Buongiorno Mobile Phone Charges Scam

[Alibi]

I was checking my mobile phone bills which I was downloading for my accounts, and I noticed that they were higher than they should have been. On looking at the details, it transpired that a company called Buongiorno was charging £1.25 per week through my EE bill and had been since September. This was for some sort of online games service that they claimed I had joined in September. If you Google Buongiorno games you'll get the full picture, but basically it's a scam operated by Buongiorno where they send you a spam text which says that you can play online games and to text stop to some number if you want to opt out. I remember getting the text and I just deleted it - I didn't reply as that confirms your number exists and also might lead to some sort of excessive charge. However what happens is that they automatically sign you up without consent and charge you. EE have refused to do anything about it, far less reimburse me the £17.50 that these con merchants have taken since September. I have (I hope) managed to get the charge stopped via Buongiorno's automated phone service which EE helpfully provided for me, but emails to Boungiorno bounce back. It appears that if anyone complains they do refund the charges but their doesn't appear to be any way of contacting them - their phone number is just a computerised automated service). It appears that EE and Buongiorno may not be as independent of each other as they try to make out - someone has established that there is come commonality in the ownership.

Be warned - check your bill and watch for these scammers.

[Alibi]

BTW apparently if you do reply to the text with "stop", you get charged £1. Why do the phone companies collude in this sort of dodgy practice. It's nothing more than theft.