A consumer advocacy group, called Choice, stepped in to fight against mobile ringtone service, wall paper services, and horoscope services that make it very difficult to unsubscribe. Consumers have lately reported a number of incidents where their phones are inundated with misleading SMS online mobile services they never requested, prompting the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to begin a review.

The ACCC found that some portions of the mobile phone industry were engaging in deceptive consumer practices with bulk SMS and SMS from PCs that included distracting visuals, hard-to-read fine print, and even misleading contracts. The protection groups are now asking that subscription services include a double opt-in procedure to ensure that consumers are presented with the terms and conditions of a service prior to being signed up.

In the past, grossly invasive marketing techniques involving Internet text were reined under control, and Choice is asking that a similar method be implemented with a confirmation SMS message clearly spelling out the service’s offering along with the consumer’s rights. Consumers would then have to respond with a code to formally agree to joining the service.
An abysmal lack of customer service continues to haunt the PC SMS-based services In a recent survey, Choice found that among those who knowingly subscribe to SMS computer service, nearly two thirds had difficulty canceling it when they found the would be charged for the service. In addition, nearly 50 percent of those had no idea how to cancel the service. Rogue industry tactics always work for a little time until proper enforcement kicks in and change the industry.

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