Rogue dialler help

[Redstar7]

Hi i have a BT landline and get charged from them each quarter. I recently got a bill from them and stated as a "special service" a £160 charge from a known rogue dialler number. What the hell can i do about this? i'm not going to pay for this and want to know what protection i have. I'm prepared to seek legal advice about this too.

Is this UK milk us for all we've got PLC or what?

[davethorp]

Can't offer much advise other than to get an up to date virus and spyware scanner on your computer ASAP.

 

Try AVG Anti-Virus and Internet Security - Welcome for anti virus and download AVG Free edition and go to Ad-Aware @ Lavasoft - The Original Anti-Spyware Company - Lavasoft and download adaware personal edition.

 

Also if you have a broadband connection there is probably little need to have your dial up modem plugged into the phone line... remove it

[buzby]

How many calls over what kind of period? I'm also assuming you are not a broadband customer. as dial-up modems (and their problems) are pretty ineffective now. Dave's advise on protection is sound, but you can tell BT to bar all outgoing Premium Rate calls at no cost to you, which will at least prevent it happening again.

[Redstar7]

thanks for your reply guys, actually i am a broadband user and this happened while i was converting between dialup and my new broadband account way back in June this year.

I also have never since kept my dialup modem plugged in. I have traced the company that charged me the premium number on my BT phonebill.

 

The [problem] company is based in the UK. i found this site which may be useful to others here. ICSTIS Homepage

 

Apparently they cover the 0871 based numbers (the real scumbags) in 2008

great...

Anyway since i know the company to claim my money back from now, their a ltd company. What legal steps do i take to get compensated since this is essentially fraud.

Thanks in advance guys:-)

[goodwill]

@ Redstar7

 

What were the numbers?

[buzby]

ICSTIS have nothing to do with this. If you are complaining about 0871 these are 'normal' non-premium numbers and outwith their remit. As for it being fraud etc, sorry you're wrong. It was your PC that made the calls - not BT or RedSTONE. Since this was simply the standard dial-up fee for internet you were simply paying for the service as you used it prior to switching to BB.

[goodwill]

Don't talk daft. PC's don't "make calls". PC's are machines that are used to make calls. People make calls.

 

In the case of "rogue diallers" it's the person who hi-jacks the computer with that illegal software who is responsible for making the call. It's the person who programmed that specific number into the software who is responsible for that specific number being dialled.

[buzby]

Yeah yeah. My computer downloaded porn from some site I didn't know about - so I can't be prosecuted? What nonsense! Computer's 'make calls' because they have been programmed to do so. Since the OP is legally bound to pay all calls made from his line - whether a burglar breaks in or his computer initiates it - he pays the bill and recovers the cost from the person responsible. I know you find this impossible to believe, but if there's anyone that's not got a grip on the reality of the matter it is yourself.

[goodwill]

Yeah yeah. My computer downloaded porn from some site I didn't know about - so I can't be prosecuted? What nonsense!

of course it's nonsense. its utter nonsense but why are you saying it?

 

You keep spouting the same rubbish about porn sites and burglars breaking into houses.

Where have you read this rubbish?

 

"Rogue diallers" have little if anything to do with porn sites. that was the cock and bull story the staff mentioned in this article were told to tell the public.

'BT in call centre fraud to ensure winning £1billion business contract' | the Daily Mail

BT covered up a massive fraud by call centre staff to ensure it won a new contract worth more than £1 billion, an employment tribunal was told.

 

Staff made millions of 'false' calls on auto diallers to make sure bonus-linked performance targets were met under a lucrative contract handling calls from Ministry of Defence bases.

The fraud had been going on for at least four years and involved staff phoning themselves to ensure calls were answered under the time allowed.

 

 

[buzby]

You continue to lose the plot. The example was to prove that through inaction you can be held responsible. Not having the ability to supervise your equipment or ensure malicious software remains the problem of the line renter, nobody else. Further, the OP goes on to talk of 'rogue' dialler on a standard non-premium rate number.

 

As for what appears in print in the 'Daily Mail' for goodness sake, find anyone else that supports their viewpoint in the media and I might take a bit more notice. Still, we all know your position, people don't need to be accountable for their actions if they can find someone else to blame, and your posts in this regard simply give them false hope. You'll be telling me next that if someone uses your phone line to make calls without your authority, you'll not have to pay for them. I hadn't stopped laughing after the first time you suggested this.

[goodwill]

You continue to lose the plot. The example was to prove that through inaction you can be held responsible. Not having the ability to supervise your equipment or ensure malicious software remains the problem of the line renter, nobody else. Further, the OP goes on to talk of 'rogue' dialler on a standard non-premium rate number.

put some links to verify your opinions.

As for what appears in print in the 'Daily Mail' for goodness sake, find anyone else that supports their viewpoint in the media and I might take a bit more notice.

MoD Demands Payback Over BT '[problem]' |Sky News|Business

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/BT-phone-calls-fraud-could.3223975.jp

icLiverpool - BT staff in £8m phone [problem]

http://www.northantset.co.uk/kettering/Kettering-call-centre-implicated-in.3192639.jp

http://www.motherwelltimes.co.uk/latest-york-and-humberside-news/MoD-demands-39reparation39-over-BT.3191801.jp

well?

Still, we all know your position, people don't need to be accountable for their actions if they can find someone else to blame, and your posts in this regard simply give them false hope.

accountable to who? for what?

I got my money back. explain that

You'll be telling me next that if someone uses your phone line to make calls without your authority, you'll not have to pay for them. I hadn't stopped laughing after the first time you suggested this.

This is plain rubbish please explain how you came to this conclusion.

[Rooster-UK]

Please stick to the subject of the thread and not to an exercise in insult slinging.

If the exchange turns into a "flame-war" then I shall have no alternative but to close the thread.

[goodwill]

absolutely and it's not the first thread he's done it on.

any way

 

@ Redstar7

 

What was the 0871 number on your bill?

[buzby]

put some links to verify your opinions.

 

I need to provide a link to verify my opinion? I've really no idea what you're talking about.

 

As for you 'getting your money back' what relevance is this to the OP who (somewhat carelessly) let his computer make automated calls to a non-premium rated telephone number for dial-up Internet service?

[goodwill]

thanks buzzer old boy

I need to provide a link to verify my opinion? I've really no idea what you're talking about.

I just wanted you to confirm that everything you have posted here is purely based on your opinion and not any written laws you may have seen.

 

@ Redstar7

 

What was the 0871 number on your bill?

[buzby]

My pleasure. Now you've got that off your chest - perhaps you could move on to the bit you didn't quote? You know, where you believe that nobody is responsible if your computer does anytihng without your say-so? Don't let logic get in the way, as you've still to tell us thay 0871 is undoubetedly a Premium Rate call.

[goodwill]

Thank you buzzer very informative to the OP and I'm sure your opinions will be a big help.

perhaps you could move on to the bit you didn't quote? You know, where you believe that nobody is responsible if your computer does anytihng without your say-so? Don't let logic get in the way, as you've still to tell us thay 0871 is undoubetedly a Premium Rate call.

I think you may be getting a little confused. You wrote it as your opinion. I never wrote it. I have no idea why you wrote it.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/telecoms-mobile-fixed/115843-rogue-dialler-help.html#post1163340

 

You'll be telling me next that if someone uses your phone line to make calls without your authority, you'll not have to pay for them. I hadn't stopped laughing after the first time you suggested this.

This is plain rubbish please explain how you came to this conclusion.

@ Redstar7

 

What was the 0871 number on your bill?

[Rooster-UK]

Despite the rerquest to tone it down, you are still bickering on this thread.

I have no alternative but to now close the thread.

 

Rooster-UK.