It is disheartening to note that Value Added Service (VAS) providers are taking away huge amount of money from the cell phone users by defrauding customers in the name of various offers like news alert and welcome tune.
Mobile VAS providers have been doing this as a part of carefully planned strategy to boost their revenues by defrauding customers. This entire scam is based on the logic that a typical consumer in Bangladesh does not keep checking his or her mobile phone balance and may miss the small deductions from their prepaid wallet. They assume that approximately 10-15 per cent will complain, whose subscription they can cancel and still retain the amount already deducted. Considering the situation, relevant authorities should issue guidelines Mobile VSA providers to refrain from defrauding customers and making forced sales of VAS to consumers.
A service provider cannot activate any value added service, whether chargeable or free of charge, without the explicit consent of a customer. In case the subscriber seeks to unsubscribe the value added service within 24 hours from the time of its activation, the service provider has to deactivate the value added service and adjust or refund the deductions made if any.
We need to develop and integrate digital
systems aimed at preventing and
counteracting telecom fraud
But in Bangladesh, it is disappointing to note that without permission of the mobile users, some so called VAS organisations automatically launch various services on their mobile phones, where a certain amount of subscription is charged on daily, weekly, or monthly basis. This is not only gross violation of consumer rights but also serious criminal and civil offence.
The growing complexity of these fraud schemes and their devastating effects for society entail a threat for mobile users, telecom operators, regulators and authorities. Governments and regulatory authorities must use digital tools to effectively regulate and oversee this vital sector. We need to develop and integrate digital systems aimed at preventing and counteracting telecom fraud.