Multimedia Text Message: 84459 - My 11 Year Old Son’s £110 Phone Bill
Is it wrong to have your child on your pay monthly bill? That is exactly what Orange told me, so I have ceased my son's smartphone, and I'll probably hold on to it till his contract lapses after which I will be looking for a new mobile phone supplier for him. My son still claims that he did not send any text message, nor did he receive any from 84459.
The problem started when I checked my phone bill for February and found it was £80 over what we normally pay on a monthly basis. I realised from my bill that a lot of premium text messages on 84459 had been sent and received on my son's phone. Each message sent cost 12pence, while each message received cost £3.00 and there were 25 of them, overall I was £80 out of pocket bringing my son's bill to £110 in total for February. So how did this happen?
The company that owns the number said my son was sent an unsolicited text message saying he could win an Apple product, being a child that he is, he replied to 84459 saying he would like to enter the competition which cost 12pence and the first question was sent which cost £3.00, and 25 questions later the damage was done. However, I want to believe my son because I could not find the number in my son's text message log.
I called Orange and was told that the phone belonged to my 11 year son, and the customer services staff told me it was my mistake putting my son on my pay monthly bill. He said that I should call the company that was responsible for the 84459 number called Mobile Interactive Group (MIG) on 0870 248 0277 (Note: It is cheaper to call 0845 or 0870 number on your land line, than on your mobile phone. Calling on your mobile is exempt from your pay plan). When I called MIG, the person who picked the phone said they were unable to help and the charges will stand.
I have had problems with my son incurring premium call charges before and I had his mobile number changed and put parental control on the phone, but parental control only protects children from adult material which I was not told because I was under the impression that it prevented my son from sending and receiving from premium text and phone numbers.
After not getting far with MIG I called Orange and I spoke to someone who was very helpful who said that I should call Phone Pay Plus the organisation that regulates phone-paid services in the UK on 0800 500 212. Pay Phone Plus told me to call Djummer, the company that originated the premium text messages on 0800 408 0785. Djummer said my son responded to the unsolicited text message therefore I am liable. When I asked for the terms and conditions sent with the text message Djummer said it cannot be sent because it was part of the initial unsolicited text message.
I called Phone Pay Plus and told the regulator what Djummer told me, and was told that they were wrong to have denied my request. The regulator said they will request the terms and conditions on my behalf and expect to hear from Djummer within 3 working days. So that's my story, and the very reason for starting this blog.
Lessons Learned
So what are the lessons that can be learned from this bitter experience?
Do not respond to unsolicited text messages no matter how enticing the text message may be. The only response that you should send to all unsolicited text messages is STOP.
Monitor your bills regularly, since most of us now receive electronic bills it is so easy not to log in and download your phone bills.
If you are having problems with premium phone and text numbers call Phone Pay Plus on 0800 500 212 and complain, Phone Pay Plus is an agency of the Telecom regulator Ofcom.
When you feel ripped-off shout out loud, use this blog or any other means to voice your anger.
If you have been stung by any premium-rate SMS keep the bill in a safe place. Sometime in the future mobile phone companies will have to pay out millions of pounds in compensation for wrongfully charging customers for calls not made and text messages not sent or requested for.