list the PSA holds

Just to add, this scam is affecting giffgaff and Vodafone customers as well

@Payforit_Suckshave you any info on this new scam company?

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@Cleoriff@spireman54You're right that this new 'service' is not on the PSA number checker. I have asked them to investigate this. A number of consumers already complaining.

Until we know which company is responsible, it is hard to advise beyond the information given in the faq in my signature. It IS important to stop the charges either with a STOP text or by phoning them.

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[Payforit_Sucks · Accepted solution]

@Cleoriff@spireman54

I've had a response from PSA regarding 'offerguru' on shortcode 64055. Apparently this a 'shared shortcode' and is the responsibility of:

mGage Europe Limited (trading as mGage)

10th Floor
The Tower Building
11 York Road
London
SE1 7NX
United Kingdom

Tel: 0207 633 5073

email:  customercare<at>mgage.com

This should make it much easier to get a refund as you can use the Small Claims procedure against a UK based company. It's a bit tricky when the company is based in India, the Seychelles or the UAE!

Let me know how you get on with this.

[Cleoriff]

Thanks for that @Payforit_Sucks.

It certainly will help @spireman54 to contact them and ask to be removed from their list and ask for a refund.

Great work

[EmilieT]

Hi @spireman54, please have a look at the thorough advice @MI5, @Payforit_Sucks and @Cleoriff shared above and let us know how you're getting on with this 

[Payforit_Sucks]

Offerguru - An update.

I have had a response from the Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA). These companies are required to register their 'services' within 2 days of starting them. PSA have confirmed that Offerguru have failed to do this and are therefore in breach of the regulations.

There should be no problem getting a refund if you make it clear that you are aware of this. You should also report your own case to PSA if you haven't already.

Please let me know how you get on with obtaining a refund.

[Clementine871]

I have just received this text message and £3 is already showing on my O2 spend for the.  I have contacted the company but the phone service is just sending me round in circles.  I don't know what to do. I hav etext STOP which is probably a bad idea.  But How do I block these premium unrequested numbers from doing this again?

[MI5]

@Clementine871 everything you need to know is already posted in the thread.