BEWARE! Do Not Enter Competitions By SMS

[MacMum]

....or buy ringtones etc......I stupidly entered a competition by SMS and it has turned into a damn nightmare.....apparently unscrupulous companies can "subscribe" you to their list and then charge you (unknowingly) $10 per week!.....and this can go on and on until you realise you bill has gone up and up!

After a week of arguing with a particular company and Telstra, I have finally had these types of sms's that I was getting (and ignoring) barred from my phone, and the money owing waived..

This practice has surely got to be illegal??....if not, it is morally wrong and a SCAM at least.....

People, do not get caught like I did.........I have now also heard of others being caught as well, so it is apparently quite widespread....

 

[Macca19]

I thought this would have been common knowledge.

 

[anti.]

i thought most people knew this?

 

[MacMum]

No, not everyone has heard of it....but I think it is the older people who don't know....any younger ones that I have talked too, seem to have heard of it....

I just find it amazing that it is allowed....They must be making millions!...and what made it worse for me was that I never enter competitions, so I was really annoyed that all this happened.....never again!

How long has this type of thing been happening?....it is so wrong

 

[scooterb]

They usually cost $5 to unsubscribe. They always have fine print at the bottom of the advertisements.

I agree with the person above me. Companies like Jamster must be rolling in it.

 

[Strike Swiftly]

Hahaha sucker. I too thought it was common knowledge.

 

[J-Train]

....or buy ringtones etc......I stupidly entered a competition by SMS and it has turned into a damn nightmare.....apparently unscrupulous companies can "subscribe" you to their list and then charge you (unknowingly) $10 per week!.....and this can go on and on until you realise you bill has gone up and up!

After a week of arguing with a particular company and Telstra, I have finally had these types of sms's that I was getting (and ignoring) barred from my phone, and the money owing waived..

This practice has surely got to be illegal??....if not, it is morally wrong and a SCAM at least.....

People, do not get caught like I did.........I have now also heard of others being caught as well, so it is apparently quite widespread....

Stick to smoking and playing the pokies MacMum, at least you get something for your money there...errrr.

 

[MacMum]

O.K, so a lot of you out there knew about it, common knowledge some of you are saying......but that doesn't make it acceptable! Far from acceptable in my books....its just a bloody ripoff..

Have any of you who knew about it, done anything to try to stop it, have you had it happen to you?..

Someone, somewhere has got to try to stop people innocently getting caught up in these scams..

We should be able to enter a competition if we so wish, or buy a different ringtone if it appeals...we should not be ripped off for doing so..

 

[MacMum]

Stick to smoking and playing the pokies MacMum, at least you get something for your money there...errrr.

I've given up smoking and I don't play pokies often

 

[J-Train]

I've given up smoking and I don't play pokies often

Queen of the Nile? Or is that Queen of denial!

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

People who get suckered into this crap deserve to be slapped with a huge bill.

 

[MacMum]

People who get suckered into this crap deserve to be slapped with a huge bill.[/quote




Sorry, but how is entering a competition being a sucker....have you NEVER entered a competition?...people getting caught with these things does not make them a sucker!!..

This is different to those Nigerian type scams..there, they just tell you you've won lots of money, send some and we will send you the cheque!...You don't need to be Einstein to know that is not right...thats being a sucker if you fall for it...big difference!

These ones I'm talking about, anyone can get caught..What about the comps. run on the t.v. during the Aust. Open to win a KIA....or during the Melb. Cup carnival to win a trip to Paris, I think they even have a comp. on t.v Grand Final day.......they are run by legitimate people, sms us your answer etc.....and whammo, the scamsters have got you..........people who enter these competitions are not suckers....they just get taken advantage of and ripped off by thieves..

 

[J-Train]

People who get suckered into this crap deserve to be slapped with a huge bill.[/quote




Sorry, but how is entering a competition being a sucker....have you NEVER entered a competition?...people getting caught with these things does not make them a sucker!!..

This is different to those Nigerian type scams..there, they just tell you you've won lots of money, send some and we will send you the cheque!...You don't need to be Einstein to know that is not right...thats being a sucker if you fall for it...big difference!

These ones I'm talking about, anyone can get caught..What about the comps. run on the t.v. during the Aust. Open to win a KIA....or during the Melb. Cup carnival to win a trip to Paris, I think they even have a comp. on t.v Grand Final day.......they are run by legitimate people, sms us your answer etc.....and whammo, the scamsters have got you..........people who enter these competitions are not suckers....they just get taken advantage of and ripped off by thieves..

Maybe some time at the fruit slots will help you calm down.... or a soothing drag on a Port Royal rolly as you enjoy a free coffee and scotch finger bikkie in the gamer's time-out lounge. DING DING DING. Oh no MacMum, somebody just got the free games on the machine you've been putting 20s in all night. How's the luck!

 

[Kerrby]

I think MacMum is the only person on this forum that didn't know about it?

 

[J-Train]

I think MacMum is the only person in the world that didn't know about it?

Edited for Accuracy.

 

[Innapropriate]

Make sure you let all your friends at the home know gramps. It's the only way to stop these damn scammers!

 

[-CG-]

These ones I'm talking about, anyone can get caught..What about the comps. run on the t.v. during the Aust. Open to win a KIA....or during the Melb. Cup carnival to win a trip to Paris, I think they even have a comp. on t.v Grand Final day.......they are run by legitimate people, sms us your answer etc.....and whammo, the scamsters have got you..........people who enter these competitions are not suckers....they just get taken advantage of and ripped off by thieves..

I think its more the ones that are like 'SMS what colour top I'm wearing to win $$' Those are the type of ones you should avoid, the ones that subscribe you to some unknown service.

Network TV comps are usually alright, well I've never read anything in the fine print which says its subsribing you to something, just usually that the SMS will cost you 50c.

 

[rizzo]

What competition did you enter out of interest? Was it during a TV show or an ad?

 

[J-Train]

I think its more the ones that are like 'SMS what colour top I'm wearing to win $$' Those are the type of ones you should avoid, the ones that subscribe you to some unknown service.

Network TV comps are usually alright, well I've never read anything in the fine print which says its subsribing you to something, just usually that the SMS will cost you 50c.

Spot on CG. Spot on.

Stick to the Sunrise Cashcow MacMum, it'll cost you 22c.*
Dont forget to read the fine print.

*may cost more more than 22c depending on your network provider.

 

[Macca19]

Sorry, but how is entering a competition being a sucker....have you NEVER entered a competition?...people getting caught with these things does not make them a sucker!!..

Depends what is meant by entering a competition by SMS. Did you get a SMS about the competition then enter by replying? Did you get some physical notification (flyer etc) and then join? Its a simple case of reading the fine print. Entering a competition that forces you to join by an sms is asking for trouble. Subscribing for a ringtone (yes...jamster and co say subscribe..not purchase) when it clearly says at the bottom of the screen what will happen is asking for trouble. Its just plain silliness and naivety.

Ive never entered a competition before finding out all the details. Its just plain common sense. If I enter a competition and dont bother reading the part that says 'you will fork out $20 a week for sweet fa' then its my own fault.

This is different to those Nigerian type scams..there, they just tell you you've won lots of money, send some and we will send you the cheque!...You don't need to be Einstein to know that is not right...thats being a sucker if you fall for it...big difference!

These ones I'm talking about, anyone can get caught..What about the comps. run on the t.v. during the Aust. Open to win a KIA....or during the Melb. Cup carnival to win a trip to Paris, I think they even have a comp. on t.v Grand Final day.......they are run by legitimate people, sms us your answer etc.....and whammo, the scamsters have got you..........people who enter these competitions are not suckers....they just get taken advantage of and ripped off by thieves..

No, not anyone can get caught. Those that arent naive wont get caught. Those that arent silly enough to find out the details before entering some random competition/ringtone service wont get caught. Those that arent silly enough just to immediately send an sms for a ringtone without reading the clear english at the bottom of the screen saying 'you will be subscribed and pay $xx for xx ringtones a week' wont get caught.

Youve got to be a complete ****ing moron of the highest order to fall for the Nigerian schemes. With these, youve just got to use common sense and READ the details.

 

[Lucev23]

My younger brother got suckered into one of these ringtone ads on TV about 4 years ago, and after many phonecalls and shit from the old girl, the company actually sent him a cheque reimbursing everything they took.

 

[MacMum]

What competition did you enter out of interest? Was it during a TV show or an ad?

Thats just it, it seemed so unimportant at the time, when I didn't win anything, that I promptly forgot about it, until I got another sms about 10 days later...and made inquiries..I simply don't know now what the hell it was for..It would have been off the telly tho, I think..


p.s.......I also think you are all mean for making fun at this poor old MacMum, who, with apologies to the universe, didn't know these scams existed, and they should be accepted as part of life..

I have never ever accepted very easily, anyone who so blatantly ripps off innocent people..

Now, I'm going to have a Bex, a cup of tea and sit in my granny chair and contemplate the whoas of this world, wishing I was sitting in front of a pokie machine with a *** hanging out my mouth, winning lots of money


pps........I was told by a Telstra consultant that any competition by sms is a huge risk because of the scamsters......so basically that is why I felt it important to mention it here........but all you smarty pants already knew..

 

[Zarrix]

I have no sympathy for anyone who enters/texts to those dodgy shows/ads after midnight.

 

[J-Train]

Thats just it, it seemed so unimportant at the time, when I didn't win anything, that I promptly forgot about it, until I got another sms about 10 days later...and made inquiries..I simply don't know now what the hell it was for..It would have been off the telly tho, I think..


p.s.......I also think you are all mean for making fun at this poor old MacMum, who, with apologies to the universe, didn't know these scams existed, and should be accepted as part of life..

I have never ever accepted very easily, anyone who so blatantly ripps off innocent people..

Now, I'm going to have a Bex, a cup of tea and sit in my granny chair and contemplate the whoas of this world, wishing I was sitting in front of a pokie machine with a *** hanging out my mouth, winning lots of money

LOL! That's the spirit!

 

[MacMum]

Now J Train, I think you also need a Bex, a cup of tea and a lie down, as you seem all muddled, cos you got your quotes all mixed up, silly old duffer.....e.g....Mine and Rory