Free software from BT to stop Rogue Dialers

shrek101

I am glad BT are doing something, however in the case of many people to little to late.

Thank god I got Broadband for many years at least that's one scam them fraudsters cant get the greasy hands on.

Unfortunately I have known other victims from the widespread fraud and BT in my view are responsible and should do more quickly to remove these customers that clearly intend on breaking the law.

jake_bullet_2

Seems to me like there are a lot of people who are not willing to take responsibility for their own actions, BT are doing these people a favour.

When you get a telephone line it's meant for making calls, to wherever YOU dial, including premium rate numbers if you choose. It is not for BT or anyone else to act like a nanny and decide for you whether to allow you to make a particular call or not.

YOU are responsible for controlling access to your telephone line, this includes useage by family members, friends and computers. If your computer, or a sibling who was fooled by a scam, dials a premium number then BT, Telewest, NTL etc must complete the call, it's what you pay them for.

The quickest way to be safe is to simply bar all premium numbers.

This kind of thing is why we are heading for a nanny state, the more people who try to shift the blame for their mistake (and it really does come down to user error or ignorance) on to someone else, the more we will see freedom of choice erroded as the government panders to the incompetence of the whiners.

Steve_xx

YOU are responsible for controlling access to your telephone line, this includes useage by family members, friends and computers. If your computer, or a sibling who was fooled by a scam, dials a premium number then BT, Telewest, NTL etc must complete the call, it's what you pay them for.

I disagree with you. These rogue diallers which install themselves on peoples computers are nothing short of scandalous, and it is right and correct that exchange line users should be provided with, free of any charge, the means to prevent rogue dialling occurring. These tiny programs often install themselves unbeknown to the user, indeed it is the case that sometimes the wording that they use is specifically designed to dupe the individual into installing something on their pc which is quite different from what appeared to be on offer.

Clearly, if people had understood what they were letting themselves in for at the outset, then they certainly would not be grumbling to the extent that they are.

The problem is not as simple as requiring BT to bar all numbers starting 09 as many of these rogue diallers are set to dial international numbers, none of which start with the 09 prefix.

It is bizarre to suggest that the person responsible for payment for calls made on a telephone line can actually monitor its usage for 24 hours a day. But it is possible for network service providers to offer selective call barring.

Boohbah

Good find PMM, well done.

jake_bullet_2

Steve_xx,

You're quite right with much of what you say, the rouge diallers are indeed scandalous and I'm not suggesting otherwise.

The point is that people were TRICKED into using them, the same goes for people who call a premium rate number to claim a 'prize' these people were duped but not by the telephone carrier.

If you operate a computer then you take certain responsibilities for it, you can't go blaming the telephone company or the electricity company or the manufacturer just because you got a virus, trojan or rogue dialler.

These diallers didn't come from BT, they were installed on the users machine through inexperience or ineptitude but were, in fact, installed.

It's good that BT are providing help but they have no responsibility for what gets installed on a persons computer.

If I tell you to send me £1000 and I will give you a new car, would you do it? No? I'm not surprised since it's clearly a scam.

BUT: If you did, would it be right to blame the bank? After all, they provided you with the means to part with your money, it must be their fault? Right?

Fifer

The point is that people were TRICKED into using them, the same goes for people who call a premium rate number to claim a 'prize' these people were duped but not by the telephone carrier.

It's not quite as simple as that. BT are in effect, providing the scamsters with the means to commit the fraud, are acting as the collectors for the proceeds of the fraud and are taking a percentage of the fraudulent proceeds as their reward for their part in the fraud. Their hands are by no means clean.

Steve_xx

If I tell you to send me £1000 and I will give you a new car, would you do it? No? I'm not surprised since it's clearly a scam.

BUT: If you did, would it be right to blame the bank? After all, they provided you with the means to part with your money, it must be their fault? Right?

Your analogy is not a good one. If you asked me to send you £1000 for a car in return, then clearly I would have time to consider whether or not your offer was genuine. I would have to physically arrange for the money to be transported to you and that would take some time to complete. Also, I would be fully aware of what was on offer and more importantly I would have the clear option of whether or not to act.

Here's another analogy you might want to think about. I go into a BT cabinet in your street, and I then attach a pair of wires and a telephone handset to the wires which feed your home. I proceed to make several premium rated calls on what is effectively your phone line. You will, in due course receive a bill from BT for these calls. You of course will say that you didn't make the calls and BT will argue that you did. How would you feel then? Wouldn't you feel duped?

These rogue diallers instal themselves and dial out without a user realising what has happened. They have been duped and their pc's have been hijacked. They later complain about it because they feel that they have been duped. They would not complain about it if they were presented properly with the facts relating to the charges. so that they could take time to make a decision.

Whilst the network service providers are not wholly responsible for how we use their service, they are partly responsible and they have the means by which they can prevent it happening. Obviously there is some reluctance to act on their part due to the huge revenues derived from these premium rate calls. Clearly this is wrong and it must, and will be addressed.