Fraudulent WASP subscriptions remain a problem on Vodacom's network

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Jamie McKane

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Vodacom is the fraudster for allowing outsiders the unauthorized use of its open fraud gateway API to fleece its customers.

Are they really so rogue if you allow them to bypass subscription/authorization?

This is not a new thing, but seems to be tolerated by the authorities like corruption, probably because they score from it as well.
 
boboudts said:
Think before you click, people!
Click to expand...

There is no clicking anywhere required for them to subscribe you.

I have woken up with messages on my phone saying my subscription attempt was blocked and if I would like to unblock my blocking, how the hell did I click on anything while I am asleep boboudts? (and no, I was not using my phone as a hotspot, I have fibre at home with it's wifi).
 
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Jamie McKane said:
Fraudulent WASP subscriptions remain a problem on Vodacom's network

Fraudsters are using a gateway developed by Vodacom to steal millions in airtime from its subscribers – often the poorest South Africans - with virtually no risk of criminal charges.

Last week, MyBroadband revealed that Vodacom’s prepaid customers were targeted by rogue Wireless Application Service Providers (WASPs) which stole airtime from them on a mass scale.
Click to expand...

@Jamie McKane and @rpm, why no mention of the ways to block it?

The USSD string for blocking content services on Vodacom prepaid seems to be:
*135# > 11 > 1 > 10 > 1 > 3
 
supersunbird said:
There is no clicking anywhere required for them to subscribe you.

I have woken up with messages on my phone saying my subscription attempt was blocked and if I would like to unblock my blocking, how the hell did I click on anything while I am asleep boboudts? (and no, I was not using my phone as a hotspot, I have fibre at home with it's wifi).
Click to expand...
i get these same messages daily
thank god i had the foresight to block these contact services weeks ago
 
It's not just WASP services that are the problem, it's even a problem with Vodacom's own In-House content services.
Rogue employees in the Vodacom shops can randomly add any number to any Vodacom content service with no input whatsoever from the owner of that number.
I'm guessing they get a kickback for every sub that they add to those content services.
We've lost thousands of Rands this way, and we had to go through the process of blocking every single number on our business profile.

Then once you have put the block in place, you now start getting hundreds of SMS's every day telling you that "your request to be added to XXXXX service has been blocked due to the content restriction that is in place on this number" - I sometimes get several hundred of those messages every day - which leads me to believe that these Rogues have set up automated systems to continually attempt to add numbers to these content services.
 
When you look at the massive/huge percentage that Vodacom pockets in comparison to the WASP, it becomes very clear that Vodacom is actively encouraging this. The flip-side of this is that the small percentage that the WASPs get forces them to be even more proactive in getting more customers (by whatever means necessary).
 
GreatWmR said:
i get these same messages daily
thank god i had the foresight to block these contact services weeks ago
Click to expand...

The problem with blocking content services on Vodacom is that EVERYTHING is blocked, including Google Play subscriptions. I found that out the hard way, and had to subsequently unblock it, so that I can use my airtime for premium subscriptions. Now I'll just need to make sure I constantly check for any unwanted subscriptions.
 
miz_pimp said:
The problem with blocking content services on Vodacom is that EVERYTHING is blocked, including Google Play subscriptions. I found that out the hard way, and had to subsequently unblock it, so that I can use my airtime for premium subscriptions. Now I'll just need to make sure I constantly check for any unwanted subscriptions.
Click to expand...
Yea that sounds like i pain
My paypal and bank card is connected to Google Play so i don't have that problem
 
Vodacom customers can check their WASP subscriptions and cancel any content service subscriptions through the USSD menu.

To do this customers must follow the steps below:

  • Dial *111#
  • Select option 8 (Services)
  • Select option 11 (Next)
  • Select option 2 (Content Services)
  • Select option 1 (View and Stop Content Services)

Users on Vodacom can also stop all WASPs by SMSing “Stop All” to 31050.
 
supersunbird said:
There is no clicking anywhere required for them to subscribe you.

I have woken up with messages on my phone saying my subscription attempt was blocked and if I would like to unblock my blocking, how the hell did I click on anything while I am asleep boboudts? (and no, I was not using my phone as a hotspot, I have fibre at home with it's wifi).
Click to expand...
Sounds kind of familiar. I woke up to messages a Sunday. I eventually got around to looking at it the Wednesday. I took it to WASPA. The WASP then tried saying I subscribed to the messages I received the Sunday, using my checking the Wednesday ... with a subs on the Wednesday. So much for timelines. I accused them of manufacturing data and a subs (which they were). That was lost on the WASP. Their legal rep threatened to sue me for defamation. I told them to have a happy day and f-off. Eventually I won with then getting a R100k fine, R200k suspended for if there's a repeat. WASPs are shark shyte world.
 
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