OCU denounces the increase in complaints about Premium rate services

OCU has noted increased claims in recent years for premium rate services, particularly Premium SMS. In the light of this situation it has initiated a campaign "http://www.ocu.org/movilizate/desactiva-sms" to push for the default disconnection of such services as the only way to avoid cheating consumers.

According to the latest data from the telecommunications customer service office, the official body that looks after this, claims for Premium SMS in 2014 grew by 213% over those reported in 2013. This increase assumes that one in four mobile phone complaints concerns problems related to Premium SMS. Complaints about premium rate services also increased in 2014, representing 13.6% of total claims about telephone services.

OCU has spent years denouncing such practices, which have changed as technology has changed, from the 903 prefix to the current Premium SMS. Most of these services involve tricking consumers. The most common involve sending messages via a subscription system for which the user pays for the messages they receive. In many cases the user is not aware that they have contracted these services. Were they aware, it is unlikely they would accept paying an average of 60 euros a month for a service that in most cases adds absolutely no value at all.

The user is totally helpless. Even more after the recent Supreme Court ruling that annulled the code of conduct which applied to both operators and service providers. After this sentence it will be far harder to prosecute and punish those responsible for cheating consumers through these services.

Once again, the authorities have reacted late. Yesterday an amendment to the law was approved which, in the coming months, will force the user to specifically dial the premium tariff number which theoretically will hinder contracting these services via Internet. For OCU this modification is just one more sticking plaster to add to the list of failed attempts by the authorities to eradicate this type of deceptive practice. For OCU the only way to definitively tackle this abuse against consumers is that these services are disabled by default and can only be activated by the express request of the consumer. Once again the Ministry, while openly acknowledging this deceit, ignores requests from consumer associations and just applies another short term fix which will not solve the problem permanently.

In the face of such a situation OCU is promoting the campaign "Premium SMS: deactivate the deception" with two aims. On the one hand to educate consumers to ask telephone operators to disconnect this type of service that contributes no value whatsoever to consumers. On the other hand to report to the various competent authorities the abuse Premium SMS services pose to consumers and demand the default disconnection of these services as the only effective way to prevent this fraud.

 
For more information (media): Eva Jimenez Tel .: 91 722 60 61 - ejimenez@ocu.org www.ocu.org