Young people today “text” each other (send text messages from their cellphones) and use various premium text messaging services advertised on television.
One such service invites viewers to text the word LOVE to 66466 (that five digit phone number is known as a shortcode). After doing so, the caller will receive text messages back that will “spice up your love life”, help you “discover the secrets of love”, and “how to be a great kisser.”Â
When the would-be casanova gets his or her phone bill, however, they probably will only have learned how to be a great sucker.
*MOUSE PRINT: Â This is actually a subscription service that costs $1 per daily message or $30 a month, and you will continue to be billed until you text “stop.”
This disclaimer actually says, adding the missing punctuation: “www.glomobi.com charged to your wireless phone bill. Text messaging fees apply. Under 16: seek permission from the bill payer and/or parental approval. Unsubscribe: txt ‘stop’ to 66466. $1 (+tax) per daily msg. $30 per month; Cingular $30 per month.”
What the commercial does not do is disclose the price orally. As Mouse Print* has mentioned before, the federal rules governing “pay per call services” [900 numbers] pre-date the advent of these type of text-based calls, and thus those price disclosure rules do not apply.
The cost of these tips might even be equal to or higher than the monthly service fee for the cellphone itself charged by the cell carrier!Â
So, if you still believe that love is free, that’s fine, but just don’t text it.
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how long is the mouse print on the screen even. can it easily be read in the course of the length of the commercial? of course, even if it can, they are obviously misdirecting the viewer away from the mouse print by all the other stuff that is going on in the commercial. the real shame is that this type of commercial is obviously targeting teens who probably don’t even pay their cell phone bill. i feel sorry for mom and dad when they get that cell phone bill. there definitely needs to be some legislative action taken to cover these types of commercials. they are popping up a lot. i saw a similiar one for jokes that would get text messaged to your cell phone for the same type of fee structure. how many teens are paying attention to the mouse print though?
There are also a lot of advertisements that say “text A or B and win an Ipod” or $1500 or a gift pack. What a total scam!
I agree with the above post. No one can read the mouseprint during the add because it’s too small and/or posted for about 3 seconds. It should be stated (slowly) orally during the commercial. What’s sad about this kind of trashy add is that they rely on the fact that callers don’t understand what they are getting into. But then again, that’s commerce in America today. As I’ve gotten older I’ve developed nothing but contempt for American business’s who spend more time developing subtle ways to legally steal your money than earn it with a decent product.
They say “Under 16: seek permission”
Does that mean if they don’t, nobody is liable for the charges?
If texting represents a contract, then these under-aged people may not be legally bound by the contract and the parents may be able to refuse payment. Of course, how many are going to fight it?
Likewise, if an “under-ager” calls a 1-900 number on the home phone, can’t the parents get it canceled? And tied with that they may be obliged to put a “lock” on the 900 numbers. How do you “lock” these unscrupulous TV requests ?
re: under sixteen:
Just a guess but it’s probably in the contract between the user and phone company. User is responsible for for all charges on the account. Unless and until the phone is reported as lost or stolen.
For a home phone, you can call the phone company and ask them to block all 900 calls (calls that have fees associated with them). The cell phone companies need to provide this same type of functionality for text messaging – the ability to block all messages that will impose a rebound fee. Since when was it ok to charge the customer for a fee without this being stated at the time of use?
Where are those law makers that love our votes so much? – here’s another one you need to work on.
If you’re afraid that your teen my be increasing your cell phone bill due to text messaging; call your cell phone carrier and have them put a block on all text messaging.
I did with Cingular and no longer have to worry about the hidden charges of text messaging.
You guys in the States think you have a problem. Be warned, if you are going to Ireland, leave your cell phone at home. It is open seasion all year round on cell phone owners as companies are not properly regulated and they have brought the act of “legal” theft through the use of “subscription servvices” to a fine art. And complaints to the government are a waste of time.Corruption is endemic now.
To even subscribe or send a text, to think the answers of love are on the other end.
Please donate to charity, if you ask me it will show you the answer to love better than
some vapid one sentanced text you will receive from them. And people wonder why
im ashamed of being human. More wastefulness please.
These texts are really ripping off young people. As a payer of my daughters mobile phone bill , I have had problems with getting rid of these costs.
I’ve noticed the ONLY TV station they play those stupid commercials on now is MTV. So MTV agrees to scamming their own audience. That’s why I refuse to watch MTV. It’s so stupid, and MTV even says “WE THINK OUR AUDIENCE ARE STUPID TEENS WHO WILL FALL FOR ANY SCAM WE PUT ON OUR CHANNEL” by doing that.