How to block premium SMS services and protect yourself from high costs
Nobody likes bills. And yet they are a fundamental part of our business world. But do you look at the bills you receive? Or are you like many other people who simply take note of the bills? It’s worth taking a look at your mobile phone bill from time to time. Because you might sometimes discover bill items there that you never authorised. Find out here how you can protect yourself.
What is a third party lock?
Third-party blocking is a feature that allows you to block certain services or features provided by third parties. This feature is designed to prevent you from unintentionally or accidentally subscribing to services provided by third parties. These services can be, for example, horoscopes, games, weather reports, erotic text messages or other subscriptions. Mobile phone providers refer to these as “premium SMS” or “pay by mobile phone bill”. With a third-party provider block, you protect yourself from unwanted costs and ensure that you only pay for services that you really want to use.
What should I do if I see unauthorised items on the invoice?
In and of itself, third-party providers are not illegal, even if the costs for a premium text message seem high. However, they are acting illegally if they charge you without your consent. As is the case in other countries, you have to give your consent before third-party companies can charge you for premium SMS. Did you perhaps click on a link in the text message in a moment of carelessness, or did you tick a box somewhere? Then you may already be caught in a “subscription trap”, but you have signalled your consent.
So if you discover what you think are unjustified items on your bill, you should contact the customer service of your mobile phone provider as soon as possible and object to these bill items. Important: You may only object to the third-party charges. You must pay the rest of the bill, otherwise you will be in default.
How do I activate the third-party provider block?
The third-party provider block can usually be activated via the settings of the mobile phone provider. To do this, you usually have to log into your customer account and find and activate the corresponding option in the customer centre. Some mobile phone providers also offer the option of activating the third-party provider block via a special text message or by calling the customer hotline. You can find out how to set up the third-party provider block with your mobile phone provider here.
How to activate the third-party provider block at Swisscom
How to activate the third-party provider block with Sunrise
How to activate the third-party provider block at Wingo (German & French only)
How to activate the third-party provider block with Yallo
How to activate the third-party provider block with Salt
How to activate the third-party provider block with Quickline (German only)
Can I have incorrect invoices from the past corrected?
Whether you will get money back for incorrect invoices in the past cannot be said as a general rule. As a rule, the consumer – i.e. you – also has the obligation to check the invoices for correctness. However, it can’t hurt to contact the customer service. As a rule, however, you will probably have to pay dearly and can only deactivate the third-party subscriptions for the future.
(Pre)Last option: Ombudsman
If your mobile phone provider still refuses, the penultimate option is to participate in a conciliation procedure. In the mobile phone sector, the right address is Ombudscom, which mediates between consumers and mobile phone providers on behalf of the Federal Office of Communications. The conciliation procedure costs CHF 20. If you submit an application for conciliation, Ombudscom requests a statement from your provider. In most cases, the provider will give in and reimburse you for the unjustified charges. If you or the provider are not satisfied with the recommendation of the conciliation body, the only option is to go to court. You can contact the Ombudsman here (German only).
How else do you save on your mobile phone bill?
At alao, you’ll find an overview of the most popular Swiss providers and can easily sign up for your favourite subscription online in 5 minutes. Thanks to our Best Deal Guarantee, you’ll always pay the lowest price, and the activation fee is usually waived. Take a look at our subscription comparison page and see how much you can save per month. If you have any questions, our team will be happy to help you via chat, email or phone before and after you sign up.
