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The article
The European Union is cracking down on shady websites that are wrongly selling or charging for mobile phone services. The EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva has warned the public that they may be paying hidden charges for ringtones, news feeds, video games and wallpaper. Many sites are cheating people out of their money, especially trend-conscious teenagers, who like to keep up to date with the latest phone fashions. An EU investigation into 500 sites discovered that 80 per cent were misleading consumers. "Far too many people are falling victim to costly surprises from mysterious charges, fees and ringtone subscriptions [that] they learn about for the first time when they see their mobile phone bill," Kuneva told reporters.
The Reuters news agency reports that the value of ringtone sales in 2007 within the EU was in the region of US$1.10 billion. Among the companies under Ms Kuneva’s microscope are industry giants such as Vofafone and VeriSign. Failure by these providers to address the commissioner’s concerns could lead to heavy fines or site closures. The investigation identified a number of common dishonest practices. These include unclear price information, not telling the consumer about taxes, and not making it clear to consumers they were signing up to a subscription. Kuneva warned: "We need to get a clear message out particularly to teenagers and children. Be on your guard. It's all about the small print….Make sure you are not signing up for more than you bargained for."
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