A quick check of 500 web sites found that up to 80 percent of them must be checked again because of possible EU consumer law violations.  Some web sites didn't post pricing information, while others didn't have posted vendor contact information.  

Furthermore, a lot of these web sites also had service fees included in the small print, and locked users into long-term contracts that would be difficult to exit.

"Far too many people are falling victim to costly surprises from mysterious charges, fees and ringtone subscriptions they learn about for the first time when they see their mobile phone bill," EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva said during a press conference.

Ringtones remain big business for companies operating in Europe, with up to 29 percent of all mobile revenues tied to ringtones.  Industry experts predict the ringtones industry will make up to 691 million Euros in 2007.  

Teenagers are the most likely to purchase new ring tones, and the scammers are likely targeting them because they often times do not read the fine print or contractual agreements before making purchases.  The EU also created guidelines to help better educate them about the scammers and their tricks towards unsuspecting cell phone owners.

"We need to get a clear message out particularly to teenagers and children -- be on your guard.  It's all about the smallprint ... make sure you are not signing up for more than you bargained for."

The UK and Czech Republic had the most web sites that were checked in the EU probe, with 43 each.  As many as 39 British sites and 40 Czech web sites will need to fix the way they operate so they don't face fines and possible closure.  Web sites from Denmark, Cyprus, Latvia, Spain, Lithuania, Malta, Hungary, Portugal, Finland and Sweden all have web sites that violate EU rules.

The EU is recommending individual nations to try and clamp down on these scammers.  In addition to the nations, mobile phone carriers must also begin to ensure their web sites adhere to EU regulations, or they will face heavy fines.

This marks the second time the EU has clamped down on mobile phone operation in Europe, after it began forcing mobile operators to lower their SMS roaming charges to a more affordable rate.