mBlox found guilty. Receive paltry fine (or do they..?)

Back in August I got stung for the second time by Spread Media/Spread Mobile and their pals mBlox.  I had never chosen to do business with either company.  However, that didn't matter - they had my mobile number from somewhere and were able to repeatedly take money from my account.

Spread and mBlox got done early in 2008 for doing this to a bunch of folk, they sat out their short bar from providing such "services" and then did it again later in the year.  Un-frigging-believable eh?

No doubt the guy behind Spread will launch another company and team up with mBlox again.  I can almost guarentee it.  There's nothing to stop 'em.  The law and the regulators would appear to be on their side.  mBlox's PR just don't get it either, they joked about me kicking up such a fuss.  Well, wouldn't you if you had money stolen from you?  Okay a few quid here and there isn't the same as having your house ransacked but the principles the same.

Oh well.  Not much can be done.  None of the UK mobile operators are interested in stamping this fraud and abuse of their customers out.  My operator, H3G (aka 3UK or 3 Mobile) made it clear that I was on my own and 'good luck getting your money back' (not a direct quote, but not far off).  The police, politicians, consumer organisations and industry regulators - not one of them in the least bit interested in stopping this abuse and bringing the culprits to justice.

PhonepayPlus Tribunal