Thu 5 January 2006 - Christmas joke SMS scam
One of the great Christmas traditions is the Christmas cracker, and the appalling jokes they come with.
Cast your mind back to the Christmas just gone. Did you get an SMS on your mobile phone, with an appalling Christmas cracker-style joke, from the number 19900025, that you didn’t expect? If so, check your next phone bill carefully. It’s a scam, and you’ll find you were charged $3.50 for the privilege. (I actually got two, and have been charged $7.00. Oh joy.)
Call your phone company bill enquiries line. Insist on a refund. If they refuse, you may like to ask to speak to a supervisor, and/or their TIO liason person. Alternately just ring them again, you may well get someone more willing to cooperate.
You may also like to talk to the TIO (Telephone Industry Ombudsman), or your local state Consumer Affairs department. And if you don’t normally use them, ask your phone company about blocking any future premium messages.
I also got an offer of a “free” ringtone. I didn’t take them up on it, and don’t appear to have been charged for the privilege of the offer.