Have you experienced SMS billing or spam problems?

What isn't stated his what happens with the appeals - and whether the WASPs actually ever pay the fines.
 
Why are WASPs even allowed to operate in the first place? They do nothing but rip off gullible and vulnerable members of the public who don't know any better. They serve no useful purpose in society whatsoever.
 
The majority of these complaints were related to billing for services the customer no longer wants or claims not to have signed up for in the first place.
Click to expand...

Funny how in every other industry this would constitute fraud & theft - a criminal offense - yet the WASP's are allowed to just keep on doing it.
 
do they check the whole system when people complain, or limit it to those who complain? surely if i complain about a wasp then they should check the wasp's systems as i cant be the only one getting ripped off. these guys have figured that less than 1% of their total "customers" complain, the rest dont know where to complain and end up changing their sim cards.
 
“Repeat offenders have services terminated, and in some cases WASPA requests the mobile networks to suspend their services entirely,” WASPA said.

What's to stop a service registering in another name, in order to continue devious billing practices.
When they're terminated from using that service, they continue with another name, and simply continue with their cycle of fraud against customers ....
 
I think WASPA should create a data base to which you can subsribe either by entering your number or SMS a short number which will put you in the data base. If your number is in there, then all WASP services will be removed and no further WASP activity is allowed on that number AT ALL!

That in my eyes would be the best solution.
 
I'm still hearing way too many stories about people being deceptively opted-in to these so called 'services'.
One wonders why Service Providers (MTN / Voda / CellC etc) have such a hard time unsubscribing those who wish to cancel these horrible WASP services.

Could it be because the SP's get a cut out of the subscriptions, and therefore turn a blind eye to this blatantly fraudulent practice?

Perhaps we should subscribe Deborah Patta's personal cell number to one of these services...:D
 
Another option would be that the networks have to verify with the customer that the customer authorises the subscription or billing, similar process to how subscriptions with Paypal work.

So process would be something like follows:

- I respond to advert to join some pathetic sms service
- Inturn my network would then verify with me that I have in fact subscribed to the service and accept the bill
- Only then may the sms service bill me via my network.
 
warwickw said:
Another option would be that the networks have to verify with the customer that the customer authorises the subscription or billing, similar process to how subscriptions with Paypal work.

So process would be something like follows:

- I respond to advert to join some pathetic sms service
- Inturn my network would then verify with me that I have in fact subscribed to the service and accept the bill
- Only then may the sms service bill me via my network.
Click to expand...
I still don't understand why I can't block all WASP subscriptions by default.
 
I don't know why Service providors are allowed to charge me for something that originates from a 3rd party? There should be a "block all charges that haven't been signed by me" clause in my contract by default.
 
smartguy said:
I don't know why Service providors are allowed to charge me for something that originates from a 3rd party? There should be a "block all charges that haven't been signed by me" clause in my contract by default.
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i totally agree ... and have tried to discuss this the morons at the MTN call center .... I would have better luck explaining it to wall :)
I hope that the new act will cover this to some extent .... it makes no sense for anyone to bill me on behalf of someone else .... especially without any proof!!
 
I have never been whacked but two mates have. In both cases they were billed for a service they never requested

a) They went to Vodacom and got referred to the Content guys
b) They went to the Content guys who said they could not help because they were merely handling the commercial side. They would not even tell them who the content originator was
c) They went to WASPA and laid a complaint. Within a day the people in b)above were desperate to give money back. They were upset that my mates did not wait longer for the issue to be resolved. Cancelation of service happened immediately. Refunds were problematic because they wanted bank account details. He would rather have had a credit in his Vodacom account. It wasn't a lot of money so gave a charity's details rather than disclose his details

WASPA does a great job. The WASPS definitely respect them

However refunds still dont work properly. I have even heard of people receiving refunds via cash in the post. If the SP bills you then you should get your money back via the same channel.
 
xrapidx said:
What isn't stated his what happens with the appeals - and whether the WASPs actually ever pay the fines.
Click to expand...

I think you're right. My own experience is that the whole thing is just swept beneath the carpet and they stop updating you after 6 months or so. WASPA looking after their own.
 
xrapidx said:
What isn't stated his what happens with the appeals - and whether the WASPs actually ever pay the fines.
Click to expand...

Hi

All of the appeals are published - http://www.waspa.org.za/code/search.php - so it can be checked.
Given that appeals are lodged by WASPA members (and not the public) my non-specific assessment from being involved is that most adverse findings are upheld although fines may be reduced. An appeals panels is necessary to catch adjudication errors (which happen).

Failure to enforce payment has been an issue before - not sure as to current status but again this information is publicly available using the "Fines status" checkbox on the search page linked to above. Where a sanction is not complied with it is a further offence and a further complaint is initiated.
 
evilstebunny said:
Funny how in every other industry this would constitute fraud & theft - a criminal offense - yet the WASP's are allowed to just keep on doing it.
Click to expand...

if you look through the sanctions imposed on http://www.waspa.org.za/code/search.php you might come to the conclusion that it is an effective system for dispute resolution compared to what else is on offer (ICASA?) and that sanctions for serious breaches are significant

ike said:
do they check the whole system when people complain, or limit it to those who complain? surely if i complain about a wasp then they should check the wasp's systems as i cant be the only one getting ripped off. these guys have figured that less than 1% of their total "customers" complain, the rest dont know where to complain and end up changing their sim cards.
Click to expand...

no doubt you are right about the rip-offs - i am not sure that the resources exist to check whole systems and the whole process has to be triggered by something

I O U said:
“Repeat offenders have services terminated, and in some cases WASPA requests the mobile networks to suspend their services entirely,” WASPA said.

What's to stop a service registering in another name, in order to continue devious billing practices.
When they're terminated from using that service, they continue with another name, and simply continue with their cycle of fraud against customers ....
Click to expand...

it happens but the mobile networks tend to make it difficult

ocleroux said:
I think WASPA should create a data base to which you can subsribe either by entering your number or SMS a short number which will put you in the data base. If your number is in there, then all WASP services will be removed and no further WASP activity is allowed on that number AT ALL!

That in my eyes would be the best solution.
Click to expand...

This is under discussion - there are draft regulations relating to registries performing this function under the Consumer Protection Act

warwickw said:
Another option would be that the networks have to verify with the customer that the customer authorises the subscription or billing, similar process to how subscriptions with Paypal work.

So process would be something like follows:

- I respond to advert to join some pathetic sms service
- Inturn my network would then verify with me that I have in fact subscribed to the service and accept the bill
- Only then may the sms service bill me via my network.
Click to expand...

Yes. Personally i would like to see the networks taking far more responsibilty for their customers and actively seeking to protect them from fraudulent practises but that does not seem to be their approach.
 
dominic said:
Hi

All of the appeals are published - http://www.waspa.org.za/code/search.php - so it can be checked.
Given that appeals are lodged by WASPA members (and not the public) my non-specific assessment from being involved is that most adverse findings are upheld although fines may be reduced. An appeals panels is necessary to catch adjudication errors (which happen).

Failure to enforce payment has been an issue before - not sure as to current status but again this information is publicly available using the "Fines status" checkbox on the search page linked to above. Where a sanction is not complied with it is a further offence and a further complaint is initiated.
Click to expand...
Come now, Dominic. After 6 months the admin lady stops updating you, it goes to appeal and you have to nag for more info. The bit about "further offence" is also BS. In my own case I was told it went to appeal and they didn't get fined and are awaiting a ruling - that was over a year ago and didn't even inform me of the appeal. Whitewash!
 
morning
i don't work for WASPA but pls pm me the details of the matter and i will try and follow up for you as your situation sounds unacceptable
my honest assessment is that WASPA - whatever the motivation in setting it up - has done a great deal in terms of cleaning up the space and i am sticking with that

Lounger said:
Come now, Dominic. After 6 months the admin lady stops updating you, it goes to appeal and you have to nag for more info. The bit about "further offence" is also BS. In my own case I was told it went to appeal and they didn't get fined and are awaiting a ruling - that was over a year ago and didn't even inform me of the appeal. Whitewash!
Click to expand...
 
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