Blue texts on an Orange phone turn Judith red
Reporter: Richard Hooton
Date published: 05 July 2010
TOO blue. . . Judith was shocked with adult content of her mobile phone messages
A MUM was left shocked after being inundated with filthy text messages her mobile phone provider seemed unable to stop.
Judith Mills, from Shaw, began receiving the sex texts unsolicited from a subscription service around three months ago with more than 50 sent to her phone at the rate of one every two days.
The messages state they cost £1.50 per text, which had left the 51-year-old fearing a hefty phone bill.
The rude texts, sent by an American firm, came from two different mobile numbers. But despite replying “stop” to them they still flooded her phone.
Mrs Mills, who is the Oldham Chronicle’s advertising features co-ordinator, has no idea how the senders obtained her number but says her mobile has not been out of her possession.
She contacted network provider Orange but the firm initially said it couldn’t block the messages and all she could do is change her phone number.
Mrs Mills, who is married with two grown-up children, then contacted Trading Standards who said Orange should be able to block the numbers sending the messages.
It all left Mrs Mills unable to prevent the embarrassing texts.
She said: “I was just shocked when the messages started arriving. It was during the day while I was at work that I was getting them.
“I’m very broad-minded but I don’t want things like that on my phone. It’s just pure filth.
“I asked Orange to bar it but they said they couldn’t do that. I have had my phone number for 15 years and I don’t want to change it.”
After being contacted by the Chronicle, the mobile phone giant stepped into action. Management contacted Mrs Mills then tracked down the company and asked them to stop sending the messages.
At Mrs Mills’s request they have blocked premium numbers contacting her mobile. The messages sent to her mobile were free but she would have been charged if she’d replied.
An Orange spokeswoman thanked the Chronicle for alerting them. She added: “The situation has now been resolved.”
