skydeck

Oh bloody hell! That's just disgraceful!

I'm not only including this on the next Carnival of the Mobilists but I'll blog about it on my personal blog as well. I wonder what percentage of people request a refund vs how many get downright ripped off by it never noticing!

*pulls hair out* What IS the world coming to!?!

This puzzles the heck out of me.

I discovered a $9.99 charge on my February AT&T account for my 11-year-old son's phone. He has no clue how he subscribed to anything, and certainly no recollection of doing so. (He's a smart kid. He downloaded two games - with Mom's permission - and knew exactly what he was doing.)

I called AT&T. All they can tell me is that he subscribed on 2/29. They wouldn't give me more info about SJA mobile, but did tell me that I'd find it through Google, which I did, and which led me here.

As much as I search the web and SJA's limited website I can find *nothing* to say what they do. Yet there are what seem to be legitimate blog posts saying that it's a useful service - yet they *also* don't say what it is. Are these people being paid by SJA (whatever they are)? There are no apparent referral fees involved, since a) there are no referral codes in the links and b) there's nothing to sign up for at the SJA web site (so HTTP_REFERER wouldn't be of much use.)

Some of the blogs are clearly not protected from spam - are the SJA ads just a more sophisticated form of spam?

This blog entry, and the ones that reference it, are the only source of real information I've seen about SJA, and that information seems to be that the entire operation is a scam. Nothing I've seen on the other side would lead me to question that conclusion.

So I'm flummoxed:
- What do they do?
- How does a scamming non-service get hooked up with the big wireless providers?
- How did they con an 11-year-old into signing up?

(I'll be enabling "parental controls" on his phone this evening...)

Well... damn. I've learned more, and it's not exactly the scam I expected. So when I texted STOP from my kid's phone to the published number I got a reply from "ultimate-game-cheats.net".

Turns out he did subscribe to a "service" after all. http://www.ultimate-game-cheats.net/ - "Enter your cell phone number to get the site password." In the fine print it does say it will cost $9.99/month and you must be 14 or older.

Verizon had these same SJA Mobile charges to my wife's cell phone. Not knowing what this was we had Verizon "block" premium text messages as of April 1st. None the less, I just received the bill for May. This new bill has a daily $0.99 charge to MX Telecom for premium text messages (which were supposedly blocked). As of today, June 2, the telephone number next to these MX Telecom charges was dialed and it states the number is disconnected. Per the MX Telecom website they simply bundle this "service" and collect for the "content" providers. This is little more than organized theft and I'd like to see someone besides the public pay dearly for it.

I guess I am a moron for not checking my bill but this SJA has been taking me for a ride for some time now, I have some colorful friends and obviously didnt notice an odd text allowing them to charge me 4.99 every 7 days this has been going on for quite some time now... so ashamed

On Saturday, July 5, 2008 I received this text message (which started out with), "Hey, here is your password...." Further into the message it states that I can contact them through 1-800-559-9313, e-mail them at: mobilesupport@helpsupportconnect.com OR by texting STOP to 23907 and that my mobile bill was going to be charged $19.99. I immediately contacted my carrier and they blocked them and denied the $19.99 charge (THANK GOD!). When trying to contact them either way it doesn't allow it. Access denied by texting to 23907, e-mails come back with the "Mailer Demon" and the 800 # is only automated with the message about the e-mail address....so, how is it that we actually contact them like they say if we want to unsubscribe to whatever it is that we subscribed to?? Thank you, Dan, for this site........now, what can we do to REALLY STOP THEM???????

I just got off the phone with Verizon and found this while trying to find out what SJA mobile alert was. My daughter's (and believe it or not she is responsible) number had a 9.99 charge for a premium text message. She did receive an ad not long after we got the phone (less than a month ago) and she just deleted it. Perhaps it was the same type of ad Cinde V. received? That is the only way we can think of this happened. Verizon has blocked our premium texts (I hope). I also got the recorded message to send the email and sent the email and was told to text STOP. To be honest, I was a bit afraid to text anything to them. Has anyone who texted them to stop had any problems? Perhaps I will get the refund. This seems a bit crazy that people can just subscribe you to things. I am not sure if Cinde got through, but the email address I was given was mobilesupport@helpdeskconnect.com

I got one of their text messages: "Hi there! Your password is... write it down for logging in..." What I don't exactly understand is how can they charge me a 19.99 monthly charge when all I have is a cheap pre-paid Tracfone?

Needless to say, I am registered on the Do Not Call List and have filed a complaint against them.

My husband did sign up for what he thought was a one time only fee on ultimategamecheats.net However we have been charged $29.97 on our T-Mobile bill and I was told by T-Mobile that we needed to contact the provider. There were a total of 3 charges on my bill from SJA Mobile Alerts and Tracey McGradey content. When I called 1-800-559-9313 an automated message came on and said to email them at mobilesupport@helpdesk.com I am very frustrated with this whole thing.

update. The email address given was mobilesupport@helpdeskconnect.com

mobilesupport@helpdeskconnect.com
is a scam they charged my phone and i called to take care of it get this site and nothing..this is crazy..please help if you know anyother way to contact then

...oh yeah -- thanks "Crystal S." I am already on the Do Not Call list and just filed a complaint like you did. It's at least a start...

Same thing happend to me.I have verizon and i have a 9.99 charge on my account.I called verizon and they gave me a number to call.The number was a recording saying to E-Mail SJA mobile at mobilesupport@helpdeskconnect.com and the E-Mail was returned undeliverable.I don't know how to stop this from happening but maybe verizon should set up a way for no charges to be put on the phone bill without the subscribers consent.Just my opinion.

I thought I was the only one being scammed by SJA. Two months ago I received a text trying to sign me up for WII game cheats I didn't want this service and I didn't order it so I ignored the text. Next month on my Sprint bill is a charge from SJA for 19.99, I have tried several different ways to get a refund since July 7 still haven't gotten one. Next thing I know I get another text I did respond to this one and stopped the service then I get my Sprint bill and guess what another 19.99 charge. This time I called Sprint and they reversed the two 19.99 charges no questions asked. Is Sprint the one who gave SJA my cell number? How is this legal? I didn't ask for this service and I never signed up for it, my husband actually tried to blame it on our 11 year old son since the text was about cheat codes. Anyway, still waiting to hear from SJA!

Just got a text from them for a $19.99 monthly charge about some bullshit service I didn't sign up for. I googled the 800 number included in the text and discovered several people encountering similar messages.

I had to call att's customer service to have them take the charge off my account (yes they apparently can charge you without any consent) and have a block option turned on to prevent such things from happening.

Our daughter's phone (she doesn't even have internet access) was billed for almost 100 dollars in various bogus charges some from sja and the rest from ringtone sites. She's in tears swearing she never called, texted, etc. anyone she didn't know. I checked her call log, text messages and looked for any downloaded ringtones/games but didn't find any. Is it me or does it seem like they are doing this to a lot of kids phone lines? Are they somehow getting a list of numbers that belong to one subscriber and charging it to the low usage number (that most likely belonging to your pre-teen)? My husband called AT&T and they are crediting it, but said it may take two billing cycles and recommended we pay it so we aren't delinquent. Yeah right!!

I went ahead and contacted the Attorney General's office in my state, they replied back and made it sound like I or one of my kids had gone to some website for free ringtones etc. and entered my phone number. This of course did not happen! Anyway, they thanked me for the information and referred me to the FCC who oversees the cell phone market so I went ahead and filed a complaint with them also. I encourage everyone to do the same. Still haven't heard a word from or received my refund from SJA. Big surprise there! What happened to the good faith refund they promise on their website?

I was hit with this text as well. I did as instructed and went to the site and cancelled the services. I was also hit with Cylon LLC: Alerts for $19.99. I can't find anywhere on the web on how to cancel this service. Have anyone been hit by them too? I wonder if it is the same company

My T-Mobile was billed for $9.99 two months in a row, so I called up the customer service and asked what's going on. The rep said I had "somehow signed up for some text service" and that she does not know what. She refunded me for one month, but wanted me to "unsubscribe" the service. I thought to myself: how do I "unsubscribe" if I don't even know where I had subscribed?

If it was a service that I DO use, I'm glad to pay for it because I do use it, but I couldn't come to reason why I was charged for something I don't even know about. So I checked T-Mobile website about my billing, there it is, "SJA Mobile," a name I have never heard of.

So I googled them and found this thread, and I texted STOP to 23907 and got instant reply "Access denied." Great! I then emailed for request for a refund like the previous thread suggested, and canceled the service on SJA website. After hitting the cancel the service button with my phone number, it says: CHEATS stopped. I came to realize that I have received a text message saying something about "game cheats" service for $19.99/month. I had ignored it and thought it was just another marketing text message. I didn't realize that by doing NOTHING actually gets this scammer legit(?) reason to "subscribe" me monthly!

I now hope the refund check comes and the monthly billing does stop. The website now says "within 60 days" in their refund clause. How can people make money doing this? I now know why the U.S. economy goes down!

First off. . .

The wife's phone received an identical text for Game Cheats Master in late August. No responder to the original, and of course, the latest bill has two $9.99 charges for SJA Mobile and Tracey McGrady Cont. Hope T Mobile is helpful with dropping the charges tomorrow. I feel for everyone else who experiences this crap.

To the so called executive at SJA. . .

Your a chump. Your website reeks fakeness. You ripped off the images within your site — still contain iStockphoto water marks. You're not even good at fixing that — classy. I think I'll refer this to the members over at iStockphoto about that the next time I'm there to PURCHASE something for a project. They probably don't take too well to guys like you ripping their stuff for profit. Life must suck for you.

In response to comments from the SJA Mobile executive or whatever he fancies him self. First of all my child DID not subscribe too any cell ringer service or anything else with my cell phone. Secondly, there was nothing "patently false" about the claims I made! Your company subscribed me to a service I did not ask for nor did I want and then refused to honor your goodwill refund. Your company is the one who text messaged my phone I did not contact you, I deleted the text since I was not interested in your service. So I would be grateful if you could explain where that gives you consent to charge my cell bill $19.99 not once but twice, to the point that I had to contact them and have a block put on so you could no longer do this. Oh by the way, still haven't received my refund! Hmmmm no gross inaccuracies there.
Thank you for your consideration.

Thank you so much for this website..

We got hit with SJA on my son’s phone. I am going to call Tmobile…. This is BS.. . I check our phone records and can’t see any message from SJA and we got hit for $30.
first of all, how can you expect a 11 year old boy to pay !!!! that’s what SJA and all the phone companies are doing…. this is a conspiracy. I am PO’ed. The previous message by SJA executive is BS… IF it’s a reputable company, why can’t we talk to a person…..

Update to my comment yesterday:
T Mobile was able to remove the charges as well as block out these "Premium" text messages to my wife's account.

At first the customer service rep. didn't want to help us out with a detailed explanation to the charges or remove them at all.

After explaining that 1)we had already filed a complaint with the FCC, 2)understood our rights by law to a detailed description of such services and charges, 3)we're going to file complaints with the Attorney Generals of both MD and CO, and 4)cancel our services with them the rep was able to, with the help of his supervisor, knock off the 20 some odd dollars as well as block any future text messages from the numbers 23907 as well as 88930.

Hope this may help out anyone who may have to go through this shite.

I've had the same problem so I googled SJA mobile and found this!

In my first email to the company, I clearly listed all the charges and requested a refund. After almost two weeks, I finally received a reponse that said this:

Thank you for contacting the Help Desk.
As part of our commitment to excellent customer service, Game Cheats Master offers a “no questions asked” refund for unsatisfied subscribers. Refunds will be issued via a mailed cashier’s check. Please allow for up to 3 weeks before receiving your refund check in the mail.

Please be informed that you were charged ( 4 x $4.99 ). This will be delivered to the address you provided.

Thank You,
GameCheatsMaster Support Services

I told them I was charged $124.74, so I have NO idea where their math came from. So then I follow up with another email re-explaining what happened (an tacking on another month of charges even though I un subscribed from their service), and a month later I STILL have not recieved an email response. What I did receive a few days ago was a check in the mail for $19.96!!! These people are total idiots and should not be permitted to run a business.

The worst part is that there is no phone number to call them...

Don't blame your phone company (although they are aware of this scam, and at some level are participants).

Don't blame your kids, though it is likely your charges stem from your child (or adult family mmember) may have unknowingly subcribed to this "service" by enetering your cell number to get a CHEAT code for a video game.

The bottom line is that this "service" SJA Mobile, Tracy McGrady, or whatever they will next call themselves, are running a SCAM.

Check your bill monthly, call your cell provider, demand (in a nice tone, of course) that they REMOVE the charges and BLOCK the charges from happening again.

Most likely your provider will do both for you without a problem, if they don't, follow Andrews advise from above, and notify your provider that:

1) You will file a complaint with the FCC for erroneous charges

2) You understood your rights by law to a DETAILED DESCRIPTION of such services and charges.

3) You will file a complaint with your state Attorney General.

4) You will start looking for an new wireless provider.

DO NOT let them give you the sorry excuse that they are only billing for a third party and not responsible. Your service, and credit, are in jeapordy due to these erroneus charges.

Nor should you allow them to pass the responsibility to you, by suggesting that you text SJA Mobile the words STOP. Read posts above to see how that may not work, and isn't it texting that started this whole mess in the first place?

Alas, SJA, Tracy McGrady (not the basketball player) have used the SHORT CODES 23907 as well as 88930, they now have a third number.

So here's where it gets really srewy. When you BLOCK one of the short codes with your provider, keep an eye on your bill, within a month or two they will come back with another charge, most likely using one of the other short codes, then you have to start all over with your cell provider by calling, getting charges removed, and blocking again.

I know this all as I have been dealing with this for many months now with T-Mobile. today they were very pleasent about it all, they are on to this SCAM (at least the person I spoke to is). They took care of averything, again. they validated that it was a new third short code as well.

There were no charges on my last month's bill, but they were on again this month, so I called today. The firsttime I called about it several months ago, they wanted me to text the STOP message, I refused. This is a company phone, and it makes no sense to solve the problem by texting the folks who are running the scam.

They show up on your bill as enhanced messaging services, but they do not offer any enhanced services, it is a downright scam, and all this is charged for a video game cheat code, or perhaps a sports score, or ???. what's next? recipes, health questions?

NEVER eneter your cell phonen umber with any company or form online or over the phone. Keep your cell phonen umber private to those you know. However, even a jealous angry former friend or relative can punish you by going to a game cheat site and enetering in your cell number.

AS a last resort, you can request to change your wireless umber with your provider, but then you have to notify everyone you want to know your new number. Plus it may cost you to do it, though I would imagine a good provider wouldn't cjarge you based on the situation.

Whew, I think I've said enough...best wishes to all SJA victims.

I figure this 23907 scam is a result of filling out bogus applications. If you apply for a job and they send you to a site asking to fill out personal information including who you cell phone carrier is, it's really 23907 and SJA.

I was scammed by these folks (SJA - Gametip Alerts) this month. I was charged 19.99 by this company on my Sprint invoice. I have no idea who these people are or what they do.

I called Sprint to ask for a credit on my account. They stated they do not credit these charges and that I would need to work with the vendors directly. She provided a phone number for SJA that goes directly to voicemail (which is full so you can't leave a message). The voicemail message also lists a text number you can send (I don't like that option, then they know the cell number is a valid and responding number). I found an emaill address for them. I sent an email which was promptly returned as undeliverable. I asked Sprint to block all 3rd party vendor charges so we'll see how well that works. Very frustrating situation. I notified Sprint customer service that their assistance and resolution completely failed to resolve my situation.

i am going through the same battle myself. still waiting to hear back from sja. they actually gave me the name of a client that was sending me the text. but i have two diffent numbers. 23907 and 98550. i have t-mobile. called them once, going to call again. they said they would credit my account but haven't yet. in two months i have got 4 extra charges for a total of 40 bucks.

I have had a charge on my cell phone bill for the last two months in the amount of 19.98. I have contacted the 800 number several times and left messages like I was instructed and no one will call me back. I did not authorize this purchase and will not pay for it and I want a full refund.
Pam Groothuis

I am 67 years old I don't need to receive game cheats as some of you have told us about. I have T-Mobile and have been receiving charges on my cell phone bill for 3 months. The first time I saw it on my bill I called T-Mobile. They asked me a lot of questions about giving my cell # to anyone on-line or on my cell phone I have never texted anyone in my life. I wouldn't know how to and I don't care to find out. T-mobile gave me a credit and blocked this company SJA from my cell. The next month my cell phone was charged another two charges of 9.99 each. I called T-Mobile and they credited my account again and blocked this company again telling me these charges were probably already charged after I called. This month there is another two charges on my bill. They told me the same thing as last month. Blocking them is not working either. I have the cheapest plan they don't even give out anymore. I can't afford to pay twenty dollars a month more on my bill. I phoned sja 800 # that T-moble gave my and got their mobile web site to e-mail them. Guess what, Windows cannot find their website. I found this website by going through Yahoo search. I don't know what to do anymore. Please help.

It appears that the consumer and the vulnerable adult need a "DO NOT TEXT LAW" by congress to bury SJA and its likes. The "dam slime scam" . My daughter, who is deaf and vulnerable and under conservatorship, uses a Sidekick which can only be used with T-Mobile wireless. This device is the mode of communication within the "Deaf Community". I called T-Mobile today and requested removal of the SJA charge and also the blocking of this service. Their response was YOU will have to call this "third party" even though THEY collet the money with NO description of the charge and THEY, T-Mobile, had NO VOICE OR TDD phone number for SJA. T-Mobile was rude, arrogant and unhelpful and will disconnect my daughter's service if the bill was NOT paid in full. I will be contacting not only the FCC, my representitives, but also the deaf community!! There are other devices available now that provide my daughter's needs. I WILL be disconnecting T-Mobile!!!

After much investigation this practice of unauthorized charges on your phone bill is called "Cramming". The FCC finally has a consumer information doc dated 7/01/08. Here is the link:

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/cramming.html

After reviewing the FCC consumer information doc as described above, I discovered that T-Mobile IS inviolation of the FCC's Truth-in-Billing rules.

I also was scammed by SJA for the past 5 months for a total of $ 99.95. I usually don’t check my phone bill but this month I took a look to see why my bill was so high. My daughter had gone way over and as I was putting my Sprint bill away I caught the charge from SJA on one of the pages. I went and checked my old bills and found out they have been charging me for 5 months. I have never even heard of this company until last night. My kids or wife didn’t do it and if they had they surely wouldn’t have used my cell number when they have their own. Then would have also just asked and I would have signed them up away if they wanted it. I wrote Sprint at 3am last night and told them of this scam and attached a draft copy of the letter I was going to mail to the Attorney Generals of every state. My letter wasn’t directed at Sprint but SJA. This morning I called Sprint and explained everything. They refunded me 1/3 of my money on the phone. I then got on my email and opened the confirmation letter from Sprint for my credit. I wrote them back and thanked them for this refund. I then received another email shortly after stating that they have been authorized to refund me the entire amount. This was very nice of them to do this. I also had them block all premium messages to my 5 phones. I hate being ripped-off and hope someone can put an end to this company.

My husband somehow got into this site. I had no idea what was going on. I'm afraid to really look at my statements now. I just thought he was making charges here and there. Does changing the number stop the charges?

First of all I would love to know how to contact you for my refund as I did not sign up for this service. After reading all these complaints I figure this is a scam and I probably will not be helped. If it is possible to cancel this way please do so and contact me in person for my information ( i will be getting yours also) for a full refund

I have been scammed by SJA Mobile for for the last 5 months, and it's been a very bad experience. They woudl send me lame messages advertising sine gaming website. I do not know how they got my number, as I never sign up for any premium services (they probably purchase databases of phone numbers). I sent the word "STOP" to their number a few times, they would sent me a "confirmation" that my number would be removed, and then send me messages again (charging 9.99 for each). Their refund policy is a complete lie, I submitted two requests in September, and they are still in a "pending" state.

It's unpleasant to say that T-Mobile did almost nothing to help me (I had about 6 conversations with customer service). First, they told me they blocked messages from SJA number, but it didn't work. Then they promised me to block all messages coming from internet gateways, and that didn't help either. They also wouldn't refund me for SJA Mobile charges. I finally called them and said, that I am going to drop them and go to another carrier. After that they refunded me about 80% of SJA's charges, and offered to disable SMS alltogether (I agreed because by that point I would agree for anything to stop this fraud).


So now I stopped getting any messages. Will see, how it reflects on my bill. Overall, I just can't believe how ridiculous is the whole situation. Anyone can set up a company, purchase lists of phone numbers and start applying charges to them, and phone companies wouldn't do anything about that. Nice and easy way to make money for everyone, ins't it? Except it comes from the pockets of unsuspecting people, who can't really prevent it. In Russia, mobile carriers are banned by law to charge clients for incoming text messages, and for that reason third party content providers require you to send a paid outgoing message to short number before they can give you any service. But in United States it's a nightmare, you have to pay for everything, including something you didn't request. Shame!

I also noticed this recently on my sprint bill and its been occurring for 3 months now. The first CSR would not do anything about it, but I called back again and found a rep that was more than helpful. She credited back everything and blocked these future charges. So check your bills, call customer service, and get your money back.

I was charged 9.99 by SJA mobile On my Jan. 2009 Sprint bill. I contacted Sprint and they removed it immediately and stated they would contact the company on my behalf for a refund. This company is horrible and they are anticipating some type of lawsuit which is why they issue refunds so quickly and use that "no statutory obligation" language.

Yes this is a scam. I spoke to Sprint representative and she said that she could do nothing. I had to pay for the service even if I never subscribed for it. It is a direct rip-off. Tomorrow anybody can open a damn company be a partner with Sprint and charge anybody anything. Sprint representative offered me to block my text messaging to avoid such fraud companies but they will not break their relationship with such fraud companies. Awesome! These bastards keeping USA going. Sometime it is SJAlerts, sometime oil company bastards and sometime walstreet bastards. Ordinary people wait for rip-off.

I have Verizon and was charged $60 in two months by SJA mobile for premium text messages. Verizon has been wonderful about explaining how these charges came to be on my bill and how to prevent it from happening again. The first time I called, they refunded me $20 as a courtesy. I just called back today to inform them that I have emailed SJA five times and still have not received a refund; they refunded me the other $40 today.

PLEASE do not be mad at your kids!! Believe them when they say they did not subscribe to these charges. Also, do the following:
1. Request your refund from SJA mobile.
2. Call your carrier to place a block on premium text messages and talk to them about a courtesy credit.
3. Email, text, call and tell anyone you meet to stop the scamming by placing a block on their phone.

Good Luck!

SJA Mobile: Alerts - GameTip Alerts $19.99 just showed up on my Sprint billing. It seems this happens a lot because when I called Sprint, they put a block on SJA and credited the $19.99 charge back, no questions asked! I wouldn't bother trying to go through SJA to get a refund, contact your cell phone carrier directly.