0800 Reverse Rip Off!

AirCooledHeaven

My son was recently stranded and didn't have enough credit on his mobile to call me (apparently my fault for not being psychic). Anyway he called 0800 Reverse that he'd seen advertised on TV, my younger son answered and accepted the call, I sorted him out in a couple of minutes. Anyway, afterwards I checked their website to see what the call charge was going to be. I was staggered, £3.50 connection charge then 42p for the first 30 seconds, then 48p for every 30 seconds thereafter.

Later I was thinking about premium rate phone numbers and how they have to state the cost of the call and realised how 0800 reverse doesn't have a recorded announcement of charges, either for the person making the call or the person receiving it? Is there not some code of practice that requires them to provide this information up front:question:

AirCooledHeaven

Heinz wrote: »

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=280082

Yep, I know there are cheaper ways but I'm interested in any legal obligations to be up front with the call charges...

Assuming that BT operator connected reverse calls would be cheaper I checked, an eye-watering £1.26 for each 30 seconds, but a paltry £2.50 connection charge.

BexTech

AirCooledHeaven wrote: »

Yep, I know there are cheaper ways but I'm interested in any legal obligations to be up front with the call charges...

Assuming that BT operator connected reverse calls would be cheaper I checked, an eye-watering £1.26 for each 30 seconds, but a paltry £2.50 connection charge.

Heinz posted that thread as that is the thread for discussing 0800 Reverse.

AirCooledHeaven

BexTech wrote: »

Heinz posted that thread as that is the thread for discussing 0800 Reverse.

Sorry my psychic powers must be on the blink, I stupidly thought that Heinz had posted an answer to my question. Remember some of us don't live on this forum, I didn't realise I had to trawl through every thread that has ever been posted to see if my topic has it's own specialist niche :doh:

KimYeovil

The whole tenor of the adverts screams that it is extortion. If your son is idiotic enough to use the company, take it out of his pocket money. That'll make him more sensible in future.

AirCooledHeaven

KimYeovil wrote: »

The whole tenor of the adverts screams that it is extortion. If your son is idiotic enough to use the company, take it out of his pocket money. That'll make him more sensible in future.

How dare you be so patronising. My son is 12. You self righteous, arrogant oaf...I pity your children if you have any

KimYeovil

Then it is your mistake for not preparing him or allowing him out on his own. Every sensible child knows a reversed charge call is made in a call box by dialing the operator on 100 and asking them to be put through. And if a call box is not available every child knows a call through a mobile will be extortionate. If you don't want him to run up bills don't allow the child to have a mobile.

And if 0800 REVERSE told your child how much the call would cost he may not have made the call since he might fear his mummy might begrudge paying £3 to help him and he would end up stranded. And if they told you the charges would you have shrugged and put the phone down on your child?

robredz

It is an expensive scam. I was charged £5 for an 0800 reverse when my son wanted a lift home from a nightclub. He now uses texts.

TomsMom

AirCooledHeaven wrote: »

My son was recently stranded and didn't have enough credit on his mobile to call me (apparently my fault for not being psychic). Anyway he called 0800 Reverse that he'd seen advertised on TV, my younger son answered and accepted the call, I sorted him out in a couple of minutes. Anyway, afterwards I checked their website to see what the call charge was going to be. I was staggered, £3.50 connection charge then 42p for the first 30 seconds, then 48p for every 30 seconds thereafter.

Later I was thinking about premium rate phone numbers and how they have to state the cost of the call and realised how 0800 reverse doesn't have a recorded announcement of charges, either for the person making the call or the person receiving it? Is there not some code of practice that requires them to provide this information up front:question:

The TV advert does, in fact, clearly state the cost of the service. However, it goes across the bottom of the screen quite quickly so that you'd need to see the advert a few times to catch all of it, and IIRC the colour of the text is not that easily read against the background. So I suppose you could say that they have adhered to whatever code of practice is in place BUT you have to be a speed reader with good eyesight and a cynic to boot .

What you could do, just in case anyone finds themselves in this situation again, is tell them to use 0800 REVERSE and when you are told "Fred Bloggs has placed a reverse charge call, will you accept it?" you say "No". You will know who has called you and you can then ring them on their mobile. You wont have that extortionate charge to pay and you will be able to contact them to find out the problem.

Hope that helps for the future.

AirCooledHeaven

KimYeovil wrote: »

Then it is your mistake for not preparing him or allowing him out on his own. Every sensible child knows a reversed charge call is made in a call box by dialing the operator on 100 and asking them to be put through. And if a call box is not available every child knows a call through a mobile will be extortionate. If you don't want him to run up bills don't allow the child to have a mobile.

And if 0800 REVERSE told your child how much the call would cost he may not have made the call since he might fear his mummy might begrudge paying £3 to help him and he would end up stranded. And if they told you the charges would you have shrugged and put the phone down on your child?

Yes, of course children read the small print and terms & conditions on every offer and advert that passes in front of them. Clearly you don't have any but feel free to pontificate on any other non child related subject...

AirCooledHeaven

TomsMom wrote: »

What you could do, just in case anyone finds themselves in this situation again, is tell them to use 0800 REVERSE and when you are told "Fred Bloggs has placed a reverse charge call, will you accept it?" you say "No". You will know who has called you and you can then ring them on their mobile. You wont have that extortionate charge to pay and you will be able to contact them to find out the problem.

Hope that helps for the future.

Good advice, thanks:T