I don’t use my mobile phone a lot and sometimes leave it at home (I am very forgetful). Anyway I got a text about three weeks ago from imob.tv. I didn’t see it arrive and didn’t notice it until three payments (£9) were stolen from my account.
Here’s what it said:
“You are subscribed to SmartCall GBP 3 PerWeek till you text stop. Call2UK LandlinesOnly Dial 08081261555 PW76827496 www.imob.tv IMS 08448714184 NetwrkcostsApply”
Then I kept getting texts that did NOT save to the inbox telling me that my phone wanted topping up. I thought it was an O2 reminder so I topped up. On Sunday 15th March I again kept getting these reminders so I phoned O2 and asked why my balance was so low. I had wrongly assumed it was zero because I was getting these text reminders.
I couldn’t get any help from the operator because he said I hadn’t answered the security questions correctly. One of those questions was “What is your balance?” and as I had just received a text telling me to top up I assumed it was zero. It was in fact £2.29. So the scammers couldn’t steal ‘their’ £3 and they very kindly reminded me to top up! The operator refused repeated requests for me to speak to a manager or supervisor and he then cut me off. I have complained to O2 about that of course!
After doing a bit of digging and finding the above text on my mobile I phoned O2 from my landline and spoke to a woman this time and made a complaint about the previous operator and explained my problem with the unsolicited premium subscription. She asked me similar security questions and accepted the answers. She then apologised for her colleague which is OK but I bet it won’t stop because I believe these operators are told to shield their lazy managers while they sit on their arse drinking tea.
I gave her the text number from imob.tv and gave me some very interesting information. The company behind this scam is Zamano (www.zamano.com) and they are known for picking random phone numbers and subscribing them to their premium service without the owners permission.
She gave me the Phone Pay Plus organisation’s details to menable me to make a complaint (www.phonepayplus.org.uk). I have lodged a complaint with them and also emailed a complaint to Zamano. If they don’t give me my money back I will issue a summons in the small claims court. It’s not much money but I have an aversion to being mugged, especially by a bunch of dirty bandits like these people.
We need to stamp these cons out. So if readers have had similar experiences place a comment below. Maybe my investigation will reveal some useful information to get these thieves put out of business.
VERY useful site:
Petition The UK Government – Sign Free Here
The Following Forum censors free speech:
Consumer Action Group Censorship. Is that in the interest of consumers?
This site is the Regulator that isn’t because the regulated own the regulator!:
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I don’t know how you can combat this kind of fraud in Greece but your service provider, Wind, is making money from it so don’t expect any help from them. If you didn’t subscribe to the Telebox service then it is fraud. Will the police in Greece help? Or have you got a consumer protection department in your Government?
I live in Corfu, Greece and have been receiving texts from a 5 digit number which I have since been told are from a company called ‘Telebox’. The local mobile phone company, Wind, that I have a prepaid account with have not been helpful, and not accepted any fault on their behalf, but seem to have allowed Telebox to take money every time I received a text from them. Wind keep hanging up on me and will not take my calls now. I don’t understand how this works as I have never subscribed to this company as Wind claim, although they have refused to confirm any details of how they think I subscribed.
They didn’t forsee that you would rumble them did they!
I was recently bombarded with spam from some (seemingly) psychic/astrology services claiming to have insights into my near future,re;relationships and business.
I was urged to ring or text for more revelations.
At the bottom of the page the name Zamano appeared. I googled it and came across this page. I am glad I did not get sucked into that! Reading the small print pays off.
My wife has been hit by this – started November of last year, however noticed tonight when we challenged Voda!!
Apparently she has been receiving texts at 2/3am, however there is NO record of these. Also, she doesnt do these prn’s, so where they got the number from is a mystery!
We only noticed when we investigated the fact that the mobile bill has been getting higher and higher. We dont have paper bills sent, and every time my wife tries to create an account on the vodafone site (even when speaking to them on the phone!), it comes up with a “site issue”.
Anyhow, Voda have agreed to refund the last 3 months (£44.91), nothing more, and we have to write in a letter of complaint to Voda hopeing that they will cover the rest (around £30), and i only managed to get them to agree with that after keeping them on the phone for over an hour, and arguing my point!
i will get every single penny of my money back, even if i have to see them in court!
Paul
I have also been hit by Zamano Thieves. I have lost £12.00 in one month!. I telephoned Orange who advised me to get in contact with the Company and ask for a refund of the money they have stolen.
Hi Brian,
Thanks for the comment. and thanks for contacting me. I too was stopped from posting on the Consumer Forum and saw that you wanted to speak with me with useful information on these scammers. They prevented me from comtacting you. What is it with these people? I will posting full report here on what happened with them and hopefully will get it written over the weekend. But first I have a very important story on Gaza to write as I have obtained some horrific pictures from inside Gaza that the mainstream press won’t publish.
Hi Dave Knight,
Jonni2bad of CAG threatend me with ‘excommunication’ for posting rude words like Scam, Fraud and Theft and wanted to talk about the matter by PM but I would not have it. I believe that it should be public He responded by removng my posts and editing the words mentioned above.
At least on The-Scream you have like minded, knowledgeable people…..and me!
[...] you will see from my article “A Dirty Scammer Has Hit My Mobile Phone” scammers can just steal from your mobile phone account with impunity. And by the way this is not an [...]
Hi Sally, I will certainly add the link and also sign the petition myself today.
Hi Dave, see you found my post on the scream, I have started a petition at Number 10 (probably a pointless exercise) however if you could add a link to it for anyone finding your blog here it might help – even if only to get the 200+ signatures I need not to get it dismissed at tehe 1st hurdle.
Good luck – certainly The Scream! seem to be the most switched on with regards to this problem.
Thanks.
Thanks Mike that’s very helpful. I was hoping to get this help from the Consumer Action Forum but for some reason only known to jonni2bad one the site team I can’t post anymore. I will be putting the story up on this blog later.
I will be following through with this so any helpful results will be posted here and on The Scream! Thanks again, come back often.
Hi Dave
I too was a victim of Zamano’s banditry.
For lots more information on Zamano on PRS, check out http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/f30.html? (this is not a commercial site BTW, and I’m not spamming you here).
You could consider putting in a link in to the scream from your blog.
If I were in this position again I should take my network to the small claims court. My contract is with my network. It is they, not me, who choose to do business with the likes of Zamano. Just as your network provider will blame the “service provider” Zamano, Zamano will blame the “content provider” International Mobile Solutions Ltd.
Unit 83, 17 Holywell Hill St.Albans, AL1 1DT (bogus address BTW).
This kind of theft will only end (IMHO) if/when the networks are forced to take responsibility!
PP+ are about as much use as a chocolate fire-guard, but you should certainly insist (and you will probably need to insist) that his pursue your complaint.