Vodacom/VAS bloodsucking parasites!

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Need4Speed

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Hi,

As you can probably tell, I'm pretty ****** off with Vodacom and their "Value Added Service" providers. Here's the situation:

My mom uses a Vodacom 3G dongle for internet access, and recently started receiving SMS from one of those "Value Added" R3/day "Services". There's no way that she could have subscribed to such a service (it's a dongle, not a phone). I traced the sms code (31122) at www.smscode.co.za and it belongs to "Vodacom Service Provider". Reading through the complaints at www.waspa.co.za I see that this is a common complaint, but such claims are always dismissed as "the subscriber must have subscribed for the service". Someone is obviously LYING.

O, and this is not the first time this has happened. Previously I "subscribed" to a R5 per day service on my phone, and although I managed to cancel it I let the question of reimbursement slide.

This time I won't be so generous.

Bloody bloodsucking leeches. They contribute nothing to society, and Vodacom keeps playing along!
 
Update:

Been to the local Vodacom shop, and the lady there informed me she can't do anything about it because this has nothing to do with Vodacom. Next step will be to report this to waspa.

Stay tuned.
 
Hi again,

Does anyone know what constitutes "proof of registration" for a "Value added" service? I'd like to know how these low-lives do it, and why Vodacom allows it. Do they need your SIM and/or your IMEI number, and how is it possible to fake such requests? Surely Vodacom must be able to distinguish between fake and real requests?

The fact that Vodacom can claim that "this has nothing to do with them" is ludicrous in my opinion. If I look at the bill, they're the ones fraudulently charging me R99 a month for "Content Services", so they are responsible. This is a MULTI MILLION rand fraud industry endorsed by Vodacom.

Just like to get all the facts, so if anyone knowledgeable can help, please step forward.
 
vodacom allow it becuase they get 40% of the revenue
 
Need4Speed said:
Hi again,

Does anyone know what constitutes "proof of registration" for a "Value added" service? I'd like to know how these low-lives do it, and why Vodacom allows it. Do they need your SIM and/or your IMEI number, and how is it possible to fake such requests? Surely Vodacom must be able to distinguish between fake and real requests?

The fact that Vodacom can claim that "this has nothing to do with them" is ludicrous in my opinion. If I look at the bill, they're the ones fraudulently charging me R99 a month for "Content Services", so they are responsible. This is a MULTI MILLION rand fraud industry endorsed by Vodacom.

Just like to get all the facts, so if anyone knowledgeable can help, please step forward.
Click to expand...

Ist not Vodacom. The WASP is a 3rd party SP.
They sell the product, its just using Vodacom as a carrier. Some mobile sites can bill if you just click "yes"
The SP, both Voda and MTN always come under fire because of these WASPs, but its really not their fault.

bboy said:
vodacom allow it becuase they get 40% of the revenue
Click to expand...

Max, 50c per SMS is made by the SP. The rest go to the WASP.
 
I still believe the SP does not do enough to ensure their customers are fairly billed.

These scams need some kind of consumer protection story to prevent subscribers getting nailed.

To OP: file a criminal complaint- theft or something.
 
Have a search for cointel and Tmobilesa - WASPA recently ruled in their favour because they failed to respond (which I am still waiting for clarification on, I recon the clarification is money).
 
Budza said:
I still believe the SP does not do enough to ensure their customers are fairly billed.

These scams need some kind of consumer protection story to prevent subscribers getting nailed.

To OP: file a criminal complaint- theft or something.
Click to expand...

What would you suggest they do? Their business is also suffering, prepaid users throw away their simcards because they cant get rid of these "parasites"
The SPs enforced a R500 000 fine on WASP that abuse the service.
What else can they do?
 
JK8 said:

Ist not Vodacom. The WASP is a 3rd party SP.
They sell the product, its just using Vodacom as a carrier. Some mobile sites can bill if you just click "yes"
The SP, both Voda and MTN always come under fire because of these WASPs, but its really not their fault.



Max, 50c per SMS is made by the SP. The rest go to the WASP.
Click to expand...

Cost Ex vat MTN Vodacon CellC
R 1.00 R 0.88 R 0.33 R 0.33 R 0.29

R 1.50 R 1.32 R 0.61 R 0.66 R 0.59

R 2.00 R 1.75 R 0.88 R 0.99 R 0.89

R 3.00 R 2.63 R 1.44 R 1.66 R 1.48

R 5.00 R 4.39 R 2.56 R 2.98 R 2.68

R 7.50 R 6.58 R 3.95 R 4.64 R 4.17

R 10.00 R 8.77 R 5.35 R 6.29 R 5.66

R 15.00 R 13.16 R 8.14 R 9.60 R 8.64

R 20.00 R 17.54 R 10.93 R 12.91 R 11.62

R 25.00 R 21.93 R 13.72 R 16.23 R 14.61

R 30.00 R 26.32 R 16.51 R 19.51 R 17.59

is that not the revenue share ?
 
JK8 said:

Ist not Vodacom. The WASP is a 3rd party SP.
They sell the product, its just using Vodacom as a carrier. Some mobile sites can bill if you just click "yes"
The SP, both Voda and MTN always come under fire because of these WASPs, but its really not their fault.






Max, 50c per SMS is made by the SP. The rest go to the WASP.
Click to expand...

Vodacom has an interest in TMobileSA - so they score big time.
 
I agree with JK8. Cellphone users keep blaming the networks when it has nothing to do with the network at all. They can't be expected to control what you do on your phone.
 
...aTrueASL said:
I agree with JK8. Cellphone users keep blaming the networks when it has nothing to do with the network at all. They can't be expected to control what you do on your phone.
Click to expand...

And what about when you get subscribed without asking for it? Would you be happy if your bank did little to help when someone debitted your account without permission?

cell companies can do a lot more...
 
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xrapidx said:
And what about when you get subscribed without asking for it?

cell companies can do a lot more...
Click to expand...

You can't expect the networks to personally monitor your usage. The only thing that they can do for you is to advise who the company is, what the service is and can even remove the subscription. However, any credits would need to be discussed with the WASP.

By the way, everybody says that they didn't request the service.
 
...aTrueASL said:
You can't expect the networks to personally monitor your usage. The only thing that they can do for you is to advise who the company is, what the service is and can even remove the subscription. However, any credits would need to be discussed with the WASP.

By the way, everybody says that they didn't request the service.
Click to expand...

Yes - everyone including me says they didn't request the service, and then after three weeks of fighting for proof from the WASP (owned by Vodacom) - they came back and said it was a 'database' error, and that I did not subscribe as they claimed - I wonder how many times this happens, it sounds like a good way to make money to me.

And no - the cellular providers don't remove your subscription - they give you the phone number of the WASP which most of the time doesn't work - and tell you to deal with it yourself.

Cellular providers can easily send you a confirmation message when a WASP debits your account... I'm on prepaid and didn't know about it until it was bought to my attention because of another issue - And no, I didn't subscribe, which was proven.

WASPs take chances, and the cellular networks let them get away with it.
 
Had problems with content charges on three different contracts (1 Vodacom, 2 MTN) in the space of a month.

Most of the time you end up at the same WASP call centre, which is a WASP owned by Vodacom.

I had definative proof from the WASP that I had never belonged to any of their services, yet the SP still said that their system shows that I had.

After lots are talking nice, losing control and finally threatening, I am pleased to say I have my money back.

And don't believe a word when the SP tells you that there is no way to stop this from happening in the future. MTN has a system in place to block all content charge requests. You just have to speak to the right people.
 
Yeh - I recon that should be an mandatory option - just like they say you can't make international calls or roam internationally without prior arrangement, the same should go for these ****ty services.

I have yet to use one.
 
Nikon_ said:
And don't believe a word when the SP tells you that there is no way to stop this from happening in the future. MTN has a system in place to block all content charge requests. You just have to speak to the right people.
Click to expand...

How would someone go about finding "the right people" at MTN? Any pointers?
 
sjm said:
How would someone go about finding "the right people" at MTN? Any pointers?
Click to expand...

Firstly, stay away from the call centres. The call centres have their responses very well scripted.

I came right by one of the franchise stores with the senior manager. It appears that they get trained before MTN does training in their own call centre.

Ironically, I had to go back to the main service centre to have them activate the block, as only MTNSP themselves have access to this feature. You can imagine their amazement when they found a feature they knew nothing about.
 
...aTrueASL said:
I agree with JK8. Cellphone users keep blaming the networks when it has nothing to do with the network at all. They can't be expected to control what you do on your phone.
Click to expand...

If the network supplies your banking details (in the form of a debit order request) to these scum, they better make sure that the request is properly authorised

...aTrueASL said:
You can't expect the networks to personally monitor your usage. The only thing that they can do for you is to advise who the company is, what the service is and can even remove the subscription. However, any credits would need to be discussed with the WASP.

By the way, everybody says that they didn't request the service.
Click to expand...

Um, maybe cause it's true?

Is it even possible to register for these services from a 3G dongle? From the SMS I received it seems that the "service" is part of Vodacom's VLive portal, so it's not even a normal internet website.

I want clarification on how these requests are authorised. What's to stop a WASP from saying to Vodacom "Hey, we just received a "yes" click from 082xxxxxxx, please bill the crap out of him on my behalf, thank you very much"

IMO this should at the very least require some PIN, or some cryptographically secured SIM/IMEI proof of registration. The fact that it's so easy for WASPs to defraud unsuspecting clients, and the fact that Vodacom gets a cut of the revenue really speaks volumes.

This is fraud, pure and simple

EDIT: Just imagine, if only 5-10% of subscribers pay R99 a month, this really is a multi-million rand fraud industry.
 
Last edited:
I speak under correction, but I remember this being covered on Carte Blanche Consumer two months back. Overall, it did not show promising results for the consumers when contacting the WASPS with queries.

Carte Blanche even caught out one of the WASPS with their "PROOF" of subscription. Apparently you can confrim the subscription before even asking for it.
 
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