WARNING!

No-one likes to be a sucker, but when you've been caught by some unscrupulous business it always feels better having a moan and imagining that you might stop some other poor fool getting caught out.

Flycell have been sending my mobile unwanted texts about music and celeb news. I have no idea how they got my number, but I do recall ticking NO - CANCEL to some pop up on the web, and thinking it seemed intrusive, because you had to confirm 3 different ways that you were not interested. All just to rid myself of a pop-up blocking something I did want to read.

Now I get my phone bill with over 40 unrequested texts for which I have been charged 30 cents a pop. My bill is higher than usual this month to the total of some 15 euros. Its not bank-breaking, but when I check out both Flycell and their parent or umbrella company mBlox on the internet, I see that this is their 'modus operandi' - billing people for pointless irritating texts.

Meanwhile, (and presumably to stave off several thousand lawsuits, denuncias and complaints) mBlox in the States is offering a Sender Pays Data service to businesses - their latest money-spinning venture. Sure, and the proof of this great idea is that they no doubt ahem, allegedly I mean, have a network now of thousands of disgruntled customers across Europe, whose details they may sell on to said businesses. They wouldn't be such bastards, would they?! I hope there is a huge lawsuit pending.

Please take heed. If you see even one unrequested text on your mobile in the name of Flycell or mBlox - immediately text BAJA (if you are in Spain) to 7837 to cancel this 'service'. There are numerous websites, Facebook pages and internet complaints raging about both these companies currently - it doesn't take much of a Google search to find them. So if you are reading this elsewhere in the world, do find your relevant local method to unsubscribe.

You can read more about mBlox here http://www.mblox.com/products/sender-pays-data/ and more about their record of complaints here http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2008/06/mblox-fined-again-over-premium.html

Gee, I feel better for getting that off my chest. But I thought I was pretty internet savvy - so it hurt my ego more than my bank balance to be caught out. If you have a similar story , do spill the beans....