Questions (answered) over the Millionaire Walkway game
[Update: Njar (see comment) has set us straight: The 07 number simply receives the traffic. The user is sent back a message from a shortcode before being billed the £1 — as is right and proper.]
I had this sent in this anonymous analysis of the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire premium text competition which invites users to text their answers to a ‘long number’ — a standard looking mobile number. They’re then whacked for a £1 billing message by return.
Not good. Not good at all. When anyone sees a long number, they automatically think it’s ‘free’ or ‘standard network rate’.
Have a read of this viewpoint:
I had to endure who wants to be a millionaire the other night, and at an advert break they said if you know the answer to this question, send a text to 07797 808900, in very small print it said ‘texts cost a pound, and you could win a grand.’
This woke me up as I’m sure revenue share on the 07 number range was outlawed by Oftel a few years ago, thus how do you charge a pound on the 07 number range? My first thought was that it was on a fixed fee number – not so! It is a fixed fee per call number run by Jersey Telecom, but 30P a call daytime. More info here — just enter the number.
Doing a Google shows that it is a apparently a reverse premium rate SMS scam, send your message and you will then get a reply from a short code that costs you a quid – very naughty.
Check out the Millionaire competition page and their rules and conditions at the bottom of the page.
Looks like the service is/was provided by Yoomedia who apparently, according to seemingly well informed ‘davidt’ on this discussion board forum will make ‘£10m post tax’ from the Walkway game alone.
Thoughts?
[Update: See Njar’s comment response here – all is cleared up.]
