The IDA is probing into the operation of a firm that charges $3 per SMS to subscribers who had inadvertently signed up for the service, after responding to a contest to win an iPad. A subscriber was billed $669 for this service.
Instead of the IDA making the probe, the IDA should work with the Police. Cheating is a crime that can be prosecuted under the Penal Code. It is the duty of the Police to be involved.
Cheating is defined in the Penal Code as using deceptive ways to get money from the public. The Government only needs to bring a charge in court. Let the SMS company prove to the court that they are not "cheating" the public.
I hope that the IDA and the Police will take the appropriate action to get rid of this type of operations.
Instead of the IDA making the probe, the IDA should work with the Police. Cheating is a crime that can be prosecuted under the Penal Code. It is the duty of the Police to be involved.
Cheating is defined in the Penal Code as using deceptive ways to get money from the public. The Government only needs to bring a charge in court. Let the SMS company prove to the court that they are not "cheating" the public.
I hope that the IDA and the Police will take the appropriate action to get rid of this type of operations.
I totally agree with your view.
ReplyDelete6 companies investigated in 2011, 2 charged in 2012. The other 4? Let off with a warning, insufficent evidence to prosecute, still under investigation? Shoddy reporting by the Straits Times.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter also a victim of this scam, I think Telco should partially responsible for promoting these as "premium service" and take a cut of the immoral profit.
ReplyDeleteTelco company should be partially responsible since they take a cut of the profit marketing it as "premium service".
ReplyDelete