(PENDING)Phonesafe, Beware!!!!!
Discussion
Monty Zoomer said:
It hadn't occurred to me that those numbers were scam numbers, I just thought they were normal mobile phone numbers. I definitely won't ever phone one of them now I know that.
See I'm doing a public service here....there is something fishy going on, otherwise this would have been sorted out years agoI wonder how many others there have been who havent even checked their bills
lets say a modest 100 a month @ £10 each = £1000
times that by the real number and bingo, what a great revenue scheme
and seeing as hardly anyone will check or complain you just carry on bringing in the cash
MagicalTrevor said:
eybic said:
I was referring to this comment made by ALXJ "Pistonheads you have shown yourselves up there, its not a community, its a sham, a money making sham"
Keep diggingMermaid said:
HarryW said:
Lol I thought that, assumed it was a 2 weeks in intern at PH towers going in with both feet leaving the brain behind, but noticed a posting history of 53 months, no newbie then, just a fool.
Not necessary to get this resolved.HarryW said:
Mermaid said:
HarryW said:
Lol I thought that, assumed it was a 2 weeks in intern at PH towers going in with both feet leaving the brain behind, but noticed a posting history of 53 months, no newbie then, just a fool.
Not necessary to get this resolved.
I'm impartial as I've neither advertised using, nor phoned one of these numbers.
But having looked at the pages, there is nothing to suggest that these numbers are premium unless you deliberately go looking at the Pistonheads Phonesafe page.
I agree - its at best misleading and it should be changed.
Someone wondered if Phonesafe was owned by Haymarket. I have no idea about that, but heres the logo which appears on the Phonesafe page here
http://www.pistonheads.com/phonesafe.asp?isexperim...
Familiar looking smiley
But having looked at the pages, there is nothing to suggest that these numbers are premium unless you deliberately go looking at the Pistonheads Phonesafe page.
I agree - its at best misleading and it should be changed.
Someone wondered if Phonesafe was owned by Haymarket. I have no idea about that, but heres the logo which appears on the Phonesafe page here
http://www.pistonheads.com/phonesafe.asp?isexperim...
Familiar looking smiley
Why will no-one from Pistonheads come on here and admit that this is a revenue stream for them?
Because its a dirty cynical revenue stream which they should be ashamed of. They know this. Hence not advertising the costs of the service clearly next to the phone number.
How many people would really call the number if they knew the charges?
Very few one would imagine.
So very few people would sign up to the service.
If it was a service that cost the seller £1 then I imagine take up would be good. However that would limit the market and the ability to catch mugs out for £££.
I'm not angry, i'm just disappointed.
Because its a dirty cynical revenue stream which they should be ashamed of. They know this. Hence not advertising the costs of the service clearly next to the phone number.
How many people would really call the number if they knew the charges?
Very few one would imagine.
So very few people would sign up to the service.
If it was a service that cost the seller £1 then I imagine take up would be good. However that would limit the market and the ability to catch mugs out for £££.
I'm not angry, i'm just disappointed.
It's not the cost that annoys me, Haymarket are free to set whatever price they want for that particular service and we should be fee to choose, however what does annoy me is that it's deliberately unclear and that the 'spokesperson' for Pistonheads as dismissed it offhand.
If it was a clear message then fine... but it's most certainly not.
If it was a clear message then fine... but it's most certainly not.
eybic said:
Phonesafe numbers are chosen by the seller, it's not something we stipulate so there is no money making scam, it's the seller that has chosen it not us that has enforced it.
Although this is true, the way it's done makes you just roll with it. I wasn't aware until I saw this thread what the phonesafe costs, you have a small check box with a text box advising it's protects the seller etc. At no point are the full costs given to me as an advertiser so I can choose either way.As a buyer I'd not call any ad with phonesafe on Pistonheads knowing you will have my trousers down if i do....as a seller am I missing out because of it too?
If you Google 'phonesafe pistonheads' there are loads and loads of people complaining on many different forums about the rip off charges.
It certainly seems, looking at the logo, that it has been intentionally designed to mislead. I used it the last time I sold on PH but there's no way in hell I will again.
It certainly seems, looking at the logo, that it has been intentionally designed to mislead. I used it the last time I sold on PH but there's no way in hell I will again.
eybic said:
Phonesafe numbers are chosen by the seller, it's not something we stipulate so there is no money making scam, it's the seller that has chosen it not us that has enforced it.
That is a cheap get-out, I'm sorry. At no point are the extortionate charges made clear to either seller or buyer. You promote the use of phonesafe but don't explain the costs anywhere near adequately; it is not good enough just to say 'well we don't tick the box so it's nowt to do with us'.Terminator X said:
Charges are obvious and as such I've never used it. If an advert has a phonesafe number I simply move to the next one or email them 
TX.
Sorry mate but please can you post a screenshot of that being the case, they are only clear once you click on the unassuming phone safe logo. As I said above, it's not clear that that is a a button/link and therefore unclear.TX.
Should people "report" any adverts with a phonesafe number as having a hidden premium rate phoneline scam?
What other premium rate phonelines are allowed to be placed on forums or adverts?
Looks like Autotrader will soon be moving their version of this hidden treat to a regular number;
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/editorial/common/ola/w...
What other premium rate phonelines are allowed to be placed on forums or adverts?
Looks like Autotrader will soon be moving their version of this hidden treat to a regular number;
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/editorial/common/ola/w...
I have mixed feelings on this.
Yes, it's a trap to blag money off the unwary.
But, it's pretty easy to avoid.
PH aren't the only company that use this sort of thing and most people should be internet aware enough to spot it.
I don't know exactly how the PH management works - but I'm guessing the forum mods aren't in charge of the money making side are probably aren't allowed to comment.
Yes, it's a trap to blag money off the unwary.
But, it's pretty easy to avoid.
PH aren't the only company that use this sort of thing and most people should be internet aware enough to spot it.
I don't know exactly how the PH management works - but I'm guessing the forum mods aren't in charge of the money making side are probably aren't allowed to comment.
eybic said:
I was referring to this comment made by ALXJ "Pistonheads you have shown yourselves up there, its not a community, its a sham, a money making sham"
There is absolutely nothing to indicate the number you are calling is anything other than a regular mobile number and as such I would assume the call is free. There needs to be a clear warning of the high call costs before you call the number.
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