Ringtone companies and Mobile clubs

superdudeman007

I can't believe all these companies are still managing to trick kids into signing up for a "free" ringtone or "cheap" phone tool and then charge them a few euro a week for features that aren't available due to "model of handset" or "network difficulties". And when you phone to complain, you're put through to a call centre in India where the person can't understand you (or lets on that they can't to protect the company :rolleyes: ) and you're eventually disconnected. The only way or escaping these clubs that I've ever heard is to shred your sim. I think they should just scrap premium rate text numbers or put a limit on the amount they can charge and "ringtone clubs" etc should be banned - of course little kids aren't going to read/understand the small print.

The worst example of one of these "services" I've seen so far was a Bebo profile for Veronica's MoCo Mobile Club. I tried to post a comment against the service and the way they trick young children into spending a fortune on a service that doesn't work. After I posted it, I was told that "your comment will appear on this profile when it has been approved by Veronicas Moco". I guess it's understandable enough - how many people are going to post positive comments about a company that lets you meet new friends for just E2 per week plus E1 per text.......

Just have a look at the company's Bebo page. Watch the video that's on the right when you scroll down a bit. Looks like a pretty handy gadget - and it's "free" according to the video. Then click on the "download this to your profile" thing on the text gadget. Before downloading the "free" gadget, you'll be told that

Veronica's Moco wrote:

Try the widget Free for a week.
€2 per week after the free week, billed to your mobile, for unlimited messages.
You can delete the widget at any time.

Yes, I know they give you the option to delete it, but they've placed a load of loopholes in there so you can't stop them taking your money. You were a member when they charged you so you can't have a refund. Even if you delete the "widget", you're still a member of the club so they'll keep charging you. And if you call the call centre in Mumbai, they'll tell you that you should have read the small print, just before you develop a "problem with your phone line".

Check the small print? How many 9 year old girls with Ready to Go phones are going to do that?

DublinWriter

Sick. Although its a contract of sorts, contracts involving minors are not enforcable under Irish law.

One for our sleepy Regulator to sort out, I'm afraid.

flogen

moved.

de5p0i1er

Another rip off artist, there should be laws against these ppl.

zuutroy

Fools and their money........ tbh

suppafly

U can report this person for abuse. If enough people report them for the scam that they r running that bebo will surely get rid of there profile and ban them.

superdudeman007

They can shut down this company but a whole load more will take its place. There have been companies like this ripping off mobile customers since there were mobiles that could take custom ringtones on the market.

Another offender (can't remember the exact name) is that company running the ads where you and a friend can win a trip to New York by answering a simple question: New York is better known as : A) The Big Apple, The Big Orange, etc etc. It says in the small print "Subscription : €2 per week". This isn't aimed at kids but some people are obviously falling for it.

And who could forget Jamster, where all those kids were being charged €90 a month from their credit phones and the small print on the ads (apparently it was slurred deliberately) basically said that there was no way out and there were no refunds. :eek:

superdudeman007

suppafly wrote:

U can report this person for abuse. If enough people report them for the scam that they r running that bebo will surely get rid of there profile and ban them.

No, you can't. It's a sponsored profile - Bebo are charging them to have this page. Everyone that logs on to Bebo in Ireland will now see a link to that page for a few weeks.

Yes, they could be banned if it was opened for free as a free ad but Bebo won't ban a sponsored profile because they'll just lose money. And the scam must be working - sponsored profiles are usually held by big companies like McDonalds and Coke.

lfc1892

I think this is a disgrace that Bebo is allowing them do this.

Clearly designed to exploit kids.

superdudeman007

But they can't be stopped. Even if it's not allowed on Bebo it's already on TV and Radio all the time. And even if they do shut them down, they'll form another company. Just look at the ad breaks on MTV!

snaps

bugger i just clicked on a free text icon on messenger today. i got a pin number sent to my phone from veronicas moco. Does that mean i will be charged €2 a week from my phone credit?

Sam Vimes

superdudeman007 wrote:

The only way or escaping these clubs that I've ever heard is to shred your sim.

i know you wrote that in February and probably won't read this but you could just not top up the sim, shredding it is kind of excessive.

snaps wrote:

bugger i just clicked on a free text icon on messenger today. i got a pin number sent to my phone from veronicas moco. Does that mean i will be charged €2 a week from my phone credit?

probably. text STOP to the number the text came from