WASPs continue to defraud cellphone customers

[Darthloop]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: This is a multi-million Rand fraud industry, operating in full view of the public. South African network operators are an absolute disgrace.

I still want a straight answer from Vodacom on what constitutes "proof of registration". Until they get their **** together, ALL WASP activity must be disabled by default, with an option to enable it OTA or OTW. There's no such an option on http://www.vodacom4me.co.za.

Pathetic

+1
AND the network must be held responsible ie. send regular notifications of WASP billing and you must confirm on those sms notifications otherwise service is disabled!!

 

[davidt]

I've never had this problem and I'm wondering if it has something to do with who your service provider is. In my case I have a Vodacom number via Nashua. Obviously if I get dodgy charges I'm going to call Nashua and expect them to rectify it, not Vodacom.

I had a problem with WASP charges and Nashua just passed the buck and said they can't do anything, I have to take it up with the company directly. As far as I'm concerned I should be able to kill and subscriptions on my account through my provider, otherwise what is the purpose of the provider??

 

[ice330]

MTN Defrauding customers

Hi. I understand that this maybe abit of topic but I have been having a problem with MTN overcharging me and then constantly trying to pass the buck on to other companies. So I would not be suprised if some of the people who assume that it was a WASP who is defrauding them when it is actually MTN that is doing the defrauding. I have been trying to find someone to help me and it has almost been a whole month and numerous phone calls and emails and I still have not received my airtime back from MTN. I have proved that it is MTN that defrauded me...

 

[ProSMS]

Networks should be forced to enable a "Block all WASP activity" facility by default on ALL numbers. That will require customers to first enable WASP activity, and problems will reduce immediately. Fat chance they will do that.

Vodacom has implemented a blocking mechanism for all OBS transactions and created an error code for this purpose. This was communicated to all WASPs on 21 October 2010. From 1 December 2010 any billing attempt that returns error code 41 will represent "subscriber locked for content billing". Don't expect this feature to be marketed widely.

This is now required by law - although it is badly worded: Gvt Gazette (Notice 546 of 2010) : "(3) A provider must, free of charge to an end-user, block the origination of premium rate communications from a number assigned to the end-user if the end-user has requested the blocking. "

 

[Ancalagon]

How do we enable that on our contracts?

You know what gets me about this, is the double standards. If I was engaged in fraudulent behaviour, or profited from a friend doing fraud while knowing about it and not stopping it, I'd be arrested. Vodacom is not. Why?

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

Vodacom has implemented a blocking mechanism for all OBS transactions and created an error code for this purpose. This was communicated to all WASPs on 21 October 2010. From 1 December 2010 any billing attempt that returns error code 41 will represent "subscriber locked for content billing". Don't expect this feature to be marketed widely.

This is now required by law - although it is badly worded: Gvt Gazette (Notice 546 of 2010) : "(3) A provider must, free of charge to an end-user, block the origination of premium rate communications from a number assigned to the end-user if the end-user has requested the blocking. "

ProSMS you are refering to the recycled SIM api here. Until Vodacom make an public announcement that will offer an OPT OUT to the public, such a facility does not exits and is just speculation.

So none of you even try and get excited by the poor attempts of ProSMS make us believe the networks are introducing this feature. Hell, I'm employed by a WASP and it pays my salary, but I also want to see more control on what happens to my account.