General Chat

I have just spent the day trying to sort my phone bill out after finding a premium rate number on there, £17 for 13 minutes!! It turns out that whilst looking for game cheats on the net, he went on a site that required a download in order to view it. He assumed that the download was some type of flash viewer (it did not actually say what it was for) and proceeded to download. As the download was slow he gave up and went to another that he uses. It turns out that the download had put a dialler on the pc which meant paying £1.50 per minute. Even though he left the site before compleation, the charges continued. After 3 phone calls to BT and 1 call to ICSTIS, I found out that this company is already under investigation (you do not find out about the charges until you have compleated the download!). BT were absolutely USLESS all they tried to do was pass the buck. I admit that after nearly 5 hours of trying to sort it out, I lost my temper, it paid off because BT have finally agreed not to charge me for the call until the investigation is compleate. All I can say is thank heavens I am now on Broadband and I have been assured that it cannot happen again. Sorry about letting off steam on here but still fuming!!! Sue:-(

I'm getting that message and I AM on broadband. Unless you read it carefully it's so easy to think that it is something else. Shame we have to lose our temper before we can get anything done these days. Well done you! Mags

Hi Sue, What you have said has been on Watchdog you do have to be very careful lately. Nat

thanks for the warning sue it makes you so angry keep getting ripped off sandra

Hi I had £50 added to my monthly phone bill ,I am with NTL. found i had been scammed via the internet i have reported it to the proper authorities who are already aware of these people and are dealing with it, But after asking NTL if i could have bar calling they informed me it would not stop scams via the computer. NTL have told me i must pay the whole bill ,as i am a pensioner and i like to pay my bills at once i told them that I would not be able to do this,they were of no help and kept saying i must pay. I have since sent my bill off less the £50. and i am waiting for a reply to my letter to them. If anyone can give me advice i would be gratefull. Margaret

Margaret, I am so sorry to hear that you have also encountered this problem. Have you reported it to ICSTIS (www.icstis.org.uk) they have a list of companies that they are investigating and if you go to their website and click on the 'my phonebill' link, highlighted on the homepage, you can then click on the link 'Internet dialler services under investigation', this gives a list where you can click to find out who they suggest contacting in each case. I hope this makes sense. Sue:-)

For anyone interested in who they are investigating (and there are a lot!) go to: www.icstis.org.uk Sue:-) (now feeling a bit less stressed after some retail therepy)

im with ntl and we have a bar on premier numbers so we dont get onto paying sites by accident it cost £1 per month

Thanks Sue ,I have reported this to ICSTIS and they said that it takes 12 weeks to investigate. Lou thanks I was told by NTL that 09 bar calling costs £1.50 a month but it will not stop 09 from the internet being added to my bill Thanks Margaret