Premium rate numbers on my BT bill - and it wasn't even me!

[evedawn]

My BT phone bill arrived this morning. when checking through the calls i discovered no less than 30 premium rate (09013) numbers dialled at ONE SECOND intervals just after midnight one date! There is no way it was me or my husband we were both fast asleep. Today i tried to ring the premium numberr to hear a msg saying this number is not taking calls at present. I need to ring BT to get them to take this off my bill (though i anticipate a battle!) ANY IDEAS as to HOW this happened ( i can only presume someone somewhere has tapped into my number) and HOW TO ASK BT to remove it from my bill!

Any advice appraeciated.

[Ethel]

How are you connected to the internet?

Could be a rogue dialler.

[evedawn]

We've got broadband via a BT hub.

What (forgive my ignorance please) is a rogue dialer?

Do you think I will be able to get BT to take it off my bill if it is a rogue dialler? (cos then not their fault I guess).

If the PC is turned off at night can someone still dial up using our connection?

Questions, questions, questions :-) Thanks for your previous answer.

[Ethel]

It's not a rogue dialler, sorry. A rogue dialler is a nasty that dials premium rate phone numbers from your pc when it is connected via a dial up modem. It can't happen with broadband.

That's my ideas exhausted, sorry.

Are you absolutely sure it isn't your husband while you are asleep?

[evedawn]

TOTALLY sure...( I know every woman would say that but really i AM 100% sure) he starts work at 5am and so at midngiht is definately catching up the Z's!

Thanks for trying to answer though (at least I now know what a rogue dialler is)

[BenDToy]

evedawn - just to make sure, if you have a fax modem connected to the phoneline, this could still be a rogue dialler. And, no, they can't dial up if your PC is off.
Report the problem to ICSTIS, (they will know who the number belongs to) and persevere with BT. I would also recommend getting BT to block premium rate calls from your line. That will ensure it doesn' t happen again.

[Bazile]

,

[tazz214]

I had exactly the same problem in December last year and yes you are right you are definately in for a battle with B.T. I had 34 calls made in the early hours of the morning and there is only myself and my 3 year old daughter living in the house. I rang B.T and they said they would not take the calls of the bill as I must of made the calls, it was not possible that anyone else could of made them. After doing my research I found out that the calls were to Make Your Play on I.T.V from midnight. I know I have never made the calls to this number so rang B.T again and guess what I was still told that it wasn't possible for anyone else to make these calls it was definately my phone that had made them. To cut a long story short I have only just managed to get the money back from them after proving in January of this year, that while I was away from home over christmas the calls were still being made on my bill, night after night, while the house was completely empty. Although they kept telling me it wasn't possible I had the proof to say otherwise but it has taken me nine months to get my money refunded and when all my bills were checked it came to around �220 of calls that had been made to the same number.

[evedawn]

Jeeper taz214! I hope it doesn't take me as long to get this sorted! but early indications are not good...tried to ring BT and after holding for for almost an hour i got ... cut off! Tried to ring again - didn't get cut off this time but in desperation I hung up...I simply couldn't hold much longer.....! So I've emailed them...no reply yet though!!! will try to call again on friday... i have a day oiff work and i think that most of it will be spent trying to reach them... what a way to spend a day off!!!!

[tazz214]

Good luck with that. Be prepared for themto give you every excuse in the book! Take my advice tho, wot ever you do don't give in to them. I had to go through so many different departments and managers to get some answers. Nothing was done until I refused to pay my bill and then I had an engineer sent out within 24 hours to check the lines etc...