If you didn’t want them, there are things you can do to make them stop. We’ve got the info you need below, along with tips on how to avoid getting unwanted texts in the first place.
What are premium rate text messages?
Premium rate text messages (also known as reverse billed messages) are usually for some kind of subscription services. They’re sent from numbers with four, five or six digits, so they’re quite easy to spot. The bad news is that they cost about anywhere between £1.50 to £5 each, so you might end up with a higher than expected monthly mobile bill. While you need to sign up for these services, it’s surprisingly easy to subscribe accidentally by not ticking a box, replying to a message, or clicking on a pop-up. Often, you won’t be notified until you see the charges on your bill. To avoid unwanted charges, be cautious when entering competitions or signing up for services. Only share your phone number with trusted websites. Stay savvy and protect yourself!
How can I stop unwanted premium rate texts?
Here are three steps to follow to stop these unwanted messages for good:
- ‘STOP ALL’ unwanted premium text message.
If you’ve received an unwanted message you think might be a premium rate text, you can use our number lookup service in our website. Alternatively you can use the followingService Checkerto check for the name and contact details of the company running the service. If the company is legitimate, you should then reply to the message with 'STOP ALL', and keep the text as evidence for a complaint. If the company running the service that sent you the text doesn’t seem to be legitimate, check if you’ve been charged in the iD Mobile app.
- Complain to the company.
If you keep being charged after you’ve replied ‘STOP’, you should make a complaint to the company that runs the service. If you still get charged after making a complaint, contact Ofcom and they’ll help. If you believe the text message is spam, you can report this to us by texting 7726 free of charge. You’ll then get a message asking you to send a second text, containing the actual number that sent the unwanted text message.
- Complain to Ofcom.
If you’re unable to contact the company or they fail to resolve your complaint, you can contact Ofcom to raise a complaint in writing, online (through an online form) or by phone. If Ofcomfinds that the company is running a service that is misleading, you might be entitled to a refund. Unfortunately, in most cases refunds aren’t given to anyone who agrees to receive premium rate text messages, even accidentally.
