On 9-18 I received an unsolicited text message from Flycell about getting ringtones. Being unsolicited was enough for me to start checking into my cell bill since I have to pay for text messages.
As it turned out, my newest bill from T-mobile included a 9.99 charge from Flycell that I supposedly signed up for on 8-19 and this newest text message was a recuring 9.99 charge that was to be billed. During a number of communications with Flycell support, I was told that someone must have stolen my phone and signed me up for the service. They said it had to be that way since they have a double opt-in process. I requested all communications that went to my phone and they provided the following:
Per our phone conversation below is a list of 'sms' transactions sent to your phone:
08-19
01:56: 07 Enter this code on the web page 2 get ur items. T&Cs: Flycell.com. Quit? Txt STOP [email protected]. TonePack 9.99/mo.
08-19
01:56: 56 Welcome! Go online to Flycell.com to download the latest content included in your package. Txt STOP TONE to opt-out. 18005800017
09-18
12:13: 25 Flycell is back with more! A new month means 8 more MusicTones for $9.99. Check out the hottest hits from 50 Cent, Kanye more. Txt STOP TONE to 69999 to optout
I am in central time so this was my response to Flycell:
This means that at 2:56: 07am CST on 8-19-06 someone broke into my house (bypassing the alarm), broke the password on my computer, used it to sign me up for flycell, received the text message on my phone that was sitting on the kitchen counter, and in well under 49 seconds entered the code on your website to get whatever junk you are selling. Then they cleaned up all traces of visiting flycell on my computer and my phone and snuck back out of my house while I was sleeping. (BTW, I live alone)
The much more likely scenario is that either Flycell's codes have been broken and some hacker is signing up unsuspecting people to this service or Flycell
is doing this themselves to boosts profits.
Needless to say, I refuse to pay a dime of it and if this is a hint of the direction cell phone abuse is headed then we better lookout!!
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