|
links to other SOS Premium Rate pages..
090 numbers and 5 digit text numbers
- a simple guide to recognising what is and isn't premium rate..
A word on how these things are promoted - if you get a text or a voice message telling to call an 090 landline number, then the text or call you received almost certainly didn't cost you anything. If you get a text inviting you to subscribe to a premium rate text service, then normally it won't have cost you anything to receive it (except in a couple of really blatant scams we have come across). These things only tend to start costing you money if you respond to them.
In 2000, the numbers which companies could use for premium rate business changed, and therefore many people still don't recognise them. This is a very quick, slightly over-simplified,
guide to how much it will cost you if you respond to a premium rate
scam.
1) Telephone numbers - numbers which begin:
090 -
typically �1.50 per minute,
sometimes �1
0871 - 10p
per minute, not classed as premium rate by the regulator
070 - a grey
area, but in theory the limit it should cost is 35p per minute, but
for historical reasons not classed as premium rate by the regulator
If in these scam situations you are asked to make
a call to anything other than an 090 number, including in
some cases now freephone 0800 numbers, then almost invariably in that call
you will be asked to call an 090 number subsequently - so look out
for it.
2) premium rate texts...
Counter-intuitively, in most cases companies can only premium rate bill you when THEY send YOU a text. It doesn't matter whether you receive it or open it, it's still billed.
Premium rate texts always come from 5 (or 4) digit special texting numbers, called 'shortcodes'. They almost always begin with the number 8, although they can also begin with 2 or 6, but currently nothing else.
If you are asked to send a text message to a 4 or 5 digit 'shortcode', it will be the normal cost of sending a message, the thing to watch out for is if in doing so you are 'subscribing' to their service.
If you text your vote into a TV program for example (a legitimate use of premium rate text in my opinion) it is a one off and you just get charged the once.
However, in many other cases, and in particular in the ringtone and logos market heavily advertised on TV, you will often unwittingly be 'subscribing' for their service, which means it will typically cost you £1.50 on your mobile phone bill for every single text they send back to you on that number - and that's typically what happens... without realising it you are subscribing and they'll send you loads of these things which can really add up in cost terms. If you respond to a ringtone/logo advert on TV, make sure you look at the small print at the bottom of the screen.
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Junk texts/missed calls/automated message calls - can you get rid of them? |
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