dragonflym BEWARE SCAM

Banjo String

My mother in-law called me last night in distress after losing almost €40 in her credit since Saturday.

On the 25th may, she received a very innocuous looking text simply saying "you have received a very important text, please reply 'see' to see it"

She never thought anything of it, she presumed it was a grandkid who'd run out of call credit etc.

It seems this company called dragonflym have since been sending her 6 x texts per week since may at a cost of 4euro per message received.

I told her to text the word stop to the number.

I've since called the landline number. They've assured me she's unsubscribed now.

Com reg have told me to get back on to them with details of how they've actually obtained her number in order to send the very first text. Then if they refuse a refund, I've to contact them again.


Absolute disgrace these people can operate in this country from overseas with such impunity.


Just thought id start a thread warning a few posters on here about the dangers of replying v ANYTHING to unfamiliar numbers.

Kristopherus

These outfits are as bad as the scumbags that rob & assault ordinary folk.:mad::mad::mad:

Banjo String

I've emailed them and as of yet, haven't heard diddly squat back.

Wondering what's an acceptable time frame to await a reply?

_Kaiser_

SamHall wrote: »

I've emailed them and as of yet, haven't heard diddly squat back.

Wondering what's an acceptable time frame to await a reply?

I'd probably give them 5 working days myself

conor-mr2

Im sitting here at my dinner table with my mother telling me the exact same thing. Keep me posted please.

Banjo String

conor-mr2 wrote: »

Im sitting here at my dinner table with my mother telling me the exact same thing. Keep me posted please.

Only update I have.

Emailed numerous times. This company has only replied one telling me they were investigating.

They've ignored all my marks since though.

ccd comreg in a few email's also but no reply from them either.

Any ideas frim here guys?

_Kaiser_

SamHall wrote: »

Only update I have.

Emailed numerous times. This company has only replied one telling me they were investigating.

They've ignored all my marks since though.

ccd comreg in a few email's also but no reply from them either.

Any ideas frim here guys?

Only thing I could suggest is ring Comreg/the company concerned/the mobile operator and start chasing/escalating it up

e-mails in this country generally go nowhere :mad:

nodolan

**BUMP**

We have a 72 year old friend (on an ordinary state pension) who we met for coffee today. When we met him he was actually quite distressed because he was 'missing' 20 euro in credit. I saw the 57575 number and we went to O2 who said he had signed up for a premium text service and that there was nothing they could do about it. The O2 guy didn't even tell us about sending a STOP message - which I did anyway.

(Our friend had received a text message a few days ago like the OP said - 'reply to this for an important message').

Anyway, our friend topped up again and had to wait till tomorrow for the 5 euro data bundle bit to kick in - but in the meantime he got another DragonFlym text at 5.31 this evening - 4 euro of credit gone. He's beside himself with frustration. Apparently it can take 24-48 hours for the STOP to take effect.

http://www.phonesmart.ie/NumberChecker/57575

Service Provider:Dragonfly Mobile Ltd

Helpline:01 697 2802

Email:customer.care@ccsupport.biz

<quote>
Frequently Asked Questions
Mobile
I have been charged for unwanted Premium Rate Service texts to my mobile - what should I do ?

Firstly, you need to contact the premium rate service provider directly and discuss the matter with them. You can use the number check facility on 'Phonesmart' to see which premium rate service provider the texts are coming from. If you do not get a satisfactory resolution, ComReg will need to investigate whether the company has breached the Code of Practice. If ComReg finds that there has indeed been a breach, we will request a refund on your behalf from the service provider and will advise you of this.
</quote>

http://www.askcomreg.ie/home/i_have_been_charged_for_unwanted_premium_rate_service_texts_to_my_mobile___what_should_i_do_.4.189.LE.asp

Our friend was duped into signing up for this 'service' so we'll be helping him bring this matter to ComReg as this is just plain theft IMO.

p.s. I checked the O2 Community forum and the 'customer service' people wanted nothing to do with anyone complaining about unsolicited premium texts << it's all on you >> we'll see about that!

Ecomerford

I stupidly replied to same text on Sunday and on Tuesday I got 5 texts in a row. I went on o2 website (the crappiest website in the world) and in a chat with one of their operators they told me to send STOP which I did and haven't got the reply that I'd been unsubscribed and it left their tel no. My husband called the number that evening and asked what their address was and he was told by someone who sounded like a child, they were not obliged to give it out. They then had the cheek to ask him what mobile number he was calling from!

He's emailed comreg as well, but in a chat to o2 he asked could they not prevent 57575 texts from reaching their customers as I had not subscribed to their service. He was told by someone who called himself Patrick (judging from the English used in the chat "Patrick" was sitting in a call centre somewhere very far from Ireland), that it was a premium number line that people subscribe to. He obviously wasn't grasping the particular problem. Not letting this drop - just checked my o2 account and was charged for 3 of the texts at €2.06 each, plus 9 cent to unsubscribe and for the one I texted back for.

ED E

Its scumbaggery but its not your operators job to enforce this stuff. Users have to be careful, same thing as phishing emails and the "Microsoft Support" cold call scams. They cant do anything without user interaction.

Banjo String

Scumbags are fobbing me off. Refusing to provide logs of when she supposedly visited their website.

They just keep emailing me a link to the actual website. Grr.

On the plus side comreg have contacted me and told me they will things from here on in.

Unfortunately for dragonfly m I won't be giving up on this. They can bet on that one.

conor-mr2

Nice one Sam, Do please let us know how you get on. Im interested in doing the same actions for my mother.
Like yourselves, I kinda get p*ssed off when someone takes advantage of my parents.

Banjo String

conor-mr2 wrote: »

Nice one Sam, Do please let us know how you get on. Im interested in doing the same actions for my mother.
Like yourselves, I kinda get p*ssed off when someone takes advantage of my parents.

Cheers.

Here's what I got Back from them.

Dear,
 
We checked your number in our system and we came out with the following results:
 
On Sun May 26 17:15 WET 2013 you visited our website
http://dragon.dragonflym.net/c/IE/games?s=new_message&m=dragon
We confirm that your number is blocked for this service.

Please find log file attached.

The service is a competition game with a prize as a reward for the winner.
 
To opt-in, the user must enter his/her mobile phone number on the website.
On that same website the user can firstly read the instructions for use - the information regarding the price, frequency, age requirements and prize.
The user then receives a non-premium message with clear instructions about the price, frequency, how to stop the service and help information.
The user must confirm the use of the service by texting SEE to 57741. Only after the confirmation the user receives premium charged messages.
 
The service was deactivated on your request on Thu Jul 11 15:52 WET 2013.
 
We checked your request with our technical support team and we found no technical nor administrative problems with this service you have been using.
 
Unfortunately, we don`t find your complaint valid.
 




Best regards,

Tina Peters

The user then receives a non-premium message with clear instructions about the price, frequency, how to stop the service and help information.
All she ever got was the message telling her to reply with the word "see" to see an important message. No indication it was a premium service she was subscribing to.


Unfortunately, we don`t find your complaint valid.:cool:

tough shìt.

conor-mr2

Thats bull****.

We know damn well that they got an innocuous text telling them there was "an important message" waiting for them.

Kat26

I first got one of these messages back in June when I arrived on my holidays in Spain. I stupidly replied to one of the messages as I thought it might have been from my mobile network or voicemail, as I had just arrived in Spain . I quickly realised that there was no 'important message' for me. Through my holiday I got at least two more texts which I wasn't replying to. When I came home I checked out the number and saw it was a scam and I text 'STOP' to the number. Thankfully, the messages have stopped but I am now left with a bill of over 40 euro for these texts!!I am raging!!! I did call this service provider (dragonflym), told her my situation and she asked for my number to check it out, I was given an email address to email as she claimed they will give me more information. I had never heard of this website until now so I have certainly never visited it! I have emailed them but is it likely they will reply??? What are my chances of getting a refund?? Absolute joke that these people are getting away with this!!

WhiteBuffalo

This is just plain robbery IMO.

Exactly the same ripoff has happened to a friend of mine. He has no memory of ever replying to an unsolicited text about an important message. Even if he did reply inadvertently, he was never informed that he was entering a competition and never received any terms and conditions. As happened to the other people, he received 5 texts from 57575 in quick succession and was charged €2 per text. The same thing happened 2 weeks later and again the next month. He only realised that he had been mugged when he received his bill and found he was charged €20 for texts from 57575.

He contacted Vodafone and then Comreg. They were not interested. He eventually called dragonflym and they claimed that he had subscribed to their service, they said they had a record of when he subscribed. He does not believe this. But he has texted STOP to 57575 and hopefully is now unsubscribed.

The regulator needs to stop 57575 and should stop dragonflym from operating any longer.

DAVINA TAYLOR

I received my Bill from Vodafone with a huge amount of Texts from this Scam.

57741 was the number I received asking me to reply to a very urgent message. I thought it was from a friend with no credit.

I replied and nothing happened so I just forgot about it until I received my bill with 271 texts apparently sent to my mobile. (Which I never received).

There is a company called DRAGONFLY MOBILE LTD Sending these texts randomly I would imagine. Competetion lines etc.

I spoke with Vodafone who told me to speak with COMREG ( Communications Regulator ) Ph: 01 8049668.

They told me to call Dragonfly and ask them for a signed copy of where I signed up for these deductions and if they could not provide it they must give me a refund.

I did this and I received a reply from one of their customer care team explaining as a good will gesture they will refund the money. Good Will my eye. (I also told them in the email that I was taking further action). You get through to CYPRUS when you call the I am still waiting for my refund!!!