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EU hammers ringtone scammers

Tim Green
EU hammers ringtone scammers

Forces closure or changes on more than 200 dodgy websites.

The EU's Consumer Commission has investigated 301 websites since June 2008, after constant complaints from parents and consumers about ringtone mis-selling.

As a result of the investigation, 54 websites were shut down and more than 150 were forced to change advertising after failing to make clear to consumers the charges they faced in breach of EU consumer law.

The investigation was carried out in all 27 EU countries plus Norway and Iceland, and resulted in fines of two million euros being levied against nine Italian companies, including Vodafone and TIM.

EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva said: "Young people should not have to fall victim to scams like misleading advertising that lure them into ringtone subscriptions they thought were free.

"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."

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Tags: ringtone , eu