On New Year’s eve around 10pm, I received this SMS message :
From Mobile Phone Number: 19994333
Message : Play Mobile Money Quiz and win $30 of mobile call credits. Quiz starts Jan08 so reply YES now 4 ur chance to win. Q's 25c + $4 monthly subs. stop 2 opt out
Notice how there is very little actual company information, no way to find out terms and conditions. Yet when I queried with my Mobile phone provider they told me it was funkysexycool (Funky sexy cool).
I have never signed up for any service from this company, I am not even on pre paid to even want to receive $30 in credit. I also have never used a Premium SMS service, and the fact that it actually cost me money to RECEIVE this message is ridiculous.
The fact there is no way to stop receiving these messages, companies like funky sexy cool are able to send messages to anybody, and the person receiving the SMS will get billed. There needs to be something fixed with Australia telecommunications if this is allowed to happen. I shouldn’t have to opt out of something I never actually signed up for, AND BE CHARGED.
I highly recommend people:
DON’T USE funky sexy cool
As their practice of sending unsolicited messages to people is almost a license to print money.This needs to be stopped, and if you have received any other messages please leave a comment with the number and message if you still have it.
Also found some more info on Mobile SMS Competition Trivia Scams :
http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/tag/SMSCompetitionTriviaScams
15 comments:
I received this same message, around 8pm NYE.
My partner has been fighting with his provider over them charging him for this and refusing to block the phone number as well.
Apparently these companies are starting up and closing down, then starting up under different names, so the phone companies aren't willing to block all of them.
It comes from ph. 19994333.
FunkySexyCool were not in any way associated with this mistake.
SMS Central express our sincere apology for the message you received on New Years Eve. It was not intended to be sent as a billed message nor was it associated in any way with FunkySexyCool.
A number of mistakes were made within our gateway and many people were accidentally billed. FunkySexyCool are and always have been very particular about who they bill and cautious about ensuring they have full permission from all their clients before billing them, as are we. However, a genuine mistake was made. It was not by FunkySexyCool.
We are doing everything we can to rectify the situation. In 5 years of operations, this is the first such issue we have faced. We are in discussion with all the carriers to ensure everyone that received the message will be fully reimbursed directly onto the phone account, inclusive of prepaid and postpaid customers on all networks. Unfortunately this is a slow process and not everyone will be aware of their refund. If you do not find you have been refunded $4 in the next few weeks, please feel free to call our support line on 1-300-665544.
If you are not able to get through then leave your mobile number and we will get back to you. Don't be surprised if the person who answers the phone at your carrier doesn't know the details of this as they are far removed from our discussions.
You will never receive another message from us or our clients unless you request it.
Mark, if you find you are satisfied with the response you receive from us and/or your carrier, it would be appreciated if you would modify or completely remove this blog so it portrays accurately the information contained in it. It is currently misleading and inaccurate to the detriment of FunkySexyCool. FunkySexyCool, who were unwittingly roped into this mess, suffer greatly when a blog such as this circulates.
Yours sincerely, the SMS Central support team.
The fact that the Australian Telecommunications Industry doesn’t allow me as a consumer to block receiving premium SMS, and get charged for receiving the message is absurd.
The fact that the message had no other information to even identify who it was from, I had to waste my own time ringing my Provider to be told seeing I have never subscribed to a premium SMS service before, they would credit me the message but it was not their responsibility to do so.
Upon asking if I could stop this from ever happening again, I was told it cannot be done.
How is it that simply receiving a message and getting charged not a scam or even remotely dodgy. The only reason I actually saved this message was due to a segment on Today Tonight http://au.todaytonight.yahoo.com/article/43757/consumer/beware-sms-scams
It was my Mobile provider that told me that the Premium SMS 19994333 was from Funky Sexy Cool. There was no other way to identify who the message was from unless I go out of my way to ring my provider.
I had the same thing and am in the process of complaining loudly. The message received was "Play mobile money quiz and win $30 of mobile call credits. Quiz starts Jan08 so reply YES now 4 ur chance to win. Q’s 25c + $4 monthly subs. Stop 2 opt out." I got charged for receiving this unsolicited text message. I complained to Vodafone and they gave me the number 1800195773 to ring. They gave me the number 1300 665 544 SMS Central to make the complaint for a refund. I have received $5 in the mail today (not a cheque, a $5 note) but they still have not responded to my 3 requests to find out where my number was sourced from as I do not believe I signed up for anything. It is illegal for them to send a chargeable SMS if I haven't signed up and they are avoiding me to hope that I go away. I have made several complaints as this contravenes the Mobile Premium Services Scheme, and my next step will be to complain to the Telecommunications Ombudsman. I rang 1300 665 544 again this morning and gave them 24 hours to get back to me with proof that I signed up for the service or I would be taking it further. Every time I have rung, there is only the option to leave a message. I have spent far more than $4 in making phone calls to find out how this can happen, but I will keep going until I see them fined for breaking the law, or until they can somehow prove that I subscribed to the service (which I highly doubt as I don't believe I have ever signed up even unknowingly).
I have just submitted my complaint to the TIO. This should not be swept under the rug, as I too would like to find out if this was illegal or not.
Contact details for the TIO
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman is a free and independent alternative dispute resolution scheme for small business and residential consumers in Australia with unresolved complaints about their telephone or internet services.
Visit www.tio.com.au for more information.
Its a SCAM and they got caught. I was told I'd wouldnt be charged but sure enough FunkySexyCool are on my bill and they wont send me $5.
It seems CommQuest own smscentral who perpitrated this act and refused to tell me who did it. Maybe we should all spam the CEO of CommQuest - William Scott (CEO) 0411 182 444. Then we might get some action and some people charged with fraud and some retribution for their attempted theft.
durka durka it was $4 dollars
get over it
durka
I don't know what Durka Durka is supposed to mean, but it doesn't matter if it was $4 or $400, companies have no right to store our details where we have never visited a site and never signed up for unsolicited charged text messages. I am still awaiting a response about where my number was sourced from. I accept that the company made a mistake, although they have never said this to me in their communications with me. I want to know how my number was obtained in the first place and I want to ensure they have no way to ever send me a chargeable message again. This is spam, it is unwanted, it is illegal and it is actually a big deal Durka, whoever you are.
Durka Durka is a reference from the movie Team America
From what I have found out there was between 3,000 to 4,500 messages sent. So this is a potential $18,000 mistake. Where at the moment it looks like only the people who complain are getting their money back.
Its all about principal, there is no other service where you can potentially bill somebody for a service they never wanted, or even asked for.
I received a phone call this morning from someone who declined to provide their name, claiming full responsibility for the mistake made in sending out these unsolicited text messages. I advised him that I was happy to accept that a mistake had been made, but the conduct of the company had been very unprofessional in dealing with the situation. I recommended full disclosure of the incident and an assurance that the list would be destroyed. The person I spoke to was very apologetic and I can understand how difficult it would be to be in his situation, but the fact that this mistake was able to be made shows the flaws in the system of sending out bulk SMS messages. I think this blog should be kept public for all those (like me) who were affected, so that they can search for the information, see what happened, and be comforted knowing the issue is being dealt with. I was told that I will receive a refund direct from my carrier, and I have checked my prepaid account to find a credit of $4 has been applied, after Vodafone said they wouldn't do this initially. I accept that SMS Central have unwittingly been blamed for a human error, and I am happy to accept that all appropriate efforts have been made to rectify the situation. ACMA are investigating this matter and hopefully there will be some method put in place to stop this from happening again. Only after extensive investigation and multiple phone calls did the matter get resolved, but hopefully it shows how much unsolicited SMS messages are reviled by those who don't want them.
I think the fact that SMSCentral have come clean and acted in genuine manner that most of these scammers dont. I do think FunkySexyCool references should be removed as they are an innocent party. I am also confused though as I was informed that all Telcos were repaying automatically but now it seems only those that complain get their money so they will still reap a reward from their "mistake". Anyway...credit to those who came clean and admitted mistake and error instead of hiding like everyone else.
i have made some inquires through some contacts and i have since found that Flin Dunton & Ben Glover has made a shadey living and a good one at that through sending out copied data lists and profiting on the ignorance of not only the provider of those lists but the return messages from the genuine people who had trusted that they had opted in for genuine offers. So much for returning all the money its more like keeping what they can except those that winge like i did. Stupid me cause its the second time Flin has taken me for a ride in 4 years. Where is teh acma and tio.......come to the rescue and prosecute these scammers, theives and scoundrals.
I just spoke with communicator interactive - the provider for Funky Sexy Cool. They told me SMS Central have so far been fined 1.8million so far due to dodgy practices. Anyone know this is true?
And to the person who said "it's only $4". It's about privacy and freedom pal...not money.
I too received one of these messages on NYE and am in the process of trying to get a refund. Have had 2 different people at Telstra literally hang up on me rather than deal with my complaint Grrrrr I came across this blog and have since called the 1300 number and left a message. DO they ever contact people back? I just left my name and mobile number and that it was about the SMS message on NYE.
Quiz Contest 1300665544 - I have not signed up for any premium SMS yet have been charged a total over 2 bills $22.75. I have contacted the support number, left 17 messages without the decency of a return call. . I think it is disgusting that so called business like this are allowed to just access your number and have you charged for it. I am sick and tired of having to pay for so called premium messages.
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