EU Launches Massive Campaign To Stop Ringtone Scams

More than 200 websites across Europe have either been closed down or forced to change their terms and conditions after feeling the full force of the EU's Consumer Commission led by its Commissioner, Meglena Kuneva.

She said in a statement that "Young people should not have to fall victim to scams like misleading advertising that lure them into ringtone subscriptions they thought were free. And parents should not find nasty surprises in their phone bill, when their children by accident have signed up to more than they have bargained for."

The crackdown came after numerous complaints from parents and users in general over the widespread extent of scams in the European ringtone sector which by some account, would be worth around £650 million per year.

Europeans own around 500 million mobile phones in all and the initial investigations carried out by the respective enforcement authorities like PhonepayPlus (ex-ICSTIS) in the UK, found out that more than 300 sites were to be scrutinised.

In addition, PhonePayplus has also reported a 62 percent decrease in the number of complaints recorded between July 2008 and October 2009 over premium rate phoneline scams.