0901 numbers on talk talk bill

[taz_in_2001]

Just went through all my talk talk bills and noticed the number

09016161101 x1

09016161102 x2

09016161104 x4

all called in the space of 1 minute for 4 seconds costing 30p, this was dec 06

 

There are loads all through my older bills up untill recent

 

Thankyou all for bringing this up, I will be contacting them, I was wondering why my bills were always so high

[buzby]

 

Thankyou all for bringing this up, I will be contacting them, I was wondering why my bills were always so high

 

I'm not sure calling them will do anything useful - they'll just say you dialled them - or more properly, some equipment you have on your line - Amstrad Emailler, Sky box, PC modem. Do the dates and times not help?

[goodwill]

taz_in_2001 do you or any body in your family usually vote on the X-Factor.

I read on other forums people claiming interactive numbers are appearing on their phone bill when they hadn't knowingly dialled them.

This is what we know about the number you entered (09016161101).

This is what we know about the number you entered (09016161102).

This is what we know about the number you entered (09016161104).

We have the following information about this number.

• This is a voting line advertised on television, commonly used to choose or evict someone. This service costs 35p per call (Plus any phone network surcharges - please check with your phone company for full details).
  
• This is for The X-Factor on ITV1 (which has now finished).

We also have contact details for the company that provides this service. If you have any queries about it, please get in touch with them to find out more.

 

Harvest Media Group Ltd

020 7830 9674

212 Piccadilly

London

W1J 9HG

[buzby]

Looks as though the famly is to blame then, not 'the machines'!

[stevematt]

I have a premium rate number block on my BT line following previous computer dialler infections. I believe this only blocks UK numbers and not International premium rate.

[Movingon]

I have a premium rate number block on my BT line following previous computer dialler infections. I believe this only blocks UK numbers and not International premium rate.

 

So, you're willing to accept infections on your computer and just prevent them dialling out? I would take a very careful look at your computer's security; I did and my computer's been clean now for over 4 years - not a single virus, spyware, adware or other malware for that entire period.

[stevematt]

No

 

I have a full range of antivirus and anti malware tools on board.

 

But as you probably know there's always a period before these catch up with new viruses.

 

I'm a IT techy and have good technical knowledge. Fortunately I realised what was going on and only lost a few pounds. Others who were less fortunate lost about 700 pound. The premium rate calls were international and at 3 pound a minute.

 

Dont' tell me you've never had a virus on your PC ?

[Movingon]

No

 

I have a full range of antivirus and anti malware tools on board.

 

But as you probably know there's always a period before these catch up with new viruses.

 

I'm a IT techy and have good technical knowledge. Fortunately I realised what was going on and only lost a few pounds. Others who were less fortunate lost about 700 pound. The premium rate calls were international and at 3 pound a minute.

 

Dont' tell me you've never had a virus on your PC ?

 

Once on my Amiga about twelve years ago. Since that day I have been ultra-careful and therefore successful; the methods of protecting yourself aren't rocket science and mostly involve common sense with a bit of help from carefully selected software reccommended by people with more experience than oneself. I have been in IT 13 years now; as you've found it teaches you to be that little bit better than the average punter.

[goodwill]

I'm a IT techy and have good technical knowledge. Fortunately I realised what was going on and only lost a few pounds.

Good to hear. So you will no doubt realise that if it was an international "premium rate" number it was probably "short stopped" in London to increase the revenue share for the companies involved.

I have been in IT 13 years now; as you've found it teaches you to be that little bit better than the average punter.

 

Regarding the illegal use of internet diallers:

Taking into account it's a criminal offense

http://www.icstis.org/pdfs_news/IQSpring04.pdf

NB Although it is rare, some diallers can be set to download automatically – i.e. without the consent of the user. This is a serious breach of our Code (as well as being illegal under the Computer Misuse Act)

could you explain the measures that were available that could have protected these "average" punters

BBC NEWS | Business | The Great Phone Call Con

[Movingon]

Goodwill - your tone suggests anything but; you seem to suggest an attempt to catch me out.

 

The measures (as I said) are not rocket science.

 

1. Be extremely careful what sites you visit; most Warez and P0rn sites that I am aware of are infected with large numbers of pop-up ads, many of which contain rogue software.

 

2. Don't open email attachments unless you are 100% certain they are safe and from a trusted source.

 

3. Use a pop-up blocker you trust; to ensure you CAN trust it, pay for it from a trusted source rather than some random website.

 

4. Use anti-virus/malware software which has a real-time protection option which checks all executable code which is read into memory. This has been available since the mid to late 1990s.

 

5. Use a well-known anti-malware protector software such as Spybot: Search and Destroy; and do regular system tests (such as weekly). This too has been available since about 1999.

 

Like I said, not difficult and should protect most people from most threats...

[goodwill]

Regarding the illegal use of internet diallers:

Taking into account it's a criminal offense

 

could you explain the measures that were available that could have protected these "average" punters

BBC NEWS | Business | The Great Phone Call Con

The measures (as I said) are not rocket science.

 

1. Be extremely careful what sites you visit; most Warez and P0rn sites that I am aware of are infected with large numbers of pop-up ads, many of which contain rogue software.

 

2. Don't open email attachments unless you are 100% certain they are safe and from a trusted source.

 

3. Use a pop-up blocker you trust; to ensure you CAN trust it, pay for it from a trusted source rather than some random website.

 

4. Use anti-virus/malware software which has a real-time protection option which checks all executable code which is read into memory. This has been available since the mid to late 1990s.

 

5. Use a well-known anti-malware protector software such as Spybot: Search and Destroy; and do regular system tests (such as weekly). This too has been available since about 1999.

 

Like I said, not difficult and should protect most people from most threats...

or take away the premium rate numbers from the company involved until they could show they were operating legally.

[stevematt]

In this particular case I think the perpetraitor was eventually arrested by the German police after a extradition warrent from a southern european country. It was on the TV but I can't remember any details. He had grown a medium size business based on the profits from this [problem].

[imheartohelp]

Sounds like its connected to a fax machine.

 

Have a look here for the details of who the number provider is.

 

ICSTIS Consumer - Number Checker

 

Copy & Paste the number into the grid at the top of the page.

 

You guys gotta go on that icstis website. They're the premium rate industry regulators, like the guy above said. He's right and this was the 1st answer! It's typicall of an Amstrad phone to dial this number to check for emails check your terms and cons with them. If you still maintain that you do not own an amstrad phone then speak with icstis. Not the police, there is no phone tapping here, no scams just end user confusion no doubt. If all else fails then speak with icstis on the phone.

[shuvoff74]

My latest phone bill had a considerably increased amount of these calls which I knew was related to that damn Amstrad emailer (which I don't even use for email).

 

If you are with Talk Talk they will bar 0901 numbers for free - just call them on 0870 087 3527 (which is free from Talk Talk landline).

[buzby]

As a clarification-TT (and indeed all other UK telcos) don't simply block access to 0901, they are required to provide Premium Rate Call Barring, which will block access to ALL numbers commencing '09' which will protect you line - both internally and externally - from misuse and high telephone bills.

 

It is a wise move to have these numbers blocked long before problems arise - so contact your telephone services supplier and request that they block all premium number access immediately.

[The Ombudsman]

As a matter of course I ALWAYS get whatever phone provder I am using to block calls to premium rate numbers. BT and TALK TALK do this free of charge but I seem to remember that Kingston Communications charged me £10+VAT.

 

Currently, I also block calls to mobiles and all international calls from my TALK TALK line - this is done free of charge too but I think BT do charge for blocking non-premium numbers.

 

Although I get free international calls to many countries with TALK TALK, the free calls are only to landlines (with few exceptions) and TALK TALK charge over the odds for calls to international mobiles.

 

So, I play safe and use one of the Betamax services override services for international calls, as the per minute charge is announced before the call is connected. When I wish to call UK mobiles, I just use the free minutes on my mobile phone.

[danboy775]

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