3 posts tagged “l'inq”

The trouble with these premium rate reverse SMS messages is that so many of us have had them in the past and just deleted them.  We had no idea they were coming out of our credit, we just thought they were a nuisance, cleared them, then carried on.

Whilst discussing this widespread* fraud with my dad we remembered he got them a while back on one phone or other.  He has two mobiles and they're both PAYG, there's no paper trail, no billing details he can check and it was a while back so he wouldn't be able to recall what he received on which phone.  Maybe he just got them on one, or just on the other.  There's no way he can be expected to remember the exact content or the shortcode.  Were these just regular spam or did he get scammed?  We have no way of knowing.

That's the issue with premium rate services that are run by companies such as the world's largest mobile transaction network, mBlox.  Do those companies, the ones that claim to be on the up and up, care?  What do you reckon?  Does it show that PhonepayPlus (aka ICSTIS) are a completely pathetic organisation that has no wish or will to put scammers out of action?  Does it show a Government that doesn't give a crap about a serious major fraud that affects the poorest members in society the most?

There is at least one MP willing to make a stand and once I've had a chance to talk to him (and make double sure he still takes this stance) I'll be posting his thoughts on this scandal and what he thinks can be done about it.


*I'm beginning to think anyone with a mobile phone in the UK will have been a victim at some stage