International Premium Rate Numbers

Paul_Varjak

Has anyone used premium rate numbers to generate income? I am thinking in particular of international premium rate numbers. Even within the UK, the number of call rates is mind-boggling; internationally it is absolutely overwhelming. This leads to all sorts of charging errors - some of which benefit the customer and many that do not.

I have found one country offering international premium rate numbers that will pay out 35p/minute but cost as little as 1.7p/min. to call (depending on the company you use to route your calls). That is a gross profit of £20/hour just for making a call to yourself!

You can even route the calls to a VOIP number, so I am sure it is possible to implement software to automatically call your own premium rate number and answer that call - all on your pc, whilst you sleep!

So, £20/hour x 8 hours = £160. Get five numbers (I think most broadband connections can handle five simultaneous phone calls) and you will be £800 richer when you wake up in the morning!

That is £292,000 per year!!!!!!!

If you need more money just sleep longer!

Levis24

Good idea, but were are you going to get such software to make free calls?

geordie_joe

Levis24 wrote: »

Good idea, but were are you going to get such software to make free calls?

Just reading the post I don't think you need software to make free calls.

The idea is some companies pay you 35 per minute when someone calls your number. Other companies will only charge you 1.7p per minute to ring those numbers. Lose leaders I suppose.

So the idea is you ring your own number and pay 1.7p per minute to make the call, but get paid 35p per minute to receive it.

I suspect you would need two telephone lines, but in theory you could make money.

Off the top of my head, a couple of old dial up fax modems, set up to only connect at the slowest speed possible, and some free fax software to fax yourself a lot of huge text files would keep the call going a long time.

Levis24

Oh i see, could have gave that a try but unfortunely i havent got 2 phone lines

geordie_joe

Levis24 wrote: »

Oh i see, could have gave that a try but unfortunely i havent got 2 phone lines

Me neither, but a thought just struck me.

You don't need two phone lines, you just need a mate with a phone line and do the old "I'll fax your number for half an hour, then you fax mine for half an hour".

The only problem is will the site that claims to pay you 35p per minute actually pay you? And will the company offering these calls at 1.7p per minute chop your account if you use them too much.

There's plenty companies offering cheap calls, but they don't actually expect you to call those numbers very often.

Just like the web companies who offer a million gigs of web space, they know you could never use it and would cut your account off if you used even a fraction of that.

Paul_Varjak

Levis24 wrote: »

Good idea, but were are you going to get such software to make free calls?

No problem at all! XLite is a good one!

Paul_Varjak

geordie_joe wrote: »

You don't need two phone lines, you just need a mate with a phone line and do the old "I'll fax your number for half an hour, then you fax mine for half an hour".

Not necessary, you just need one VOIP number - and you can get these free from SIPGATE.

somi

does anyone how to get started in Premium number line, how to make money. Would be much appreciated for direction cause i need to up my income urgently.

thanks.

somi

does anyone how to get started in Premium number line, how to make money. Would be much appreciated for direction cause i need to up my income urgently.
And whch compnay is that pays 35per minute.

thanks.

Paul_Varjak

The main problem in putting theory into practice is obtaining premium rate numbers in a foreign country! The numbers I found are in Russia! So, if you want to start up a company in Russia and hope that you get paid, then good luck!

Paul_Varjak

A few years ago people did earn money from UK premium rate phone lines exploiting similar charging loopholes. But the whole telecoms industry is now much more aware of this type of scam and I think charging errors (in the caller's favour) on UK premium rate numbers are now rare.

Although deriving income in this way may not amount to a prosecutable offence for fraud you must remember that premium rate numbers are usually controlled by the host country's government. In the UK, the body is called PHONEPAY PLUS and they can fine individuals (and companies) up to £250,000 for breaches of their rules.

In fact, one individual (and his company) who attempted to promote himself on this website and got himself barred by Martin was fined on three occasions by ICSTIS (the former name of PHONEPAY PLUS) for breaches of their code. That person is about to lose their £750,000 home!