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 SnowymIRC unix.ro UnderNetPremium
join:2003-04-05
Kailua, HI
kudos:5
 ·RoadRunner Cable
 ·Clearwire Wireless
1 edit | reply to john_sf
Re: [Phish] Predicto Scam: class action for unauthorized billing From the pdf
"In a widespread industry practice little known by those outside the industry, but
known to Defendants, carriers such as Alltel routinely “recycle” so-called “dirty” telephone
numbers to their customers when they sign up for new cellular telephone service. The numbers
are “recycled” in that they were previously assigned to another person or entity. The numbers
are “dirty” in that Predicto and other content providers fail to remove the pre-existing billing obligations, as required to do under their contracts with the aggregator and/or the wireless carrier partners."
So they assign a new customer a number knowing that number comes preloaded with extra charges?
I've never heard of that practice but if true the executives who either sit around & mull ways of increasing revenue without regard to ethics or give such unethical policies the green light should be held personally responsible.
The Corporate shield should offer zero protection in matters of outright fraud. | |
| Carriers recycle phone number after they provide the list of phone with terminated contracts to third parties like Predicto.
The 3rd party (Predicto) signs a protocol where they engage themselves to terminate any contracts attached to the cell phone numbers listed by Alltel, Verizon, Sprint, ATT, T-Mobile, etc...
As you can read in the cour document, Predicto ignored the rules established in this protocol and bill new subscribers who never passed any contract with Predicto (or get scammed).
Predicto never cleared the cell-phone number from old attached contracts and use these old contracts to bill the new customers.
There is a double scam: the basic subscriber scam and the investor scam as Predicto claims that they are leader in the paid service cell phone market with 1.8 Millions subscribers.
Once we count the unused cell-numbers, the people who got scammed and who don't know (because they didn't check their bills), the people who asked Predicto to stop billing and still get billed how many still remain in this market segment.
Investor are misled by figures and get scammed too. This business is all built on air.
But what is shameful is to see kids and old people scammed by predators like Predicto. | |
SnowymIRC unix.ro UnderNetPremium
join:2003-04-05
Kailua, HI
kudos:5 Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
·Clearwire Wireless
| said by john_sf :
But what is shameful is to see kids and old people scammed by predators like Predicto.
Exactly.
To the detractors of class action suits in general, I'd say this is a good example of a judicious use of the process.
Mahalo for the thread/info. | |
 pcdebbRIP dadkinsPremium
join:2000-12-03
Brandon, FL
kudos:4 | reply to Snowy
said by Snowy:So they assign a new customer a number knowing that number comes preloaded with extra charges? Negative. The carrier doesn't know what billing is on the "dirty" number. When a number is disco, it 's in the "dirty" pile for x amount of time (I dont know the time). When I got my number it hadn't been disco long because I was getting collection calls from the previous owner of the number.
I will be the first to agree that Predictomobile is playing a dirty dirty game. I work for a wireless carrier, and a day doesn't go by where customer is calling to inquire about premium sms charges from these outfits. There are others, but Predicto is one of the worst. I've seen these charges on the wireless cards, which have no way of texting at all. some are from previous subscribers, but most I think are getting slammed/crammed with their subscriptions.
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pcdebbRIP dadkinsPremium
join:2000-12-03
Brandon, FL
kudos:4
1 edit | reply to john_sf
said by john_sf :
Carriers recycle phone number after they provide the list of phone with terminated contracts to third parties like Predicto. Do you have a source for this info?
and to add, rather than this guy drumming up a class action, why not call up his carrier (Alltel) and let them know, so it can be credited on his account? While I can understand his frustration, I see some holes in this lawsuit. Alltel and other carriers aren't the real bad guys when it all boils down.
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MGDPremium,MVM
join:2002-07-31
kudos:9
1 edit | reply to Snowy
said by Snowy:.......... ... To the detractors of class action suits in general, I'd say this is a good example of a judicious use of the process. Mahalo for the thread/info. Agree, I am not generally in favor of CAs, however, I make exceptions when they are used as a vehicle of last resort to force change.
The Predicto name sounded familiar, I saw the large volume of consumer complaints on various websites. So I looked up the domains:
IP 69.20.121.35 [reverse DNS - web.shoploop.com]
1. Predicto.com
2. Predictomobile.com
3. Predictotv.com
But all three were anonymous privacy cloaked:
=================================
Registration Service Provided By: Enom, Inc
Domain name: predictomobile.com
Registrant Contact:
Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc.
Whois Agent ()
Fax:
PMB 368, 14150 NE 20th St - F1
C/O predictomobile.com
Bellevue, WA 98007
US
Administrative Contact:
Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc.
Whois Agent (vswndtyy@whoisprivacyprotect.com)
+1.4252740657
Fax: +1.4256960234
PMB 368, 14150 NE 20th St - F1
C/O predictomobile.com
Bellevue, WA 98007
US
Name Servers:
ns.rackspace.com
ns2.rackspace.com
Creation date: 20 Mar 2007 14:41:43
Expiration date: 20 Mar 2010 14:41:00
=================================
So I went back to the first day of the domain registration in March of 2007:
=================================
Registration Service Provided By:
ShopLoop.com, Inc. DBA NextWeb Media
Contact: itai@nextwebmedia.com
Domain name: predictomobile.com
Administrative Contact:
ShopLoop.com, Inc. DBA NextWeb Media
Itai Kathein (itai[@]nextwebmedia.com)
+1.2125881180
Fax: 212-588-1191
8050 SW 10th St, Suite 1400
Plantation, FL 33324
US
=================================
Then I saw this recent Press Release:
»www.prweb.com/releases/2009/04/p···7764.htm
quote:
"An increasing number of consumers are choosing to use their cell phone to access information and stay updated on the latest news and current events" stated Eyal Yechezkell, CEO and co-founder of Predicto. "We are delighted by the continued growth of the Predicto community and will continue to look for additional ways to engage and entertain consumers on their mobile devices."
About Predicto
Predicto Mobile has established itself as one of the most sought after text message services providing live feeds and information for people and the media to discover what the country really thinks about pop culture and current events. Predicto is a privately owned company headquartered in New York. Follow the company's updates on the Predicto Twitter page and latest videos at Predicto TV.
Then I saw this:
quote:
NextWeb Media
»www.nextwebmedia.com/company
Eyal Yechezkell, Co-founder & CEO
Itai Kathein, Co-founder & President
We're NextWeb Media and since 1999 we've been building a proprietary subscription-based network one exciting service at a time. Utilizing management's extensive marketing skills, the company has developed a market leading network of websites with some of the highest converting offers online reaching millions of Americans every month. Our innovative team consists of a variety of specialized talents including direct marketers, copywriters, programmers, graphic designers, and customer support representatives.
I was humming.. old dogs, new tricks..... Then I remembered .......................
Circa 2006:
DSLR Scambusters, Circa October 2008:
»[Scam] Predicto
MGD | |
MGDPremium,MVM
join:2002-07-31
kudos:9 | reply to Snowy
said by Snowy:said by john_sf :
But what is shameful is to see kids and old people scammed by predators like Predicto.
Exactly. To the detractors of class action suits in general, I'd say this is a good example of a judicious use of the process. Mahalo for the thread/info. Certainly qualifies under my criteria:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2007
Washington Consumers Eligible for Refunds from Email Discount Network
SEATTLE – Washington state consumers are eligible for refunds as part of a settlement reached between the Florida Attorney General’s Office and Email Discount Network (EDN). Email Discount Network, located in Florida, charged more than 250,000 consumers nationwide a monthly fee for shopping coupons and discounts the company advertised on the Internet.
An investigation by the Florida Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division found consumers were unaware they were being charged this monthly fee on their phone bills. The state filed a civil lawsuit against the company last September, claiming EDN failed to clearly disclose that the offers for savings were not free. Additionally, it was not made clear that customers who submitted personal information to the company would be charged unless they contacted EDN to cancel their subscriptions.
Under the settlement, EDN must refund customers who submit valid claims to the company. Restitution is expected to exceed $1 million. EDN will also prominently disclose the monthly fee when it advertises on the Internet, as well as a consumer’s obligation to cancel services to avoid being charged.
The case was one of many recent investigations by the Florida Attorney General’s Office into a practice known as "cramming," in which companies place unauthorized charges on phone bills. Washington consumers can reduce their risk of becoming cramming victims by following the tips below.
Refund Requests
Under the settlement agreement, EDN must notify eligible customers by e-mail that they are entitled to a refund. Washington residents who believe they are eligible for a refund should monitor their e-mail for a message from EDN.
The message includes a claim form and instructs consumers to provide their name, telephone number billed by EDN, mailing address and the number of months of service for which they seek a refund. Completed forms should be mailed to EDN: 1844 Nob Hill Road, #142, Plantation, FL, 33322, Attn: Consumer Refund Manager. Consumers must submit forms within 60 days of receipt
Ref: »www.atg.wa.gov/pressrelease.aspx?id=14424
Déjà vu, perhaps?: »www.google.com/search?q=Email+Di···=en&sa=2
MGD | |
SnowymIRC unix.ro UnderNetPremium
join:2003-04-05
Kailua, HI
kudos:5 Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
·Clearwire Wireless
| said by MGD:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 16, 2007 Washington Consumers Eligible for Refunds from Email Discount NetworkWashington residents who believe they are eligible for a refund should monitor their e-mail for a message from EDN. A sharp bad guy would already be mass mailing WA residents with their EDN phishmail.
All we need to complete the refund process is your... | |
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