WASPA Scam (AKINGA VERTICAL SERVI)

[Waste]

That interesting, do the bills also add up in that time or does it just resume billing daily when the number is recharged?

No, so they "charge" each day, and when you don't have funds it fail, so they just continue to charge daily and when funds are available it goes off. Also, I've noticed that they compound, so however they get you to "subscribe" over your wifi using shady ads or something, everytime you fall for it, they add another "charge" on your account. So you may end up paying multiple R3's per day.

 

[Swingblade]

Also got caught with this. I don't check the SMS on my router often, and it has been active since 10 February. Cancelled today and set my spend limit to R1. Got an SMS almost immediately: You have insufficient credit or been unsubscribed: 106, Audiobooks Hub, provided by AKINGA VERTICAL SERVICE PROVIDER (PTY) at R 0.03 RecurringDaily. Telkom Mobile

Waiting for the bill then
MotherF&#kers

 

[Waste]

And they are at it again. Just realised my Telkom bill has a new subscription of R1.50 from "AKINGA VERTICAL SERVI" since 19 March 2023 on that Same LTE router at the holiday home. I'm not even near that router to sign up for anything.

This time I also can't cancel the service from the Telkom app, it just does not show up on the app. The previous one that was cancelled is showing but not the new one.

What is such an amazing case is how Telkom can bill you for an "apparent" 3rd party service just willy-nilly. You don't need to confirm via Telkom that you did in fact subscribe, they just bill you.

And they know that not a lot of people would want to pursue justice in this case, since "it's only a small amount" compared to what it would cost you in time and money for legal fees to pursue a justice approach.

I wish someone like OUTA or such would pick up on this and sue the millions of rands these people have stolen from unsuspecting victims out of them. It should be such a great case that Telkom together with "AKINGA VERTICAL SERVI" suffer great losses.

Because the other option I have is mob revenge, and pursuing the problem like our local communities have proven is effective in South Africa. And go burn down a bunch of Telkom stores and buildings so that Telkom can "rethink" the idea of billing clients without checking in with them if this is OK with them.

Telkom simply has to ask you to authorise the added cost on your account! It's so simple, but they (Telkom) make millions out of this business model. They just act like the "middle man" and then refer you to the 3rd party and that they are at fault. And while doing that they get rich in this process.

Just to prove that this AKINGA VERTICAL SERVI is a subsidiary of Telkom:

Telkom Plus

telkomplus.co.za

 

[Waste]

If you come across this post, go watch this video and like it:

This is a large SCAM via Telkom, they do this to so many LTE subscribers.

 

[crazy_jack]

"Protect your mobile number" will NOT stop "Content Service Providers" from attempting to bill your "Sim service/phone number". "Protect your mobile number" will only enforce an email with password login when trying to view balances at onnet.telkom.co.za

The only way to keep the Content Service Providers out of your pocket is to keep your spend limit at 0.00 (zero) or the remaining spend limit at 0.00 (zero), or a prepaid sim balance at 0.00 (zero).

Good luck to everyone!

 

[Valhallan]

Totally agree with that, setting your your spend limit at 0.00 (zero) is the only way. I have set and rejected every setting I can and I still get these fraudulent "Sign-ups" throughout the month.... Totally criminal on Telkom's part

 

[ak101]

Hey Guys

So I know people have been getting unauthorised billing from WASPA's for along time but this is the first time it happened to me.

Some quick facts

1. I absolutely did not Click on/Agree to an of the pathetic "Games" I've been charged for.
2. They started charging me in Jan this year for three "Games"
3. They got me on my Fixed LTE router, so obviously I didn't read any of the SMSs
4. They got me for over R500...R3 a day for each game

What I've done so far

1. Had Telkom cancel all the "services"
2. Logged a dispute with Telkom on the charges
3. Reported unwanted billing to WASPA.org.za
4. Set the spend limit on my LTE account to R1
5. Changed my password on my Telkom Web portal

Some questions I had

1. What's the best way of getting my money back, is it likely I will come right with the Telkom Mobile dispute process
2. As this is a fixed LTE router how is it possible that the WASPA service were initiated, is it even possible for a device connected to my network to request/authorise such services to be charged to my LTE SIM?
3. I wanted to Lodge a full complaint against this criminal enterprise they call AKINGA VERTICAL SERVI, but reading through the WASPA Code of Conduct, it doesnt require them to do much. All they have to do, on my reading, is send me a notification that they have started the service with an opt-out. They did this but it went to my router so I obviously never saw. Are there any other factors I can get them on.

Sorry I know there is alot online about this, but I always get great info from the MyBB community

I am here today.

Please advise. R500 per month.
WHAT did you ??
I am going to the police station to start by opening a case of fraud .
I *will* get my money back.

 

[airborne]

I am here today.

Please advise. R500 per month.
WHAT did you ??
I am going to the police station to start by opening a case of fraud .
I *will* get my money back.

What network are you on?

 

[DapperDanMan]

I am going to the police station to start by opening a case of fraud .
I *will* get my money back.

We are witnessing @ak101 going straight into AK47 mode!

 

[Totempole]

I'm not sure what method is used to subscribe people to this AKINGA crap, but I'm not so sure it's anything anyone is doing. More likely this is something that's happening inside Telkom or whoever is in charge of these "services".

I have 2 Telkom SIMs in my phone. One is on the the Tariff Plan which offers the cheapest voice call rates, and the second is on a Fixed LTE Tariff Plan.

One day last year I got an SMS on my second SIM saying "You subscribed to FaithFirstTV - R3.00/day" followed by another one saying "You have insufficient credit or been unsubscribed: 104, FaithFirstTV, provided by AKINGA VERTICAL SERVICE PROVIDER (PTY) at R 0.03 RecurringDaily. Telkom Mobile"

Anyways, my point is, if it was triggered by an ad or other malicious web page then why was I only subscribed on my second SIM, and not the first one as well?

The only other thing I can think of is that it only affects data SIMs, but I had no data or airtime available on that SIM at the time that I got subscribed.

 

[ak101]

HOW did you resolve?.
(And by this I mean ...how did you get your money back?

Just adding my 5c. I've had the same happen to me, have a Telkom SIM in an LTE router, in a holiday home. Just now realised when I looked at the bill that they are billing me for this "AKINGA VERTICAL SERVI" @ R3/day.

I used the Telkom app to view the Subscriptions on that number and see that it was "activated" in December, during the time that we were there. My only explanation would be that it came as part of a site or game or something that was using the WiFi while we were there.

Also now trying to find the option to "protect" my SIMs in case that can help. Bloody WASP services are just a fraud scheme, I have seen zero use for it, they really pray on the weak in the country. I've never seen anyone well knowledged get any benefit from any WASP service. They only exist to leach money from weak and elderly people that don't realise what is going on or and then finally when they figure it out, they cancel it but the WASP made a **** load of money for the few days (or sometimes months) they were online.

Also interestingly the WASP service subscription doesn't get cancelled when you run out of airtime, it just sits and waits until the number is recharged and then it continues to leach money. So unsuspecting victims that can't afford much get nailed every time they load 10 bucks to use.

 

[UB40]

@surface is also subscribed to something like this