Premium rate scam?

[tim]

I missed a call on my mobile yesterday afternoon - P/T running so I rang it back - it was within working hours and I have found that a fair number of customers don't leave messages...

Anyway, the phone answers with an answerphone message along the lines of 'this number is no longer in existence - to find out more go to privacynumbers.com'.

I phoned Orange to determine whether this was a problem - they said it was a premium rate number but that they couldn't tell for 24 hours what I had been stung for. The number btw was 07096808284.

I'm not sure that I will pay anything - I do believe that the network providers must take some responsibility for allowing premium rate numbers to look so similar to normal mobile numbers esp when mobile number codes change regularly. Why can't they all begin with 03 for example. I also think that its unreasonable to suggest that you only reply to numbers you know.

Thought I'd just warn you in case others are affected.

Cheers

Tim

 

[wizer]

i get about 5 of them a week tim, i dont even answer it now.

 

[dedee]

Tim,
I found this the other day when I was checking my phone bill.

It is a list of the specialised phone numbers and their rates, from BT

http://www.downloads.bt.com/pricing/SpecialisedNos.pdf

Staggering in its complexity :shock:

Andy

 

[Paul Chapman]

If you are having problems with mobile phone scams, you are better off complaining to the regulator, Ofcom www.ofcom.org.uk

They are the organisation who have the power to do something about these things but they don't bother unless people complain.

Paul