Approach Telecom???? ive been ripped off

big_pete · 07-03-2005, 08:42 PM

has anyone heard of Approach telecom.
mum has been sent a bill from these guys saying she owes $157.
she has never heard of them and is very ****ed off.
i did some searching on the net and found this site

http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/securit...744t-10000005c

which basically says they are 'Dumpers'.

Quote:

Internet dumping is the controversial practice of leading dial-up Internet users to run a small program -- often executed when the user clicks the "yes" button on a pop-up window when online -- which disconnects them from their Internet service provider and causes their computer to dial in to a "premium" Internet service, which is often billed at a rate of several dollars a minute.

now the thing is its supposedly all offical, but there is NO WAY mum is paying.
its got all her details on the bill and everything and she didnt do a thing.

what should we do?? has anyone had the same problem

also this is a word of warning, dont click on stupid pop ups!!!!

:jab:

Kryton · 07-03-2005, 08:49 PM

dont think there is much you can do about it. someone clicked on yes to changing her connection to somewhere else.

LuvinmyEB · 07-03-2005, 08:53 PM

You could try and approach them about the matter, especially seeing as it a sizeable amount.

Does anyone else use you mum's computer?

I *think* Spybot - Search and Destroy stops those ads from working, don't quote me on it though.

I remember reading about someones son running up over $4000.00 on one pr0n site.

Good Luck and let us know the outcome.

Psycho Chicken · 07-03-2005, 08:58 PM

Surely there has to be some sort of written contract to make it binding, not just a matter of clicking yes on a computer screen?

DivHunter · 07-03-2005, 08:58 PM

sounds like a data dialer to me, usually from a dodgy pop-up, activeX control etc. Talk to your service provider they may be able to help. One of our clients at work had the same thing and were let off the bill.

big_pete · 07-03-2005, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psycho Chicken

Surely there has to be some sort of written contract to make it binding, not just a matter of clicking yes on a computer screen?

thats what mum said. very ****ed off.
well, i cant see her paying it. whats the worst they can do?

Pa's a solicitor so im sure he will know what to do

LuvinmyEB · 07-03-2005, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psycho Chicken

Surely there has to be some sort of written contract to make it binding, not just a matter of clicking yes on a computer screen?

Nope, I was trying to register some software once and it started dialling the Netherlands. Needless to say I disconnected straight away.

MO · 07-03-2005, 09:13 PM

Sounds like a scam to me,get details talk to relevent people.
You said your dads a solicitor he should be able to suss it out.
Good luck

**cs123** · 07-03-2005, 10:02 PM

Get in touch with the TIO about it. It sounds like a scam to me. I wouldn't pay.

b2tf · 07-03-2005, 10:41 PM

Definitely contact the TIO on that one.

fordel · 07-03-2005, 10:47 PM

why the TIO, they have nothing to do with it

its a dialler most likely pr0n or something on the PC, they disconnect your legit ISP connection and then start dialling ISD or STD or wherever they are programmed to do

only thing you can do is clean the PC and then bar ISD/STD calls etc and that will stop it happening again

TIO wont do much, as as bad as it is to say it is a legit charge (**** had to write that 3 times) that your comptuer and then hence phone line has done

your ISP wont and cant do much besides check for obvious diallers and then send you to a tech

Chris

b2tf · 07-03-2005, 11:09 PM

TIO would be good because if it is a scam, they would most likely investigate it.

i cant think of any way that something that redirects you unknowingly and charges you without you giving your consent could be legal.

M14A-Mclaren · 08-03-2005, 08:51 AM

Lol, I bet those kids were looking at porn in that link, not like they are gonna go, "Oh yes, I was looking at quite a few porno sites, pretty good ones too, why? Whats the problem?"

champsky · 08-03-2005, 05:04 PM

i had something like this before, but my phonebill came in with a massive call on itfrom some dialler. cant remember the place i went to though, my phone company directed me to them but yeah they help find outif its bogus or not and they pretty much screw them up something cronic.

although its not tha same as yours it is pretty much similar so i would call up there company and have a word with them then if that doesnt get you anywhere theh definately go and see someone about it.

alternatively, if you knowsome killahacker then get them to infiltrate their pc's and f*** them up something bad :hihi:

(the last bit was only said in jest........yes, thats it jest

)

pauljh74 · 08-03-2005, 09:47 PM

one important thing to do on dial-up is to check the number being dialled when trying to get online is the number of your ISP. That will help you prevent getting into this sort of mess.

09-03-2005, 02:21 PM

Easy fix. Stop living in the dark-ages and upgrade to ADSL or Cable. **** dial-up.

<=== Cable-whore from way back.

24-03-2007, 07:39 PM

Hey That Happened To Me, Over $500 And I Didnt Recal Clicking Anything, I Think It Could Be A Hack Thing, I Rung Them Up And They Spoke To Me And Said "oh Dont Worry About Paying We Will Cancel The Charges" There Was No Arguement No Nothing, I Think Its A Melbourne Based Business / Scam Company.

24-03-2007, 07:40 PM

Yes Get Off Dial Up, Cause Thats How U Got It

EA Ghia · 24-03-2007, 07:49 PM

Maybe cable isn't available in their area, or they can't afford it. Although it's a small percentage of Aus that can't get cable/DSL, there are still people who can't. Or they simply don't want it.

You'd probably find that the "legally binding" contract was when you clicked yes, and dialed up for it initially. The best thing to do, would be as someone said, ring a company that deals with these kind of things. They'd get things like this quiet a lot, and would probably know what to do.

GXL078 · 24-03-2007, 08:19 PM

Don't pay it, what can they do?

I think your link has been "dumped"

big_pete · 24-03-2007, 08:25 PM

jeeez, talk about bringing up an old thread! (2years)

i cant even remember what happened with this!
must have gone away...or something!

fordel · 24-03-2007, 08:28 PM

my god, i thought this was old hahaah

naddis01 · 26-03-2007, 06:24 PM

I used to work in a Telstra billing call centre. We used to get a similar sort of thing all the time. Generally what happens is someone has clicked yes on a popup and thereby agreed to dial in thru that connection. Its generally some small island somewhere. I cant remember which one but I know that as soon as you see that on someones bill, that thats what it is. I have seen thousands of dollars run up on single bills. And I dont mean one or 2 thousand either. Anything under say $500 was small.
We werent meant to give refunds for this sort of thing when I was working there, but I think that in the week that I left they changed that. I think they started giving refunds if it wasnt too much but you had to agree to put on a 1900 and IDD bar on your phone since 99% of the time this was how the diallers worked.
In my opinion you should give Telstra a ring if thats who you are thru and they will probably give you a refund. I think I was allowed to give up to $750 refund per call without question if there was the need. Higher than that with the supervisors permission. If they dont just keep keep them on the line until they do. Call centres are run on stats. If you dont keep your average call time below a certain level you got in trouble.
I would get it worked out as Telstra bills affect your credit rating. You might get a nasty surprise one day when going for a loan if you dont pay it.

naddis01 · 26-03-2007, 06:26 PM

Oops, just looked back thru and this thread is 2 yrs old. Oh well, I guess what I said still applies. Did you get it sorted big pete