SCAM EMAIL ALERT Millions at risk of massive bills over online quiz texts
PHONE watchdogs are investigating a string of premium rate text scams which cost victims a potential £234 per year.
Millions of Brits are being bombarded with emails claiming they can win shopping and airline vouchers worth hundreds of pounds by answering an online quiz.
After entering their mobile phone number, they are charged a £4.50-a-week fee to receive texts containing quiz questions or competition details.
Last week our sister paper the Sunday Mirror revealed people trying to win £500 of Tesco vouchers got huge phone bills.
Now industry regulators are probing complaints about similar spam emails claiming to offer Marks & Spencer, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons vouchers. One says: “Congratulations! You have received a survey with a chance to win £500 of Sainsbury’s groceries.” Others give the impression they are linked to airlines such as Ryanair, easyJet and Thomson.
In each case, the retailers and airlines have nothing do with the offers.
The emails say entrants who get questions right go into a monthly prize draw – and those wanting to be removed from the draw should text “stop” to a five-digit number. But many victims fail to spot the small-print message until it is too late.
Merseyside Police community support officer Michael Courtney, 62, said: “I fell for this hook, line and sinker. I lost £9 but it could have gone on for weeks.”
Supermarket chiefs last night promised action against “unscrupulous” organisations targeting their customers.