Thursday, September 29, 2011

Texting Scams

I have never claimed to be the sharpest pencil in the box when it comes to the techno department.  As a matter of fact, if it weren't for friends and family giving me a leg up every other day, this blog wouldn't even exist.  It's been a huge learning curve and the bad news is, there's no end in sight.  People like Mark Zuckerberg (of Facebook Fame) lay awake nights thinking up ways to confound the few computer skills I have so far mastered.  They keep changing the rules!

When everyone and his dog, all my kids and extended family, finally shamed me into getting my own cell phone to become accessible 24/7, I thought I was pretty hot stuff.  Two years down the road, here I am complaining to the Rogers Rep that my phone charges are escallating out of control.

Hello!  Those silly, little, unsolicited PREMIUM TEXT MESSAGES, telling me to eat healthy breakfasts, avoid potato chips and to snack on fruits have been charging me $5.00 a pop.  Over the past three months alone, I have been indebted a whopping $95.00!!!

The good news is, I have now mastered the vital skill of "stop all".  I have also learned that when you sweetly and firmly refuse to accept, "I'm sorry, I am not authorized to reverse those charges," and that if you patiently persist, the stranger representing the devious scam artists at the end of the line will eventually cave.  I got back 75 of my precious $95.00, or at least the disembodied voice over the phone line assured me a cheque for that amount will arrive in 10 to 14 business days.

Didn't the world used to be a simpler, kinder place back in the day?

9 comments:

Unknown said...

That's the truth. I found even the phone company sends you text messages, and then charges you a dollar when you read them. I refuse to text, and I don't open any messages that come to me. If someone wants to tell me something, they can call me!

Jamie said...

I can beat you. I went to Hawai'i, assured I had purchased the American plan for calls and texting in Canada.

Got my bill.
1700.00$ later. No word of a lie.

Apparently Customer Service didn't know their computer skills much either.

Empty Nester said...

Yes it was a simpler, nicer place back in the day! It most certainly was!

Southhamsdarling said...

Hi Rosemary. I tend to agree - life used to be so much simpler - "back in the day" as Empty Nester said!! Have a lovely weekend.

Tami said...

I agree with "sweetly and firmly" and "patiently persist", but I must admit that sometimes raising one's voice is so much more gratifying. :)

Anonymous said...

Okay, don't laugh... I have no idea how to text as I've never even owned a cell phone.. sigh, someday.

Sush said...

I get so upset with the way things are now. I sound like an old coot...but what happened to real not virtual thank you notes and invitations? I know cell phones are handy but when they interrupt current conversations I think it is beyond rude. Texting...hate it. My daughter prefers it to actual talking on the phone. I JUST DON'T Get IT.
Whew glad you gave me the opportunity to unload that!
Thanks~

Pat Tillett said...

I've gone as far as having the texting function blocked on my phone. I have two issues with texting. One if the spam and the other is that people won't stop texting me. So now, I don't have to worry about it at all.

Roy and Christine said...

Fancy cell phones and facebook fall into the same category--I can live without them.