Receiving unwanted premium texts

[#1]

Hi,

A few weeks ago I received

"FreeMsg: Thank you for subscribing to FunnyVideos for £4.50 every week from Remote Games Ltd until you text STOP to 83463, HELP?  033300535843"

Also at same time - from 30090009
PayForIT Charge

I have not clicked any links or subscribed to anything
As per advice from the community site, i ignored the 'STOP' just in case they were guessing numbers.
Then i blocked the numbers. (Which does not actually block anything - just stops it showing on phone)

This is assumed was the end of it, until I noticed my giffgaff account was being topped up.
I then noticed £9 premium number charges.

What should I do, am guessing I want get that money back.

How do i stop it?

I read that it could have been from facebook links - i have now removed my phone number from facebook account.

regards

[#2]

Hi @nairski you should read this guide https://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Solve-your-questions/What-to-do-if-you-receive-SPAM-text-messages/...

[#3]

@nairski

If your texted STOP and they failed to do so (as they are legally obliged to do) then please, I urge you, raise a formal complaint with the premium rate regulator and they WILL investigate and help you secure a refund if at all possible.

https://psauthority.org.uk/

[#4]

I have completed the online complaint from https://psauthority.org.uk
Lets see if I get the money back.

I have sent STOP again - will see if charges appear again.

[#5]

Info from Agent:

Your account shows that on 23/10/2017
you were charged £4.50 for a premium SMS. I have checked www.psauthority.org.uk which shows the following information:

Service Type: Other AdultService
Name: #Adult
Cancel Via: Send the word "STOP" to short-code 89269
Contact Tel: 08443722331

Alternatively....
Service Type: Other non-Adult
Service Name: Payforit
Contact Tel: 03330030581

To cancel a subscription service (services that charge a regular fee - for example £5 per week) you simply need to send a text with the words "STOP ALL" to the short code number.
--------------------


So, looks I have been charged again this week - even though STOP was sent after the first two charges.
I have now sent STOP to 89269 - no confirmation cancelled yet.

89269
Customer care website: Tap2Bill Limited has not provided this information

Tap2Bill Limited
Tempus Court
Bellfield Road
HIGH WYCOMBE
HP13 5HA
United Kingdom
0333 003 0581

Trying to get hold of someone there to identify where the sign up happened.

** This is all a brilliant legal scam for companies to make money **

[#6 · Accepted solution]

@nairski
Hi, I'm surprised that you say you didn't text the word stop because of advice from the community,

The advice is to always text the word stop immediately or call the customer service number to cancel and ask for a refund,

Also you shouldn't have blocked the number, as you've discovered, it won't stop the charges,
Also if you haven't now unblocked it, you won't receive a reply confirming you've unsubscribed,

I wound call the number, ask to speak to someone,
Enquire if the subscription has been cancelled for your nunber
Ask for any owing charges be wrote off
And ask for a refund
(most companies will agree to a partial or full refund if you actually ask for one

Read the advice from this guide 

https://community.giffgaff.com/t5/Tips-Guides/Premium-text-charges-do-s-And-don-t-s/td-p/18597940

[#7]

@nairski
Ignore the advice from the agent
(with regards the 5 digit number and customer service number)

Always follow the advice from the info contained in the text you received

[#8]

The number 08443722331 is invalid. So can't contact anyone to get refund

Contacted 03330 030 581 - using automated system - my number was subscribed to 3 different services (I do not remember signing up to anything). Via automated system - I have cancelled.

Lets see what happens now.

Don't think I will get a refund - as can't speak to anyone.

[#9]

Yeah, as you suggest I wish I had researched more and actually done the STOP.
I was so sure (I still am) I had not signed up for anything and the number was just spoofed so sending STOP would confirm it was a valid number.

[#10]

@nairski
And there wasn't an option to speak to someone in person?

Incidentally do you use Facebook? There's been a spate of others in the community inadvertently being subscribed to the funnyvideos service via Facebook