WARNING: Always Read The Fine Print!

Aaaggh! I hate when I do things that are stupid!

Granted, I do stupid things quite a lot, but I just had to get on and post about this latest one, I am sooo frustrated! Plus, I need to warn others out there about this dirty, rotten scammer!!!!!

I'm in the process of getting ready to go home. It's a scary process, very emotional, and extremely stressful, particularly after 11 years or so, which is why I'm trying to do it in dribs and drabs. I set myself a few, small(ish), manageable tasks in the hope that when December comes, and we're in the thick of everything at school (especially our annual Music camp), life won't be sooo stressful. This I am hoping I learned from last year, when I had to move house and pack up my life at the same time as carry on working and get ready to go home - and as a result I got sick and couldn't do any of it. So I am determined not to have history repeat itself, which is why, today being Saturday, I set myself a few tasks: continue to clear out all the junk in my room that I will not be taking home (today: clear out my desk and right-hand side cupboard), apply for some more jobs, and sort out my mobile phone contract.

My mobile provider, 3, are rip off merchants, and I am sick of them. My contract has now finished, so I thought it would be best to go over to a pay as you go sim for the remaining few months, and then when I get home I can either sign up for a new contract or get an Aussie pay as you go sim. Simple? No, not really...

You see, 3's 'pay as you go' deal is crap, and I found out that O2 are giving away free sim cards, so I ordered some - makes sense, we can take them to Bowles (our music camp). The maximum you could get was 4, so I got that. Good.

But my problem is that my phone is locked to the 3 network. So I went online today, being a bit 'net' savvy and all (or so I thought), and typed in the necessary information into google - which produced this result: a website called 'unlock search'.

For £2.99 I could unlock my phone! Or so I thought... because you see, I didn't read the fine print. I didn't read it all properly. And I got burned.... because whilst I typed in diligently all the details, thinking I would instantly receive my unlock code, paid my money by paypal.... etc etc... I didn't know that I was being scammed. First of all, the £2.99 didn't include tax - so it really cost me £3.51. Second of all, and this is the most important point - I wasn't paying for an unlock 'code', as I thought - but an unlock 'guide' - an email telling me what I need to do to unlock my phone!!!! Rip off!!!!

So I'm going to get my own back on these scum-sucking (in the words of John Laws) bottom feeders! You ready?

WWW.UNLOCKSEARCH.COM ARE RIP OFF MERCHANTS - DON'T USE THEM!!!! WWW.UNLOCKSEARCH.COM ARE RIP OFF MERCHANTS - DON'T USE THEM!!!! WWW.UNLOCKSEARCH.COM ARE RIP OFF MERCHANTS - DON'T USE THEM!!!! WWW.UNLOCKSEARCH.COM ARE RIP OFF MERCHANTS - DON'T USE THEM!!!! WWW.UNLOCKSEARCH.COM ARE RIP OFF MERCHANTS - DON'T USE THEM!!!!

I would print out here what they sent me, but the blighters are such crafty ripper-offers that they copyrighted their pathetic 'unlock search report'! But if you want to know, the gist of it was:

1. Phone up your provider and ask for an unlock code. You'll have to pay for it. (der!)

2. Go to an independant dealer or market stall. You'l have to pay for it and you might lose your data. (double der!)

3. Use an online retailer's code. (that's what I thought I was doing, you muppet!)

4. Unlock your phone with an unlock download.

5. Buy an unlock clip and do it yourself.

So there you have it - lear from my mistakes, my young padawan, I am Yoda, I know everything - ALWAYS READ THE (*&$!) FINE PRINT!!!!