
Users forced to pay for incoming text messages they don't want are suing T-Mobile over their inability to disable text service.
T-Mobile came under fire on Wednesday from a mob of angry users who are fed up with being charged for receiving text messages they don’t want. Consumers recently filed a class action lawsuit in a U.S. District Court in Seattle, claiming that T-Mobile is breaking the law by offering no option to opt out of text service, yet continuing to charge for received messages that users cannot control.
According to RCR Wireless News, the plaintiffs in the suit allege that T-Mobile’s texting policy violates federal telecom law and Washington state’s consumer protection-unfair business practices act. “T-Mobile, the party with the superior bargaining power, has carried out a wrongful business scheme regarding text messaging to deliberately cheat a large number of consumers out of individually small sums of money,” the plaintiffs claim.
T-Mobile representatives declined to comment on the situation when approached by RCR.
Other major U.S. cell providers, including Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint, all allow users to disable text messaging on their service plans, prevented them from being charged for unwanted text messages.
















Showing 13 comments
RSSI have spent 8 hours speaking to customer service about my account (571 276 0986) and they are inviting a law suit onto the firm. Two supervisors in question are 9398 and 135809053.
The fact of the matter is that according to Ernie T. and the conversation below my contract ended in Sept 2008 (who verified the information multiple times), but according to the "system" the client in question is wrong.
Here's the chat conversation and there are 3 voice conversations as well:
"Please wait while we find an agent to assist you...
You have been connected to Ernie T.
Ernie T: Thank you very much for contacting T-Mobile Chat.
My name is Ernie and I'm here to help.
Ernie T: HI Kirill.
Ernie T: Please give me a moment while I read your concern.
Kirill Gorbounov: thank you
Ernie T: As I understand it, you want to know when will your contract expire and when should you let us know that your canceling your account. And you also want to know how can you transfer your number to another carrier, right?
Kirill Gorbounov: yes
Ernie T: Before we proceed with your concern kindly verify your account.
Ernie T: I need the last 4 digits of your SSN please.
Kirill Gorbounov: please let me know what information you need
Kirill Gorbounov: 2512
Kirill Gorbounov: thank you
Ernie T: Thank you for that.
Ernie T: Kirill, here's what I found out.
Ernie T: Your contract will end on Dec. 24, 2009.
Kirill Gorbounov: today is dec 24th
Ernie T: It will be on next year.
Kirill Gorbounov: but i did not renew today
Kirill Gorbounov: from what i remember before it should be sometime in september, but I want to make sure
Ernie T: Let me check that again for you.
Kirill Gorbounov: (it's important to me)
Ernie T: I can see here that you have changed your rate plan today, is that right?
Kirill Gorbounov: one moment ... whenever the plan is changed the contract is extended?
Ernie T: Yes, that's correct.
Kirill Gorbounov: hm.... i didn't know that
Kirill Gorbounov: thank you for letting me know ... and what about the other two questions
Ernie T: Let me inform you also that, you can inform us anytime about the time you want to cancel your service.
Kirill Gorbounov: what would happen when i do that
Ernie T: I am now checking on the requirements for you to transfer your number to another carrier.
Kirill Gorbounov: Thank You
Ernie T: If you will cancel your service with more than 90 days remaining on your contract, you will need to pay an early termination fee.
Kirill Gorbounov: How much is the Termination Fee ... will it be charged on my credit card (hypothetically)?
Ernie T: If it is more than 180 days, you will need to pay $200 If your going to cancel within 91-180 days you will need to pay $100. And below 90 days will be $50.
Ernie T: About you transferring your number to another carrier, you may need to contact that carrier first to know if your number is eligible to transfer to that carrier.
Ernie T: Kirill are you still there?
Ernie T: Are you still there, Kirill?
Ernie T: I hope you were able to get the information I have provided. Did it come to you clearly?
Kirill Gorbounov: I am
Kirill Gorbounov: sorry
Ernie T: Is there anything else that I can help you with?
Kirill Gorbounov: is there a possibility to override the plan change and return it to 1000 minutes in order to have expiration of the contract in sept
Kirill Gorbounov: as it was before?
Ernie T: Let me see what I can do, kidly hold on for a while.
Kirill Gorbounov: Thank You Ernie
Ernie T: Let me correct myself, your contract already ended last Sept. 6, 2008.
Ernie T: Do you still want to cancel the rate plan change?
Ernie T: Kirill, are you still there?
Kirill Gorbounov: no mam
Ernie T: Is there anything else?
Kirill Gorbounov: thank you for patience ...one moment please
Ernie T: Sure, no problem.
Ernie T: Kirill, are you still there?
Ernie T: Is there anything else that I can help you with?
Kirill Gorbounov: thank you for your patience ... just want to confirm that my plan expired on sept 6, 2008
Ernie T: Yes, it has.
Kirill Gorbounov: let us leave the plan at 600 minutes.
Kirill Gorbounov: i trully appreciate your time
Ernie T: YOu want to stick with the new rate plan?
Ernie T: No roblem, I am willing to help such a valued customer like you.
Kirill Gorbounov: thank you for explaining everyth. to me. I actually spoke with At&T as well and they said that I don't have to cancel service... simply walk in, pay for new phone, and they inform t mobile of cancellatio and transfer the phone number
Kirill Gorbounov: i just want to verify that what at&t representative said is correct
Ernie T: I see, is there anything else?
Kirill Gorbounov: so what they said is correct?
Ernie T: Yes.
Kirill Gorbounov: i might stay with t mobile ... i am not sure.... i have to discuss it with my mother first
Kirill Gorbounov: thank you for explaining everyth and having my plan at 600 minutes. Thank you for your time again
Ernie T: Your very much welcome.
Kirill Gorbounov: bye bye
Your session has ended. You may now close this window.
Ernie T: We really want to keep such a valued customer like you. "
Looking forward to your response.
The client in question is in the process of contacting Pro Bono DC Law Firms to organize a class action law suit.
Best Regards,
Kirill Gorbounov
571 276 0986
KirillRealtor@yahoo.com
As far myfaves , that rarely happens and its all new technology, it's a great feature at an inexpensive price.
T-mobile also is great about adjusting for our mistakes and we also know that sometimes this happens.
How can I sue T-Mobile??
Please review your minutes carefully and make sure you are not being cheated because MyFaves sometimes don't register, and neither do the Mobile-to-Mobile sometimes.
T-mobile is a garbage company and they are out to rip people off. The customer service is horrible and they don't care at all about the customers who are spending hundreds and maybe thousands a year for their service.
Very hard, as most of the unwanted messages I receive on my T-mobile phone are spam and do not come from my friends. Do you want an example? Here's the only message (thank God!) I received this month:
"Is this Patty?"
I have no idea who it came from and I am not Patty. I was charged 15 cents to receive this message plus an additional $1.35 for Taxes and Surcharges, which, mind you, was not the usual tax that you pay on the entire bill, but an additional tax/surcharge that was applied for receiving ONE TEXT MESSAGE. So, I have to pay $1.50 because some idiot wanted to know if I was Patty. Why do I have to pay? Why can't I just stop this nonsense??
Do you think it's fair for a provider to force its subscribers to pay for unwanted messages? How would you feel if the Post Office forced you to pay when you receive unwanted junk mail? Same thing.
I got fed up and called Mr. Gignac, who is the attorney working on the class action lawsuit. I told him that I wanted to opt in. Too bad T-mobile has to learn the hard way.
So I decided not to get back with T-mobile. Ripping me off.
Went to Cricket, but over priced cells and bad service reception with late text messages. They keep giving me the same excuse that their network is having trouble which will be soon fixed.
Got problems with every cell phone network.