Meteor - extra charges scam, but it is legal.

Wednesday October 08, 2008 19:19

by Metero Customer - IT

For those who have a monthly bill from Meteor, then watch for the little added on charges....

Meteor – premium rate scam, but it’s legal.

I just wondered if any of you are having received small extra charges from Meteor?

I recently changed my old phone company to Meteor. All was fine until one morning I received 3 text messages from a number 57375. It has now happed 5 times since then.

I rang Meteor my self to make sure that I wasn’t charged for these extra charges. Meteor informed me that they would be charging me and there was nothing they could do but give me a number for Regtel where I could log a complaint.

I rang Regtel and logged a compliant with them but all they could do was say they would get me unsubscribed but couldn’t get my money back.

Today I got a message on my phone form customer support, yes just customer support, no company name to say that I was unsubscribe from their service. To ring a number if I had any more questions. I rang the number and surprise surprise there is only an answer machine.

So at this stage all that has been done is I have been unsubscribed 4 times from a service that I have never subscribed to in the first place and still have to pay for the texts that they sent to me!

Finally for anyone about to say I must have subscribed to it or someone must have used my phone. The answer to that is no. I have never in all my years ever subscribed to any thing like this. I actually go out of my way to make sure I never do.

Meteor have said, there are services like this and we must keep our customers informed of this, however you will not be aware that you may be charged for it.

If this is not a scam, then what else is it!

Regtel’s web site shows 2,000 complaints about this matter. They say there are very few complaints. Perhaps it is because the charge is so small, you may never notice it.

I would recommend to all customers of Meteor to check your bill with small extra charges, where another company texts your number and charges you for it.

What a service!

A Customer with Meteor.
Tom

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Comments (7 of 7)

Meteor scam

by Ann K

Wed Oct 08, 2008 19:24

I had a simlar experience 5 months ago. I never got my money back either, nor did I ever subscribe anything. The amount was less than € 15 but the funny thing was Meteor gave me credit instead for such a slow response. Are they covering up something?

AK

Is it legal?

by Mbouh

Wed Oct 08, 2008 19:44

Probably legal, but is immoral to charge people without knowing. Vodofone do the same thing

Mbouh

how about some detail?

by Cigol

Thu Oct 09, 2008 10:32

what are these messages about? What premium rate service was it?

OF course it's illegal to charge you for something if you DID NOT subscribe to it. That's simply called FRAUD.

Phone scams.

by John Cook - Self employed.

Thu Oct 09, 2008 16:08

The phone scams are probably being operated from London with a management office here in Dublin. Vodfone customers are the most targeted, google zemano for horrific reading on the size of the scam. Regtel know but will not intervene referring the consumer to their service provider. Two majo radio shows will be investigating the size and scale of the fraud on Irish phone users in the coming days.

by AGI

Fri Oct 10, 2008 14:29

I agree John (above) I know a friend of mine who is researching of these phone scams that seem to be going on with al the mobile compnaies.
The interesting point is, if a company can give you a service and not tell you, that you will be charged for it, I am sure this is fraud, but must be very difficult to prove as there is no paper work or records, just numbers on your bill.

Scams

by SeanR

Fri Oct 10, 2008 14:36

Hi John, can you fill me on more of the radio programmes who are going to mention this on the air? I am running a similar story.
SR cheers sean_1922@yahoo.com

by Sarah

Fri Oct 10, 2008 16:05

I also get text messages from the Meteor. They say it is important to keep you updated with new services, like, downloads songs etc. (you have no choice in the matter, I cannot stopthem from texting me.)
I see the issue above as it is true not once do they even mention a charge.
So if you click on this number they give you, what is to stop them from chargining you from 1 Euro to 1,000?
SMc

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Meteor - extra charges scam, but it is legal.

Comments (7 of 7)