O/T Mobile phone bill puzzle

[KerryS]

Just received usual monthly mobile phone bill (monthly contract) and there are over a dozen calls to an 83332 number that have not been made by us or by anyone else. Often there were 2 or 3 calls made within a few minutes. There is, as far as I can work out, no record of these calls on the phone. A couple were made on the morning of 7 July which, owing to narrowly missing an exploding bus that day, I can remember movements and no calls were made.

They are obviously to some premium number as they are £1.28 a shot (plus VAT) so our usually miserly bill has rocketed. If it's something we've done wrong then we'll grin and bear it but want to stop it happening.

Any clues from mobile savvy folks?

Kerry S

[studbuckle]

You sure they're calls and not premium rate texts either coming in or going out?

A quick google for "text 83332" reveals all sorts of links for buying ringtones and wallpapers at that sort of price

[KerryS]

Si

I found these too last night. Again there is no record of sent text messages on the phone. How can it happen without any action from us? Could it be that in some way we've programmed in an auto update or something?

Kerry S

[Muttleys V8]

Have you downloaded a ringtone? if you have, it's a subscription service and you have to cancel it.

Steve

[KerryS]

Ah! Thanks. Think SWMBO did once. Any ideas how to cancel?

Kerry S

[Frau Vesty]

Some website I found says

to end the subscription just text STOP to number 83332

[KerryS]

Thanks Mrs W - will try that.

See you like the old vino? Our stocks are VERY low prior to hols in France next week. Volvo has loadsa room for bottles and bottles and bottles and.....

Kerry S

[Frau Vesty]

Do it soon, because the subscription smallprint is something like you receive 2 or 3 reverse charges (£1.50 a pop) ringtone type texts a week.  Might be worth kicking up a fuss, I believe one of the watchdogs is looking into whether the fact that you were signing up to a subscription service and not a one-off was made clear enough on the adverts.  Not sure if it applies to this one, but you may find that if you flag up your concerns now, you may be able to get something back from them.

The only problem with going to France for wine is that there is usually stacks of choice of evil french wine, and barely anything decent  

Edit: Clicky

[KerryS]

Have txt'd SWMBO to do it but she's teaching ATM.

Ay! True. We usually go to Sains near Channel Tunnel and get usual Aussie/Chile/Italian stuff plus Nectar points. We're back through Caen this time and most wine emporiums wouldn't dream of selling anything but French wine - or even worse, German wine

I have thrown cases of the stuff away we've bought in France before now - cleans the drains well.

Kerry S

[steve_m]

I had these and in the end I got Vodafone to take them off my bill as I said I didn't agree to any additions to my contract.  They are probably text info services or ringtones.  I didn't receive any ringtones or services but still got charged for them.

[KerryS]

Thanks Steve/Frau Vesty/Muttleyboy/Si - as usual there's always someone here who knows about things  

Very grateful, another benefit of membership even if I get a mild rebuke for recommending it

Kerry S