bobbo, I just unplugged my shades says:

Gag me with a spoonful of maggots. I had to stop watching at 2:45 where his guest list was shown. I’d pay money to have those folks no where near me.

But–just another instance of the lack of CONSUMER PROTECTION from obvious criminality. Surprise (really–for true) that these “mandatory opt out” provisions aren’t already illegal.

All big business is corrupt. “Thank you for using Comcast today” as if I had a choice.

ubet426 says:

Man! Why didn’t I think of that? It’s so simple! These freaking idiots are too stupid to read their bill and just send money to me every month! I’m going to have to work on a new business plan 🙂

Seriously… This is ingenious!

VZW Employee says:

90 – 95 %

bobbo, I just unplugged my shades says:

The simple reason these scams work is because the large Telco’s are in on the scam. They directly profit and no doubt they lobby for such mechanisms to be legal.

Its fraud and should be illegal. The fact that Telco’s go along with it is a good measure of their corruption and “who” our government is really all about serving.

Its right there: just LOOK!

alt173 says:

jescott418 is on to something — what does it say about our economy/society when someone can have a ‘legitimate’ business and get rich and build the modern-day equivalent of a freaking castle, and yet they contribute absolutely NOTHING (positive) to society/world/etc. The business model is not making something useful or providing a needed — or even WANTED — service, rather, just *stealing* from people’s pockets (more or less). We live in dark days…

dcphill says:

I use “P.O.T.S.” and don’t have that problem.
My problem is charges, fees, and taxes that add up to 10% of the basic charge.

mharry860 says:

Wow, I’ve gotten several of those in the past 2 months. I figured if you responded that they would then know it was a legitimate number and then the real spamming would begin. I guess I now have to start looking at my bills.

Mark says:

This is happening with Canadian cell companies too. I purchased a new phone with a new number in October and received a similar text message about a month later telling me to text back “STOP” to not be charged (some sort of celebrity news service, which I never signed up for or received updates from). To be clear, the only companies that had this number was Telus and Future Shop (where I bought the phone).

So, thinking that it was spam, I ignored it, like we’ve been told so long to do regarding email spam. Sure enough, when my bill came in, there was a text message charge. I called Telus to complain and try to have them explain to me how someone can just charge me without confirmation. She told me that is how the system works and if I receive another message like that to text back “STOP”. My account was credited the amount, but obviously these scammers are making millions doing this.

deowll says:

#18 You think these twits actually do research and care about consumers? Most of them learn about something from bloggers then they repeat what each other says.

The next point is toxic. They aren’t going to air anything that might hack off an add buying client. Adam and John are right about that.

And of course the true job of Congress and the White House is to sell out the voters and they are willing to do it for chump change.

CrankyGeeksFan says:

#11 jescott 418 & #12 alt173 – Check out the 2006 documentary “Maxed Out” about the credit card industry.

John E. Quantum says:

Everyone affected by this should go to Scottsdale and send Jason a text message, say painted on a brick and thrown through the windshield of one of his Lamborghinis. The message could say “cram this up your (fill in an appropriate body cavity)”. Or perhaps through an ATT corporate office window.

This type of sleazy, greedy parasitic corporate behavior should be countered by physical consequences.

GregA says:

This is why I ended up dropping the iPhone and switched to a pre-paid plan, and just opted out of SMS culture. Now I pay something like $25 a month for my TracPhone… Right now I have something like 250 minutes and 3 years of service…

Michael H says:

When I traded my cell phone for a home phone after having a cell for four years, I was much happier. It was very refreshing not to be bothered by people I didn’t always want to talk to while I was going about my business.

Sure, I could choose not answer the phone, but it’s still in my mind that someone is calling. I could also turn the phone off, but people would complain and ask why I had my cell phone off.

The bottom line, for me, is that I found it almost theraputic to have the option to mentally prepare myself for people I usually did not want to talk to by having them use my answering machine.

For those needing a cell phone for business and work, you have my sympathy. For those falling victim to cell phone scams, you have my deepest sympathy.