Just got gagged from AT&T's forums!

[barryspar]

I noticed a bunch of people on ATT's user forums wondering why they were getting charged $9.99 or $19.99 on thier ATT bills for horoscope or weather services they never signed up for.

I posted a link to the NY Times's expose on the "cramming" industry and ATT's complicity with it. The article explains how the cramming companies and ATT sign people up without thier consent and slip charges on to thier bills, counting on the fact that many users will never check them. Google "NYTimes ATT cramming" and it'll come right up.

Whithin hours I got a message that my forum account was being set to "Read-only." Apparently there are limits to how much sleaziness they are willing to have exposed on their own website.

Big Blue is watching.

[veriztd]

Of course their moderators will limit what they will allow to be posted on their forum. More than likely, a moderator felt your article was considered to be SPAM. That's precisely why independant forums like HOFO are out here on the internet. This is an excellent site for advice and/or questions.

Such subscriptions can be blocked and/or removed by CS per customer request. It's sad if you were not offered those options.

If you do a search here or many other internet forums, the topic has come up many times and debated many ways. I am not defending At&t or any other carrier in this case, just trying to offer a suggestion for you.

[barryspar]

Yep, I know it's a well-known issue. I was just trying to help those poor souls who had no idea why they were getting charged and apparently didn't think of asking Google... Well now that ATT deleted my reponse they'll be back in the dark again, which is what ATT wants.

[Extraordinary]

Many companies also filter their Facebook pages as well and delete anything that is not positive. I always laugh at the commercials that tell people to read the user reviews or testimonials on their sites... of course they are good, its YOUR website.

[GSMinCT]

It's incredible that they even allow these services to bill through them. They should use a whitelist system where only valid political campaigns and nonprofits (i.e. Red Cross) can bill through their system. There is no reason for anything else to be billing through them except to rip customers off.

[formercanuck]

yet another reason to not have text/sms.

[silentjudge]

It's incredible that they even allow these services to bill through them. They should use a whitelist system where only valid political campaigns and nonprofits (i.e. Red Cross) can bill through their system. There is no reason for anything else to be billing through them except to rip customers off.

They also get a cut of the $$ from ripping their customers off..

[jim9000]

They also get a cut of the $$ from ripping their customers off..

Yes, and a lot of people don't pay attention to their bills so they won't notice in a lot of cases.

Of course, AT&T isn't the only carrier that allows this type of cramming to take place.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[efparri]

Every third party application gives you the option to cancel the service by texting "STOP" to the short code or telephone number given in the messages.

[veriztd]

Yes, and a lot of people don't pay attention to their bills so they won't notice in a lot of cases.

Of course, AT&T isn't the only carrier that allows this type of cramming to take place.

While I agree that such charges are morally questionable, consumers have an obligation to monitor their bills and to question any unknown charges.

[GSMinCT]

They also get a cut of the $$ from ripping their customers off..

Yeah, that's the problem.

[CA]

While I agree that such charges are morally questionable, consumers have an obligation to monitor their bills and to question any unknown charges.

I just got a new bank account that when I enter a vendor to pay up pops the last 10 pay amounts for that vendor! Quite enlightening.

[Sam73065]

Every third party application gives you the option to cancel the service by texting "STOP" to the short code or telephone number given in the messages.

However since one never actually knows for sure exactly who is sending you questionable texts, texting STOP or replying in any way is not exactly the wisest move either. Also quite simply a lot of times these services can be added to your number from simply enrolling or being enrolled by some kind soul from a website. I actually had to have Sprint block not only such services being added from the handset by text, but also from websites. There are too many disreputable ways to slam somebody with this crap and the carriers are making out like the bandits they are, while pretending to be outraged on behalf of the customer.

While I agree that such charges are morally questionable, consumers have an obligation to monitor their bills and to question any unknown charges.

I definitely agree that the consumer should have a good handle on his bill. If it fluctuates regularly then he should monitor every bill. If the billing is generally a set amount, within a dollar or two, then it may be safe to only monitor unusual or unexpected changes. Sadly even an honest business (hurts to link those two words in relation to any corporation) cannot protect the consumer from every scam artist, so in the end, we're still responsible to keep our own eyes open too.

[RCA]

Im pretty sure this link will help manage those unwanted subscritptions.

https://cingular-oac.qpass.com/oac/html/signin.do

[efparri]

You can only do that once. The best approach is ending the service with the provider. Each message tells you how to cancel the subscription.
Here is the transcript of a message I received:

You Won! Go to www.PrizeConfirm.com to claim your $1000 Visa Gift Card Now! conf code:87323. Txt STOP 2 quit

.
There was a telephone number listed. I sent STOP and heard no more.