Mobile Slough cash-back cons
Slough Borough Council is warning consumers to be aware of a mobile phone cash-back scam which could leave many out of pocket and paying over the odds for mobile tariffs.
The Slough council’s trading standards team is advising residents to take care when applying for a mobile phone contract which promises to reclaim (cash-back) part of their monthly bill, as refunds may never materialise.
Many cash-back deals are not made with the service provider but with individual outlets, which means that if the shop selling the phone goes out of business, the consumer loses their entitlement to get their cash-back and ends up paying the full amount each month.
Many Slough consumers are signing up to agreements with service providers on the promise of cash-backs from a third party.
Trading standards are advising consumers to carefully check any terms and conditions before entering any mobile phone agreement.
Angela Satterly, principal technical enforcement officer at Slough Borough Council, said: “Many people have gone to shops and signed up for what they thought would be a good cash-back deal.
“However, as the contract has not been dealt directly with the service provider, many consumers have been left paying more for their contract than they expected.
“If the third party or distributor to the shops goes into liquidation, or the service provider does not agree to the terms, the customer ends up locked in a lengthy contract paying the a bigger price.”
Cllr John Edwards, commissioner for Slough public protection, added: “Consumers should be very careful when making choices about which deals to go for with mobile phones.
“Some deals look great on paper, but when you read the small print, you could be liable to pay a lot more than you bargained for.”
Residents are also advised not to accept any deals over the phone, on the doorstep or by leaflets handed out on the street.
If you need further advice contact Consumer Direct on 0845 04 05 06.
Slough Borough Council.