MIA Sphere Live

[Dan_C]

Hey @lyonfille, we'll need you to jump onto live chat →  http://yesopt.us/chat2us. You'll to request to set your Premium SMS spend control limit to $0.00. This will prevent any third party content provider from charging your Optus account. The consultant can also raise a dispute with the provider on your behalf. They'll be in contact within 2-3 business days to arrange a refund. 

[domwild]

Telstra is claiming they will stop this nuisance by December 2017, BUT they have placed such claims to papers before.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-29/telstra-opts-out-of-third-party-billing/8851982

Simple solution:

1. Ring telco, ask for money back, disregard message to contact scammer for that. Never works.

2. If unsuccessful, mention TIO (Ombudsman). Still unsuccessful, submit on-line complaint to TIO. Record reference number.

3. Watch invoice(s) for credit(s). If still unsuccessful, escalate complaint to TIO using previous reference number. Will cost telco more than the $30 it cost them the first time.

Optus is still considering this issue?? Forum Whirlpool now has 53 pages or > 1,000 complaints listed. Forget Scamwatch, Scamnet, ACMA, ACCC, ACORN, ACCAN, police, etc., all they do is log scam reports but no action. The TIO will get your money back.

[Nam_L]

Hey @Jocelyn2521, 

Thanks for reaching out to us here. I've picked up your PM and have replied there.

Cheers,

[Mickylion247]

I have two charges from "MIA Sphere Live" on my account. I did not authorise these transactions and don't even know what they are for. I have been browsing other forums and this is obviously a scam so I don't know why you are still allowing this platform to bill through the Optus Billing service? Pretty badform Optus.

[petergdownload]

Optus have a financial arrangement with these companies. They earn money directly from the scam.

Not enough money IMO to warrant the agro generated and shame it brings to their reputation, but they disagree.

Telstra have decided to scrap the entire Premium SMS program in the next few months.  

Search this forum for mia sphere live and find out what you need to do.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[archienhi]

Thanks for the instructions. I've just had to do this. The fact that I had to do this for something I never actually signed up for other than to close a window is a big scam. I think a complaint to the Ombudsman is timely. Optus should know better.

[Aman_B]

Hi @archienhi, looks like you have been subscribed to a premium service. We may need to have this investigated by the content provider. We can restrict further charges for premium services on our end. Once that is done there won't be further charges. Please contact our care team  Here from your PC and we can refer your charges to the content provider. 

[Hkgd]

Notifying the Ombudsman and emailing particular journalists who cover the telecommunications industry is how I went about things after having these charges applied and I suggest others do the same.

[Alex_1]

I was charged more than $50 for this dodgy "premium service". It's definitely a cr1me to sign customers without their acknowledge and Optus should deal with it accordingly, not forwarding customers to cr1m1nal's websites.

[archienhi]

This is the text message I received:

FreeMSg: Your subscription to Hungama costs $3.00/wk charged to your mobile account. Opt-out send STOP to 19789196 HELP: 1300772193 hungama.com

As I had never heard of Hungama I assumed it was just the usual spam and they had got hold of my number somehow, so I ignored it.  Never did I dream that Optus would be so unprincipled and unconscionable as to allow any group to have access to my details and to charge to my account without an explicit and confirmed acknowledgement from me. (If I clicked on links to close unwanted pop-up windows, this does NOT constitute acknowledgement. I should be explicitly entering my details showing my actual consent.)

When I received the message three more times I started researching online and found that Hungama is an actual company and that other companies, like TOPIKOO, have been running the exact same scam. I could scarcely believe it and was also not very happy to read the following news article on the ABC either, which shows Optus is very well aware of this issue and has not yet taken proactive action to stop it from occurring: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-01/customers-complain-of-scam-charges-on-phone-bills/8753534

It took quite a bit of searching before I found this page of instructions to find out how to change my settings so that I don't get charged for something I never wanted. I and other consumers should not be put in such a situation. I feel very disappointed and let down by Optus who should simply know better and have better standards.