A method of charging a subscriber of a communications network where a network element pretends to be a user's terminal equipment and sends a messaging message on the user's behalf to a predetermined destination address from a system element in order to bill the customer for use of a chargeable service, when the system element knows the user's telephone number or other user identification. A message center in the communications system is configured to charge the user according to the fee associated with the destination number. For example, the messaging message may be a short message sent to a predetermined number, which causes a short message center to bill the user accordingly.