Prohibition of subscriptions to MegaFon or the Content Account service: description, cost, how to connect. Content account in Tele2
Content in the broad sense of the word is any information material. Many operators provide this same content, and not for free. Many Megafon subscribers are interested in the question: access to content - what is it and what is it for?
Everything works on the principle that if a Megafon subscriber has access to content, he must pay a certain amount. Of course, this can be a convenient service for timely receipt of any news from Russia and the world or entertainment materials. But what if the user did not connect such a service at all or connected it unconsciously, as a result of which he simply loses a certain amount of money? In this case, paid content is of no use at all, and it would be better if its use was not connected.
Not only the operator provides similar services throughout Russia, but also other users who can connect you to a paid mailing list using a short number. Teenagers are most at risk because of their curiosity and the elderly because of their inexperience in using such devices. Some scammers in Russia also withdraw funds from the account using short numbers, which leads to the absence of several hundred rubles in the account. A logical question arises about how to disable access to content, but Megafon gives a simple answer - use a specialized operator service that operates throughout Russia.
"Stop Content" service
This service is considered a specialized way for the Megafon operator to block communication with paid numbers. This applies to all types of communication, including:
- SMS messages;
- USSD codes;
- regular outgoing voice calls.
As a result, this service is a protective barrier for the Megafon user from all kinds of scammers in Russia. Any tariff presented by the operator allows you to use the service in your home region for free.
Now we have figured out what a Megafon subscriber is dealing with, what access to content is and how to block it in order to avoid losing money from the account of a Russian resident subscriber.
Connecting and disconnecting the service
To activate the "Stop Content" service, it is enough to use one of the USSD codes:
- *526# and call;
- *105*801# and call.
After successful completion of the activation procedure, an SMS message should be sent to your smartphone, which will say that the service has been successfully connected, and access to paid content is prohibited. This is the easiest way to disable content on Megaphone using a function that, moreover, does not require any subscription fee from the user. The peculiarity of the service is that the official services of Megafon remain available for use, and it also remains possible to pay for parking throughout Russia using various specialized codes and SMS messages to short numbers.
Disabling the service is as simple as activating it: just dial *526# again or immediately enter 0 in the code, which will look like *526*0#.
Results
For Megafon users, content from dubious paid numbers can be blocked using a convenient service that does not block the official materials of the operator. This is also convenient for users in Russia, who, with the connection of the service, become as protected as possible from the actions of scammers, as well as for Megafon itself, which leaves its own offers unblocked. As a result, it is still advisable for Megafon subscribers to restrict access to content, since this function remains free and has an extremely positive effect on the use of mobile communications, as well as its security in general.
If your relatives or friends have Megafon SIM cards, tell them.
Sometimes people suddenly discover that money on a mobile phone starts to be spent much faster, the phone suddenly "goes into the red." This is usually due to the fact that paid services are connected to your number, the so-called paid (or mobile) content. There are people who use such services as, for example, "Set the horn", mobile news, horoscopes, games, and so on. But it often happens that a person did not subscribe to anything, but they still take money from him for a “service”. This short article is written for you if you are a Megafon subscriber, and this happened to you.
How does this happen?
If you use a smartphone or tablet to access the Internet, even if you access the Internet not from the smartphone itself, but from a laptop using a smartphone, then when you visit the next site, you may accidentally click on an "empty" area in which, in fact, there is a hidden button. At the same time, nothing will be displayed on the screen, but you will be quietly transferred to the megafonpro website and signed up for a "service", which can cost 20 rubles / day, or maybe more. Perhaps after that you will receive an SMS with something like this: "Access to the site ****: login - i1111, password - 1111. Help: 8 800 *** (free call)", and then the following - "Subscription *** * framed Reference: *505#.
Subscription management...", and perhaps even such a notification will not come, but at the same time, money will be debited from your account daily.
What can be done?
First, you can find out what subscriptions you have by sending a request
*505#
In response, you will receive an SMS with a list of paid services connected to you. But, if you do not use paid services and do not plan to use them, you should block the very possibility for someone to "sign" you without your knowledge. To do this, create a so-called content account (CS). By default, payment for all services is made from your personal account - calls, SMS, Internet ... and - mobile content. If you have created a content account, then from the personal account you will pay for the usual services, and from the CC - what is offered on megafonpro. If you have 0 rubles on the COP, then no one will sign you for anything.
Note. If you have a push-button telephone or for any other reason, then you can either create a content account through the Service Guide, or come to any Megafon office and ask to create a content account for you in addition to your existing personal account.
How to create a content account through the Service Guide, I will write below.
The sequence of actions if you have a smartphone or tablet:
0. if you have had this phone number for several years, and during this time you have changed your passport, then first you need to go to the nearest Megafon office so that the manager enters the data of your new passport into the database.
1) to find out the balance on your CC, send a request
*393*1#
In response, you will receive the message "There is no account for content services."
2) send a request to create a CS
*393*4#
In response you will receive a message
1. Create a Content Account
2. Remove Content Account
and two buttons "Cancel" and "Call" (maybe instead of "Call" on your phone the button "Send" or something similar will be shown)
You should press the "1" (one) button on the virtual keyboard, then the "Call" button (or the "Send" button on the virtual keyboard.
If in response you receive the message "Connection problems or incorrect MMI code", then you should repeat the request:
*393*4#
In response you will receive a message
1. Create a Content Account
2. Remove Content Account
You should receive the message "Content account created successfully".
3) find out the balance on the COP again
*393*1#
If the SMS "Account balance for content services is 0.00r" comes in response, it means that you did everything right, and scammers will not be able to quietly subscribe you to their "services".
Creating a content account through the Service Guide.
Actions are performed through the old Service Guide. After you have entered your personal account, you should follow the link "Old Service Guide" located in the upper right part of the monitor. After entering the old service guide, you should select the menu item "Content Services" and the sub-item in this item - "Account Management for Content Services". You should see the following in the central part of the monitor screen: the heading "Account for content services", the inscription "There is no account for content services", below the description and even lower the inscription "Subscriber", your phone number and the "Create account" button. Click on this button. After you return to the "Manage account for content services" sub-item, the text "No account for content services" should change to something like
"Account number: 000000
Balance: 0.00 rub.
Status: Active".
This means that you have successfully created a CS, and scammers will not be able to quietly subscribe you to their "services".
And the last thing: be careful - do not transfer money from your personal account to the CS if you do not use paid content and do not plan to use it. If you use it, then do not keep a lot of money on the CS and regularly check the list of connected services using a request *505#.
It describes the necessary actions to protect against mobile fraud for Megafon subscribers.
If someone knows what subscribers of other mobile operators should do for this - a big request, arrange your knowledge in the form of a brief instruction and familiarize the maximum number of people with it.
The services of mobile operators have long gone beyond the scope of ordinary communication services. However, when using some, users may experience inconvenience. And the main thing that irritates users is entertainment services, which are mainly provided not by telecom operators themselves, but by their partners.
Connecting content services and subscriptions can sometimes lead not only to unforeseen costs for the client of any mobile operator, but also to a complete reset of the account. However, a client of any operator can connect a separate content account by his number in order to avoid such unpleasant moments, and today we will talk about such a service on MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, and Tele2.
Why do you need a separate account?
There are various services from mobile operators that allow you to disable the order of services from content providers on Beeline, MTS, MegaFon, and Tele2 numbers. However, this will not allow you to completely limit yourself from unforeseen write-offs.
This is due to the fact that not all content services are provided by the operators themselves, and prohibiting the use of such services and subscriptions, by setting a ban, usually means limiting only services from third-party companies. But if the entertainment service is provided through the operator itself, then it is much more difficult to deal with it.
In this case, it is a separate content personal account that will allow you to completely limit yourself from the fact that such write-offs will continue from the balance of a Tele2, MegaFon, Beeline, or MTS number.
There are also advantages to using this additional balance for those who use individual content services but want to limit themselves from the rest. So, for example, a Beeline subscriber uses entertainment content services with an order by number 5591, but in the list of connected ones he finds that there are also paid services by number 7944 or 6513, and wants to disable them.
It is a separate personal account that will allow you to continue using and paying for the ones you need, but not to use those connected by accident. Having a separate balance, the user will be able to deposit money into it only if he needs to pay for content that is useful to him.
Those who have experienced random charges for entertainment services know that getting their money back is almost impossible. So, if a MegaFon subscriber accidentally connected access to a content service, then in order to return the money, you will need to contact the company that provides paid content.
How to connect a separate balance
The service is provided by all mobile operators, but it is extremely difficult to find information about it on official websites. There is no way to connect it as quickly and easily as accidentally subscribe to a paid entertainment service.
A separate balance is provided by all operators free of charge, and you don't have to worry that you will need to make additional payments for its use.
Depending on the mobile operator, the service may be called differently, but its meaning does not change from this. So, on MTS and Beeline it is a “Separate personal account”, on Tele2 “Content personal account”, and on MegaFon simply “Content account”. To use it, you must contact the operator personally at the office, and submit a written application.
After connecting a separate balance for content, an additional virtual number becomes available to the subscriber, which is used to pay for entertainment and information services.
If necessary, you can replenish an additional account by transferring from the main one. To do this, the operators have special commands available.
Please note that there is also the possibility of a reverse transfer of money from the content to the main balance. However, after such a transfer, the funds can only be used to pay for communication services, as well as when replenishing the balance from other regular cell numbers.
conclusions
Using a separate account for content services allows the user to completely limit himself from debiting funds for entertainment and information services. To do this, it is enough not to deposit money on it. Since the content ban available from any operator does not apply to all paid services, using a separate balance can avoid accidental write-offs.
Also, the service is ideal for those who use some content services and do not want to completely block access to them. In this case, you can replenish a separate balance if you need to pay for the necessary services, and avoid debits when activating others.
Many of us have come across so-called "content services" and various paid "subscriptions". Basically, these are completely useless and very expensive entertainment services that no one will ever buy of their own free will. These services are provided by special companies - content providers, mobile operators act as an intermediary and take their percentage for this.
It turns out a very interesting scheme: the content provider fraudulently receives the money of subscribers, and the mobile operator receives his own percentage from this and, as it were, is not to blame, since he did not provide the service.
Deception of subscribers with the help of content services is beneficial for mobile operators. Of course, they pretend to protect their subscribers and fight against scammers, but things don’t go beyond statements and outright show.
In 2014, a law was passed that allows any subscriber of any operator to open a special content account, after that, the payment for any content services will be debited only from such an account, the main account remains out of reach for scammers. Of course, telecom operators comply with the law, but they do it without much enthusiasm, because they lose income.
I tried to connect content account from all major operators and below I will share my experience.
Content account in Megafon
Theory
No information about opening a content account on the Megafon website could be found, there is nothing surprising in this. Of course, this information is there, but it is buried so deeply that it is not easy to find it. On the Internet, we managed to find what we are interested in - a content account can be connected using USSD command *393*4*1#. To top up or to check the balance of the content account, use the USSD command *393*2#.
Practice
When sending the USSD command *393*4*1# I got the following error:
Next, I visited one of the Megafon salons in Podolsk near Moscow, where I was asked to show my passport and write a statement by hand. About a week later, I received an SMS about the creation of a content account, I was able to replenish it through the *393*2# command and tried to buy a content service - everything works as it should.
Conclusions: Connecting a content account is especially difficult, but possible.
Content account in Tele2
Theory
To connect a content account in Tele2, you need to contact any Tele2 communication salon with a passport, the connection takes up to 10 business days. To work with the content account, you can use the following commands:
*160# - checking the balance of the content account;
*160*200# - replenishment of the content balance by 200 rubles (you can specify any amount);
*160*200*0# - refund of 200 rubles from a content account to a regular account (you can specify any amount);
Practice
After 30 minutes of waiting in line (Tele2 saves on everything), I was asked to write a free-form application by hand, they don’t have any sample. After 2 weeks, the account was connected, all USSD commands above work.
Conclusions: If you do not take into account the terrible service and queues in Tele2 salons, everything works fine.
What is it for?
In short, to exclude the possibility of the appearance of paid subscriptions, the appearance of "Access to infotainment services" when clicking on URL links with daily debiting of funds, etc. etc. in general, to pay only for calls and SMS to long numbers (if the short number belongs to Megafon, then additional write-off is also possible)
Briefly on the Megafon website - http://samara.megafon.ru/services/content/uslugi_operatora_s_kontent-prova/uslugi_na_korotkih_nomerah.html
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE USING "SHORT" NUMBERS (pdf) - http://moscow.megafon.ru/ai/html/3171/files/oferta_short_numbers.pdf
For those who are impatient, you can create a Content account as follows:
By sending the USSD command *393*4*1#;
Or by entering *393# go to the second page by pressing "4" and then 1. Create an account;
Fill out an Application for the creation of a content account at MegaFon sales and service offices.
Michael (10:04:20): Services
System (10:04:23): Welcome to MegaFon online consultant!
System (10:04:26): Please wait for the consultant's response.
System (10:04:26): Connecting... Please wait for the consultant's response.
Consultant (10:04:26): Your question is being processed.
Michael (10:04:28): Content account
Michael (10:04:37): Hello!
Lyudmila (10:04:48): Hello!
Mikhail (10:04:57): I want to enable a content account on all my numbers
Lyudmila (10:05:07): A content account is connected when contacting the MegaFon office.
Lyudmila (10:05:10): Within the framework of the service, a subscriber notification is introduced - a request to confirm the Client's desire to order a content service. Before purchasing content from a Content Provider, you will be familiarized with the cost of the service, the name of the provider providing the service, and will have to agree to the purchase. Confirmation is received in the form of an SMS or voice message before the content is billed.
Ludmila (10:05:13): More about content provider services here: http://volga.megafon.ru/services/content/uslugi_operatora_s_kontent-prova/uslugi_na_korotkih_nomerah.html
Lyudmila (10:06:00): Independent creation of a content account *393*4# (hereinafter - 1 to create)
Michael (10:06:13): I don't want to go to the office, please enable the service remotely
Lyudmila (10:06:59): Mikhail, this service is not connected with our help!
Michael (10:07:06): Why?
Lyudmila (10:07:15): Because there is no such possibility.
Mikhail (10:10:54): Service "Access to infotainment services" when clicking on URL links. refers to content services?
Lyudmila (10:11:15): Applies.
Michael (10:11:34): Thank you!
Lyudmila (10:11:59): If you have any additional questions, please contact us! We will be happy to advise! All the best!
upd When creating an account, Megafon asks you to read the conditions on the page http://www.megafon.ru/ad/ks, do not bother to open it, it has been moved to another place, probably here
