A Sewer By Any Other Name Smells Just As Foul.

[jambutty]

With acknowledgment to the Bard.

Once upon a time those pre-recorded unwanted phone calls would ask the listener to ring a number to claim their prize or whatever. The number was always a high value premium number often not even in the UK. US mostly. Of course most people would put the phone down and carry on with their life. Sadly a few gullible people would fall for the scam and not find out until they get a hefty phone bill.

However there has been a change of tactic recently. You are no longer asked to ring a premium rate number. Instead you are asked to press 0 or 9 or some other number to claim your holiday or prize or whatever.

Now what’s the betting that pressing the required number automatically connects you to a premium number line where you will be kept connected for several minutes? I have not tried to find out if my theory is correct or not because I have no intention of giving some of my meagre funds to someone else.

In the first instance I blame BT for allowing these premium rate numbers. In the second instance Ofcom for not taking action to stop the use. I suppose that the government also bears some responsibility as well.

So beware if you get one of those pre-recorded calls. That innocent “please press 9 etc” could cost you dear.

[Benipete]

Not a problem for me,my phone is turned off and only used for 0800 numbers.

[panther]

Well i say for those few gulible people, its there own fault for falling for it.
Iv recieved a few of those calls.....I wont repeat what i shout down the phone

[cashman]

good of ya to warn folk jim, noway hose, with this kid, but theres loads of gullibles, like the dimwits who constantly phone the TV progs with the 3 answers when 1 is obvious.

[jambutty]

Originally Posted by panther

Well i say for those few gulible people, its there own fault for falling for it.
Iv recieved a few of those calls.....I wont repeat what i shout down the phone

Don’t you think that it is a waste of time and effort to shout back at a recording?

[WillowTheWhisp]

You do get the occasional live one and they hang up when you tell them you know it's time share.

[jaysay]

get quite a few, usually with Yankee accent, hi you have been selected, no I haven't, bang phone goes down

[jambutty]

I used to just put the phone down once I identified that it was a recording but the other day in a moment of complete madness and having nothing else to do I decided to listen in for a while. That’s when I discovered the press 9 etc to continue instead of the premium rate number.

There not being a premium rate number to call, this new ploy of having to press 9 or whatever could have got the curious to press the required number just to see what it is all about. After all nowadays it is not uncommon to go through a series of press this and press that before getting to where we want to go without being charged the earth.

But I’ve done my civic duty in warning others what might happen if they press the required number.

[pam1]

funny that had a pre-recorded message last night saying i had won a holiday press such a number don't no how bt is letting them getting got my number for its x direct. but its not the first one i had one saying i had won a mobile and tv i just hung up they are a dam nuisance.

[accyman]

automated dialing cold calling sytems are illigal in america

i learned that off the simpsons because homer got busted for doing it lol

why the hell bt allow these is beyond me , unless they get money from them as well