premium rate bill. the 'phantom phone calls'

[AidyD]

Thought I'd give this a try on these forums, unsure of any forums

that can directly help with this problem.

(Any suggestions are great though thanks)

A bill from BT came through, with a premium rated billing total of £180.

I'm using broadband, with sky, have a digital wireless phone and sky box.

I 100% have not called a premium rate phone number, due to being a

tight Bstd with my wallet - iv been researching this on the net, but seems

to be an out-dated problem....

The auto-dialers of the net only work on dial-up.

Iv had a few strange phonecalls where no-one speaks, its an international

number and sometimes sounded digital.. (sound effects)

Any help to possible scams etc?

[oldnewbie]

If you give bt a ring they will tell you what company the phone number belongs to, Might jog your memory Also try typing the number off the bill into google could give some results.

[AidyD]

ah thanks for the reply -

Are you implying that its impossible to be a scam/devious means of gains?

Just in general, is it (say) 90% chance it was somehow me?

Because I couldn't find any recent reports of these scams -

I'm not sure what to think...

I'l try that though, thanks for the info

[oldnewbie]

I think there is a very very small chance of it being a scam, Give what I suggested a try and report back because it may be of help to others.

[AidyD]

yea will do

[961]

I wonder if you can describe what is on the itemised bill from BT apart from line rent and the call charges that you are happy with?

[nvingo]

Originally Posted by AidyD

A bill from BT came through, with a premium rated billing total of £180.

I'm using broadband, with sky, have a digital wireless phone and sky box.

Aren't you with Sky for a combined package (cheapest) and therefore no longer with BT? How long since you signed up to Sky Broadband?

Originally Posted by AidyD

I 100% have not called a premium rate phone number...
The auto-dialers of the net only work on dial-up.

I have my modem still connected as well as Broadband via a router - it logs CallerIDs for me - but I assume you'll know if your dial-up is disconnected.

Originally Posted by AidyD

Iv had a few strange phonecalls where no-one speaks, its an international number and sometimes sounded digital.. (sound effects)

As long as no-one responds to the call (by pressing any numbers when requested by the caller) it should not be possible to charge the call to you...hang up as soon as you are aware, or better still don't (and don't allow the answerphone to) pick up if the CallerID identifies this type of call.

[Ayub]

Around 2 months ago i received a bill for £350. I almost died, my phone bill is around £20-30 a month not anymore.

I contacted my cable company ) virginmedia who hold my phone contract) and told them i did not make the calls. They put me through to their "fraud" dept. They sent an engineer out around 4 days later to test the line. No fault was found.
I was told if no fault was found i would have to pay for it. Anyway when he finished checking the line we discovered that the wir which comes into the house had been tampered. Its very easy to "hack" a phone line, its only 2 wires and 2x croc clips and your off.

Anyway as a result the bill was credited to my acount and that was the last of that. I did find out what the number was about and it was a " ring this number 20 times and receive £20 on your o2 phone" scam.
You would ring them number, they would charge you £2 a connection x20 and you can see why they do it.

Kids do this in town on contract phone i have been told to gain credit on their phones.

Bloody hell i thought nicking apples from peoples trees "cool".

If you can prove your phone line "may" of been tampered i dont see why you would pay. They would also look at your calling record and check for pattens.

[AidyD]

Wow thanks for the replys -

Ok, basically I didn't get an itemised bill (as usual) it was a simplified bill -

the customer service dept didn't know why, and i have an itemised bill en

route.

Also, to have sky you have to have BT - they are charging 'line-rental'

and sky charge for the actual calls.

BT are saying this will be the last bill I pay in regards to phone charges.

(I changed to sky only last month)

So until I get the itemised bill I cant get cross-reference it with the ICTIS

regulator website.

Im actually looking forward to finding out what company it is,

because im 100% sure i have not -

and if I have it would of been false advertising.

Thanks for the reply's though, and i will ask BT to check the line.

(what was the charge like? steep no doubt)

[Mr Incredible]

Originally Posted by AidyD

Wow thanks for the replys -

Ok, basically I didn't get an itemised bill (as usual) it was a simplified bill -

the customer service dept didn't know why, and i have an itemised bill en

route.

Also, to have sky you have to have BT - they are charging 'line-rental'

and sky charge for the actual calls.

BT are saying this will be the last bill I pay in regards to phone charges.

(I changed to sky only last month)

So until I get the itemised bill I cant get cross-reference it with the ICTIS

regulator website.

Im actually looking forward to finding out what company it is,

because im 100% sure i have not -

and if I have it would of been false advertising.

Thanks for the reply's though, and i will ask BT to check the line.

(what was the charge like? steep no doubt)

Not true. Sky can manage and charge for line rental. In fact they are slightly cheaper than BT.

The only charges made by BT on my line (I'm with Sky too) are for services like call minder, call sign, three-way calling etc. Sky bill ALL other phone calls, including premium rate calls.

Have you looked at the Sky online itemised bill for your phone?

Something is wrong if BT are charging you for any calls, period.

[AidyD]

This is what annoys me -

I specifically asked sky if I have to keep BT ...

I was told i have to keep BT as line rental, and that without BT I can't

have sky..

So your saying - 100%, paying ANY money to BT is optional.

dependent on the service/s you want.

I could ditch them tomorrow and somehow get sky to take over the line?

ed* also the BT bill/premium rate thing is the previous months before I signed with sky.

[nvingo]

Originally Posted by AidyD

I specifically asked sky if I have to keep BT ...

I was told i have to keep BT as line rental, and that without BT I can't

have sky..

So your saying - 100%, paying ANY money to BT is optional.

I expect the situation with Sky may be similar:
Two years ago we had broadband set up from Tiscali.
They charged for the broadband, plus ~£10 for line rental, which they paid to BT.
Then over a year ago Tiscali install there own equipment at the local exchange (known as LLU, Local Loop Unbinding IIRC) and they are able to supply the line (their own) for free.
Now maybe Sky aren't doing the LLU thing, but they can negotiate bulk purchase of line rental from BT, saving you money. It's possible (but IMO unlikely) that depends on which exchange you are on.

[kentish_lad]

Originally Posted by AidyD

This is what annoys me -

I specifically asked sky if I have to keep BT ...

I was told i have to keep BT as line rental, and that without BT I can't

have sky..

So your saying - 100%, paying ANY money to BT is optional.

dependent on the service/s you want.

I could ditch them tomorrow and somehow get sky to take over the line?

ed* also the BT bill/premium rate thing is the previous months before I signed with sky.

Yes sky will do the line rental aswell, i pay £10 per month, i dont pay BT anything now

[AidyD]

Ok thanks for that - I'l be sorting that out tomorrow..

Especially if its a cheaper rate!

[961]

Originally Posted by AidyD

Ok thanks for that - I'l be sorting that out tomorrow..

Especially if its a cheaper rate!

The difference in cost between sky and bt line rental (where sky don't do local loop unbundling) is very small. The hassle if the (voice) line goes wrong is that sky terms state they will "try to rectify within 5 working days" whereas bt seem to get round here in a couple of days tops

If you are in town this may not matter, in the sticks it certainly does

As for the BT bill, just demand an itemised bill to see what has happened here

And if they prove difficult, ring the chairman's office and complain:-
0207 356 5000 asking for the chairman's office