I was recently hit by an extra billing scandal with ORange mobile communications. After downloading a "free" custom telephone ring for my mobile, I discovered on my bill that there were extra entries for incoming Text/SMSs which I started receiving.  All the SMSs contained publicity. each was charged 1.86$ for a total of more than 25$, which was 1/4 of the bill for the month!

 After calling Orange to dispute the charges, they refused to remove the extra charges from the bill saying that I had subscribed to the service.  They could also not block further charges for RECEIVED SMSs.  I am now forced to track down the people who are sending the SMSs because I apparently implicitly subscribed to this service when download a free custom telephone ring!!!

The scandal is bad news:

1) you think you are downloading a free telephone, but you are registering for some hidden service through a website.

2) The bills come to you through Orange, not the service you subscribe for, so when it is up to the consumer to track down the source and chase after them.

3) The bills are based on INCOMING SMS , so essentially people are sending SMSs to you and you are paying. 

4) Orange customer service claims they can do nothing about this, but they are surely receiving commissions from these services billed through them

5) When the customer goes to the website to request the custom ring,  he never gives a credit card or any payment information,  so he has no idea that he will be billed at a later time for incoming SMSs 

Moral of the story:  Avoid using ORANGE communications!!  Please spread this information, customers are being ripped off regularly, in fact Customer Service  at Orange agreed that I was among many victims, but they claim, they can't do anything.  An obvious thing Orange can do is not partner with these services.

If enough consumers complain this can be stopped, mobile communication companies shoud be penalized for this, they are currently taking advantage of hole in the law.