Globe Telecom Inc. said it enforced tighter rules to protect customers against unscrupulous practices of some third-party value-added service providers resulting in prepaid load deduction.
“We want to assure our customers that we have clauses in our contracts with partner content providers which penalize those who resort to fraud. We are also implementing stricter opt-in guidelines to make our customers aware that they are signing up for VAS subscription which entails charges,” Globe general counsel Froilan Castelo said.
Unknown load deductions occur when customers click on an online advertisement link or button of VAS providers.
As a rule, customers should get a verification code via SMS on how to opt-in as well as another SMS for successful subscription and cancellation instructions. However, there are instances when partners circumvent the rule, thus, automatically enrolling the customers without consent.
The theft happened to a prepaid customer who complained online about load reduction from a VAS provider, GotDeals Mobile Inc.
GotDeals Mobile Inc. issued a public apology after a customer complained in social media about the alleged load theft.
Globe also reminded customers that upon receipt of any push text message with an access code, they could text HELP to verify the service status, then text STOP to discontinue the service if they want to.
To further protect customers, Globe also has a prepaid load notification service called Load Watch to help prepaid mobile customers get real time balance and updates on usage of their load. Customers can have better control of their load should there be unwarranted deductions with the service.
Globe encouraged customers to report unwarranted load deductions on VAS services so these incidents can be investigated and properly addressed.
“We will not hesitate to impose sanctions against those vendors or partners who are found guilty,” Castelo said.