Movistar off the water to the fraudulent premium SMS subscriptions

Up to 10% of the complaints received relate to Movistar subscription premium SMS services. After years of looking the other way and benefit from the traffic generated by these services, Telefonica has decided to ask the subscriber's written permission before allowing new high.

Numerous companies are engaged in this industry, which has made their main form of deception to attract customers. We can find simulated warning messages to update the browser, Youtube fake polls that award an iPad and an endless number of tricks to attract the attention of the user. The next step is to ask to enter your mobile number, while the terms of service at the bottom of the page in small print in gray on black background.

In the case of the image that opens this article, whose campaign can still be found on numerous download sites, enter the phone number is to receive 25 messages per month to 1.42 € each, ensuring a surprise on the bill of 35.5 €.

Operators have spent years looking the other way, partly because they also benefit from SMS circulating in your network. Consumer associations have repeatedly denounced these practices to Consumer Affairs.

Ministries of Industry and Health plan to address the issue in the Joint Commission on premium rate, but Movistar has decided to take action, demanding documentation that proves the user's wishes to register.

From today , Movistar shall not take high premium SMS services customer unless the request is accompanied by a signed statement from the user and a photocopy of your ID, ​​which must be sent by regular mail to the operator. In practice, this requirement means the impossibility of such misleading campaigns.

The change not only affects new customers. As of January 15, the current subscriptions that have not submitted the documentation will be canceled automatically.