/dev/null/kevin

VeriSign, a company who millions of people trust to encrypt their most sensitive data, recently bought a company whose only business plan seems to be to scam people.

In 2006 VeriSign acquired m-Qube, "a leading mobile channel enabler."  To put it another way: they sell ring tones.  That would be well and good, but m-Qube's tactics are deceiving at best, and certainly very questionable.  Typically, m-Qube (or some other shill) offers "free" ring tones, but in the process enrolls the user in a "club" that bills the user $10 to $20 per month.  Most people don't even notice the additional fee until it's way too late.

The number of complaints against m-Qube is growing and VeriSign's own FAQ includes several questions dealing  with m-Qube's practices.

The most questionable practice (and why I feel safe to call this a scam) is that even if the user cancels the process they are still enrolled, and still billed.  After noting a $20 increase in my cellular bill I called my provider who immediately knew what was going on.  I remembered back a few weeks being offered a free San Jose Sharks (hockey) ring tone.  The process to get the ring tone started asking for too much information, so I bailed on it.  I never received anything, but was still enrolled in this "club."  Fortunately, the customer service rep knew exactly how to unenroll me, and how to request a refund for the now TWO months of services I'd been charged for (and received nothing for).

It didn't take much to find lots of people with similar stories about m-Qube's scam.  But I didn't expect that a reputable company like VeriSign would be associated with them, let alone own them.  How can I trust a company who supports a company like m-Qube?  If they are willing to scam people $20 a month then who is to say that they won't sell the private keys to the certs they distribute?

Update [01/30/2008]: I received my latest bill and it included a credit for everything, so the process worked.  Also, as noted in the comments, m-Qube is really a billing service and it's their clients who are pulling the scams.  I don't think this completely exonerates m-Qube, or VeriSign, but it sounds like the process is improving.

Telemarketer called.  I put the phone in front of the TV playing Sesame Street.  I checked on the phone a few minutes later and he had put me on hold (spewing more of their spiel).   Fine, it's your dime, dumbass!  I'm not paying for this, you are.

Twenty minutes later (Sesame Street ends), I'm still on hold.  Put phone on mute since TV is going off.  Toss phone under couch cushion so I don't have to hear it.

40 minutes now and I hear the faint beeping of the "off the hook" noise.

I win!