Stopping spam premium messages

[allancsn]

How do I stop random companies sending unsolicited premium rate messages to my mobile.

I get told by agents I must have inadvertently signed up to get 'horse race betting tips' but I know i did not.

I have received 2 SMS and it cost a further charge to send a STOP message.

This can't be right, surely.

[chrisymon]

Until these premiuim texts sevices are better regulated by ofcom, any network provider has the obligation to pay these companies when they request direct to us for services used not used by phone user.

Many times customers  say I didnt do it or i have not used that service, 9 times out of 10 after jogging peoples memories they say oh yes welll I was looking for the next bus to arrive or weather updates or even travel news, etc etc this service will charge, maybe they should be more clear of charges and suscriptions but they do follow the guidelines set out by the regulators hence why they get away with it.

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

Community help here https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Pay-Monthly-and-Pay-Go/Are-you-fed-up-with-spam-calls-and-texts-Follow... and also check your contact preferences in your MyO2.

[Bambino]

@allancsn You can call customer service and request a bar on all Direct to Mobile Debits and also a bar on Premium Rate numbers.

[allancsn]

Tried that yesterday. Agent said it was not possible and it was my fault for signing up - which I hadn’t. I have no interest in horse racing so why would I agree to be billed £4.75 a week for tips. Crazy.
If it’s possible I wonder why the O2 agent - on chat mind - said it wasn’t.
TBH I was on the chat for 10 minutes and felt like it was a robot.

[MI5]

More help here too https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/How-to-Guides/Have-you-fallen-for-or-been-conned-into-a-premium-rate-s...

[allancsn]

Just spoke to O2 again. The bar on direct to bill debuts. Is solely to stop me buying things on my phone bill / I didn’t even know you could do that / it does not stop third parties billing me.

I was given the standard - it was your fault and you need to call them to sort it out.

O2 deny making anything from these call charges.

I genuinely cannot believe it’s so easy to bill people by some mysterious easy to miss process -

It’s shocking that O2 wash their hands of responsibility and tell me to call these unknown organisations to sort it out.

What would happen if I only had a £5 pay as you go card as the account with no direct debit.

[MI5]

The scammers take credit from a PAYG account too.
They are just thieving scum but OFCOM are spineless and do nothing to protect the consumer.
We have been campaigning here for O2 to introduce a 2 step verification process for these charges (some people do want them) but so far they have not responded to our requests.

[allancsn]

Just called the number provided by O2 who turn out to be s third party billing agent for multiple companies. They in turn have given me another number of a company called Harbeson 02035146254 to stop and discuss the service I never wanted. It really is a complex scam.
And I seem to be the one doing all the work with O2 washing their hands of any responsibility.

[allancsn]

Just called Harbeson - who have never provided me with information even though I have been billed twice via 60645. They only have voicemail to 1. Cancel a subscription. 2 leave a number for a call back.

It’s all so dodgy. So many with their finger in this little pie you wonder how big it is to make it worthwhile.

I’ve also reported to the PSA in the hope that the Veoo shared code service only set up in July 2018 can be terminated