4 posts tagged “spread media ltd”

I bit the bullet and text 'STOP ALL'.  (Hopefully) stopping the premium rate service that I never asked for.  It cost me 10p which is a measly amount but that's not the point - I had to give money to fraudsters in order to not be defrauded out of even more!  These were the instructions of the industry regulator!

Now I've come to the real challenge.  I want my £1.50 (plus that 10p) refunded.  To do this I need to contact the scam artists on a premium rate number.  I'm now willing to do this.  However, it's just dawned on me that I have to give them my address in order to receive a cheque from them.  It's bad enough these thieves have my mobile phone number, I don't want them to have my address too.

Isn't it common sense to not give out your address to criminals?  I've learnt over the past week that some of these reverse-charge shortcode scams are connected to organised crime, money launderers and generally unsavoury figures.  Yet the phone companies and regulators advise us to contact these people in order to get a refund and to do so we have to give them our addresses!

I still want my money back, even if it is just £1.60 - but it's way too risky giving these guys my address for that amount.  I'm going to have to pester 3 (my mobile company) for the money instead.  Meanwhile, I'm gonna dig even deeper into Spread Media's dodgy dealings (another reason why I don't want them to have my address!)

Could this be the man behind the infamous "Katie" premium rate scam?  Anyone know more about him or the companies connected with him?  As well as Spread Media, there's Equinox Agency Ltd,  Vaudaville.com and Photoidol

Here's a picture of a guy who I believe must be the David Shepard - courtesy of facebook.

David Shepard's Facebook mugshot

Here's a link to PhonepayPlus's previous Spread Media adjudication and a brief summary is below:

Spread Media Ltd - PhonepayPlus adjudication

Just off the phone to PhonepayPlus (the regulator in charge of premium rate services).  I was advised to send the 'STOP' message to Spread Media - at cost to me.  I was also advised to call Spread Media's premium rate phone number in order to get a refund!

So, lets get this straight:

• Some random company uses deception in an attempt to trick me out of money (which I ignore)
  
• A month later they attempt the same deception - this time charging me £1.50
• The UK regulator tells me that I have to give the thieving bastards more money in order to get my money back and prevent the scum from taking more.

Great regulating guys!  Show those scam artists who's boss.  That £500 fine and formal reprimand you gave them last time sure did the trick.  No wait, it didn't - you just told me on the phone that there's already a bunch of complaints about Spread Media's latest deception!  I guess the paltry fine and slap on the wrist didn't work after all?

Readers, what d'ya reckon?  Should I text 'STOP' to 68888 or not?  PhonepayPlus seemed to think it'd only cost the same as a normal text message, would put an end to future messages from Spread Media and would be more or less essential (if I get more messages and get charged it will be apparently my fault for not sending the 'STOP')

Just a few more things to add...

The Independent on Spread

Hope The Independent don't mind me copying and pasting that, fair use and all!  Here's the link > The City Diary

And to add to that I've just found out that a company called "Equinox Agency Ltd" is behind Spread Media and I'm uncovering more and more.