Very Interesting - telephone charges

WillowTheWhisp · 27-04-2005, 13:30

I have a quirky little thing on my phone which rings me back to let me know how much each call costs. It's handy when you've got kids upstairs making calls on an extension - not only do I know they have phoned someone but I also know the cost of the call.

Now here's the interesting bit.

Today whilst I was out someone tried to deliver a parcel and left a note. There's a phone number to ring to make alternative arrangements for the delivery. I tried phoning and all I got was a ringing (not the usual sound but I didn't give that a second thought) and after a few minutes it went dead so I immediately dialed again and got the same ringing. After holding on for a little while I hung up, thinking I'd do something else and try again later.

Then the phone rang - it was the charge advice thing telling me it had cost me 20p. OK, not earth shattering but as I hadn't got through why was I charged at all? I put it down to some discrepancy relating to having been cut off the first time. I put the phone down and immediately it rang again to advise me of the cost of the second call - 17p. So I have just been charged for two calls that were never even connected. Is this some sort of new scam involving certain types of telephone number? This one begins 08701.

Neil · 27-04-2005, 15:20

My guess is that the company you were ringing have an automatic answer system. You know the dial 1 for this and 2 for that. You are paying for listening to all the options because the call is connected. I guess that theirs had a hickup and failed to work. It answered so you pay.

entwisi · 27-04-2005, 16:03

There was a scam where you got a card through saying they had a parcel for you and to ring a premium rate number. They had a answerphone on with just a ringing tone for 5 minutes so you thought it was just ringing but was in reality running up a nice bill.

Neil · 27-04-2005, 17:18

There is also another one about your credit card trying to be delivered by a courier. When you ring them they ask for your account number and password to prove it is you. When you tell them they are able to activate your new card that they stole from the mail.

WillowTheWhisp · 27-04-2005, 21:35

The annoying part was that there was no indication whatsoever that the phone had been answered, not even a blip in the ringing which might have implied one phone answered and passed on to an extension. I shall wait in tomorrow to see if whatever this is meant to be is actually delivered or not but as I am not expecting anything I am inclined to think that it is more likely to be a scam such as you describe entwisi.