I have clicked on a Google Ad yesterday which offered a Free IQ Test. Having gone through the IQ test, she was then presented with an opportunity to win £5000 by entering her mobile phone number, which unfortunately she did.

This is her own explanation of what happened next...

...at the end it said "Before we give you your score, if you want the chance to win £5000 give your mobile number." Like a mug I did.

Then I got a text saying something like "For the chance to win £5000 play Hangman on your mobile" I ignored it. Then had another text saying "You can play for only £3 a day, £3 a game, (or something similar) and win £5000! Text 'STOP' to this number if you don't want to play" (or something similar) I soo wish I had taken more notice, and not deleted the messages!

So I texted back 'STOP' and thought that would be an end of it.

I have just received another text that says "We hereby confirm your registration of Hangman. In just a second you will receive your first word for the chance to win £5000", and there's £3 gone from my phone credit!!!

I immediately texted them (all I have is a number, 66033, no name) and said I wanted nothing to do with their Hangman game and demanding my £3 back (Yeah, like that's gonna happen!)

Have had no further messages as yet but thought I should warn you...

I have been unable to track down the ad in question on our main board but by trying various text combinations, I have been able to force its appearance on our test board.

Obviously our member now regrets her original decision to submit her mobile number, but in her defence, I feel that the ad has been constructed to deliberately catch people out, as the 'small print' does not appear in the normal screen view. It only becomes apparent when selecting Full Screen mode, and who routinely uses that??

This is the small print in question...

This is a subscription service. Play the game on the website, to qualify and play the mobile game for your chance for several money prizes. A sign-up fee of £3.00 shall apply. £3.00 per daily message-play and £3.00 per game message. You will receive max of 10 game-msgs per game play. Sent text charged at standard operator charge. Min.age 18+ with bill payer's permission. To stop this service? Text STOP to 66033. Helpdesk available at 0845 225 22 44. The wordgame is based on knowledge of the contestant and has multiple levels including final rounds. S2W offers innovative entertainment services for your mobile.

What is also disturbing is the suggestion that texting STOP has no effect and may even trigger the game to start.

The member in question is a responsible adult and now realises that she has made a foolish mistake, but with Proboards also being legally accessible by teenagers I think this advert needs to be either withdrawn, or changed substantially so as to avoid anyone else being taken in.

I have screen prints of the relevant pages of the advert and will be happy to PM them to a staff member if required.