Premium Text Messages Explained

Imagine my husband's surprise when we opened our most recent cell phone bill (we go through Verizon Wireless) and noticed that the bill was $20 or so more than it should be. Immediately I suspected those damn premium text message services, and also knew immediately which cell phone number the additional charges had been sent to. Yup- our 15 year old daughter had 2 premium text messages (and the accompanying data charges for downloading) on her cell phone number. What is a premium text message, and what can you do about removing the charges and stop receiving those messages? It's not easy (nor cheap), but it can be done.

A premium text message is a subscribed cell phone service outside your cell phone provider. Usually, it's one of those services where you text a code to a certain number and you can receive daily jokes, ringtones, pictures of Justin Bieber, what-have-you. You have to accept a terms of agreement (showing your monthly charge) before you can receive the services, however, but most people (teenagers) ignore this. Once you select OK, you will now receive this premium text message charge on a monthly basis on your cell phone bill under the associated cell phone number. The charge varies from a few dollars to upwards of $20 or more, and is charged monthly to the cell phone bill associated with the cell phone number requesting the service.

The problem is, once you (the parent) realize that there are premium text messages and associated charges on your cell phone bill (your bill will actually state 'premium text message' and the charge next to it so it's not something you have to really look for), there is nothing your cell phone provider can do for you. The charges are unrelated to the service they provide, which means they cannot (and will not, in most cases) reverse them for you. However, you can cancel these premium text message services by requesting the 5-digit code to contact the premium text message service provider from your cell phone provider (the code does not show up on your bill, however, you can look up your detailed bill online if detailed bill service is provided).

What you do to cancel the premium text message service is simple- you take the actual cell phone being charged the premium text message fees and text the word STOP to the 5-digit code (number). You will receive a cancellation confirmation text within a moment or so. Your charges for the month will be pro-rated by the premium text message service provider, and you will notice these changes on your cell phone bill. The premium text message charges should stop entirely by your next bill after the pro-rated charges.

Unfortunately, your cell phone provider usually will not have any information about the premium text message service that is on your bill other than the 5-digit code and a bland title for the service, and they are not required to alert you about these messages and the associated charges because it is an outside service that you agree to on your own. As a former Verizon Wireless representative, premium text messages and their related charges were the most common calls I received. I saw premium text message charges in excess of $200 that I could not reverse on an almost daily basis.

To keep these charges at bay in the future, you can request your cell phone representative to place a 'block' on premium text messages for certain cell phone numbers on your account. This way, even 'accidentally', you cannot subscribe to a premium text message and incur surprise charges. But remember, once that charge is on there, it will not disappear until you cancel the premium text message service via texting STOP to the 5-digit code that your cell phone service provider can give you. It's a frustrating experience, but you can do something about those pesky premium text messages.

Source:

personal experience as a parent and a Verizon Wireless rep