07012 numbers. Are they premium rate

wantmemoney

http://www.out-law.com/page-8107
Personal numbers must carry cost warning, says regulator
OUT-LAW News, 31/05/2007

Telecoms regulator Ofcom has ordered that from September, callers to so-called 'personal numbers', which start with the digits 070, must hear a warning on the call's cost for free before being connected if the call will cost more than 20 pence.

The regulator also said that it is considering scrapping the 070 numbers because users think the numbers are mobile phones, and moving personal numbers on to the empty 06 number range. Calls to personal numbers from mobile phones can cost as much as £2 for a 10 or 15-second call.

Callers to personal numbers have in the past called 070 numbers thinking they are mobiles and have been shocked at the sometimes high cost of making the call. That has prompted Ofcom to deal with the price issue by making sure that customers are warned before making any call.

"For 070 PNs [personal numbers] Ofcom has provided a degree of protection to consumers calling those numbers," said Ofcom's announcement. "If a call to a 070 number costs more than 20p (per minute or per call), customers will get a free-to-caller pre-call announcement about the charge involved. Such pre-announcements should be provided from 1st September 2007. Whilst the exact wording of the pre-call announcement may differ between content providers, we would expect all customers to be better protected by this measure."

One person who has been affected by the high price of personal numbers is Jim Clark. He tells this week's technology law podcast OUT-LAW Radio of his attempts to find out who was behind a call that cost him £2.

He missed a call on his mobile phone from a number that began with the digits 070. Not knowing about personal numbers and assuming it was from a mobile phone, Clark returned the call, only to hear a message saying that the number did not accept calls.

Suspicious, he phoned his mobile operator's automated billing service to discover that the 15 second call had cost him £2. He then discovered that his wife, whose phone number is similar to his, had had the same experience just minutes later.

"I found the whole episode a wee bit suspicious," said Clark. "I found out the call cost £2, which enraged me slightly. I thought that every 07 was a mobile number, I didn't know differently."

Clark's mobile operator Virgin Mobile refunded him and his wife the £2 call cost, but he said that the public should have more protection against what he thinks was a scam.

"I know that it's only £2 and it's a triviality, but it's something that when I found that nobody could do anything about it it really disturbed me," said Clark. "The fact that Ofcom didn't want to know, ICSTIS didn't want to know, Virgin didn't want to know; three people were all targeted by it and that just isn't right."

Ofcom said that it would have acted had Clark got in touch through its contact centre rather than by including an Ofcom board memo in an email of complaint, while ICSTIS said that it only dealt with 070 numbers if they are being used for a premium rate style service.

An Ofcom spokesman said that the regulator was aware that the fact that personal numbers begin in 070 causes confusion and makes callers think they are phoning a mobile phone. He said that Ofcom hoped to switch personal numbers over to the 06 number range by the end of the year.

if I was purposely designing a number to be used for scamming it would start 070

gropinginthedark

A new (to me at any rate) angle on this.
I run a web design company and today several of my clients have received messages from the forms on their "contact us" page.
The message reads something like :

---

Message: Hi, my name is xxxxx work for xxxxx . I would like to talk with you at your earliest convenience. Is there a good time for me to contact you? If you could call me back my number is 07012 906409. My offic number is 0871 873 2905, however, I'm not in the offic this week, so it's best to get me on my mobile. I look forwards to speaking soon, Best Rgs Grace

---

The caller and company name vary. The premium numbers are all similar (starting 07012 906xxx).

BoltonMinx

So cross I fell for this! Saw this number 07067733383 as a missed call on my mobile and returned it - stupid really, thought it was my mate who had just got a new mobile, didnt even twig the 070 :mad: Got a message that the number was no longer connected, was on for less than a min so fingers crossed, the bill will be tiny. Must engage brain when using mobile

SunnyBrighton_2

Hi, likewise, we run similar company and got this one on our feedback form on the website .......


Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted by
() on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at 15:02:17

---

Subject: Web Design

SubjectOther: Hello, I would like to speak with you

Comments: Hello there, my name is Nathan Bell and I work for Imo. I would like to talk with you at your earliest convenience. Is there a good time for me to contact you? If you could call me back my number is 07012 906787. My offic number is 0871 873 2753, however, I'm not in the offic this week, so it's best to get me on my mobile. I look forwards to speaking soon, Rgs Nathan

Username: Nathan Bell

UserEmail: [EMAIL="nathanbell@mail.com"]nathanbell@mail.com[/EMAIL]

UserTel: 07012 906787


Nasty scam! (Esp because it just might be a new client - they don't all spell well these days! - note 'offic' ) - Avoid them!

BexTech

diddyell wrote: »

0702401443_ (reserved last digit)
I think this number may be a con as It is in an advert for a Caravan that sounds very cheap as it is almost new & several thousand pounds cheaper than new
http://www.ukclassifiedads.co.uk/ I tried to call & it sounded like an International call to me! if the advert is genuine I do apologise.

You'll likely to be charged as you are connected whilst it tries to contact the destination.

My one local 0121 number has a continental ringing tone when called, so that's not always a give-away of where the destination maybe.

wantmemoney

http://www.ofcomwatch.co.uk/2005/10/ofcom-to-broaden-enforcement-of-070/
Ofcom to broaden enforcement of 070 numbers (Personal Numbering Services) acceptable use rules.
Oct 26th 2005
Examples of services that Ofcom would consider to be legitimate PNS include:

• 070 numbers allocated to end-users who frequently travel and wish to be able to receive calls in different locations
• 070 numbers allocated to users of internet dating sites, chat rooms, etc., who want to be contacted by other users of these websites without disclosing their ‘regular’ phone numbers
• 070 numbers allocated for the purpose of selling through classified ads in magazines

Examples of uses that may be unacceptable for 070 numbers include:

• services allocating 070 numbers with the intention that the calling party shall set the number called, rather than the receiving party
• switchboard services through which more than one end-user can be contacted through a single 070 number
• services allocating 070 numbers for the purpose of making international phone calls (as opposed to receiving such calls)
• the use of 070 numbers for administration of individual 070 numbers

[.................]
Anonymous
Nov 11th 2005
Please warn all readers of the 070 calling scam. Where your mobile rings once and hangs up. Many people are unsure who called and call back getting a large calling charge. This is not illegal, but what a con!
[............]
riger
Aug 27th 2007
A missed call on my landline came from
0701777000
When are you guys at Oftel going to do something about this scam.
I’ve also had clients who’ve been told that the 0700 number given was a freephone contact number. The “builders” using this scam also gave as their full address on their leaflet:
7 Station Road
How about requiring the suppliers of the service to refund the call changes?

so they acknowledge it's unacceptable so why is the government allowing it?

Neoshoegal

gropinginthedark wrote: »

A new (to me at any rate) angle on this.
I run a web design company and today several of my clients have received messages from the forms on their "contact us" page.
The message reads something like :

---

Message: Hi, my name is xxxxx work for xxxxx . I would like to talk with you at your earliest convenience. Is there a good time for me to contact you? If you could call me back my number is 07012 906409. My offic number is 0871 873 2905, however, I'm not in the offic this week, so it's best to get me on my mobile. I look forwards to speaking soon, Best Rgs Grace

---

The caller and company name vary. The premium numbers are all similar (starting 07012 906xxx).

also got an email yesterday with a message like that. Thought it was suspiscious, glad I didn't call them

Paradise_Found

This scam is driving me nuts!! :mad:

Every afternoon this week (so five consecutive days),
the following number has called my landline:

07012 212 212

I normally never answer 'unknown' numbers on principle,
but after reading about the scam on here, on every day
from Tuesday onwards, I have answered, and left the
phone off the cradle for 30 minutes!!

Surely this is now costing *them* money/time every time
they call me, so why haven't they given up yet??? :rolleyes:

If it continues next week, what can I do to stop the calls,
other than unplugging the phone or changing my number?


MARK

Steve_xx

See here:

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/07012212212

It wont cost them much to call you, but it would cost you a lot to call it!

Complain about it here:

http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/consumers/number_ranges/default.asp

Paradise_Found wrote: »

This scam is driving me nuts!! :mad:

Every afternoon this week (so five consecutive days),
the following number has called my landline:

07012 212 212

I normally never answer 'unknown' numbers on principle,
but after reading about the scam on here, on every day
from Tuesday onwards, I have answered, and left the
phone off the cradle for 30 minutes!!

Surely this is now costing *them* money/time every time
they call me, so why haven't they given up yet??? :rolleyes:

If it continues next week, what can I do to stop the calls,
other than unplugging the phone or changing my number?


MARK

Paradise_Found

Steve_xx wrote: »

See here:

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/07012212212

Thanks for that - I was particularly disgusted by this:

Just had a call from my mother in a terrible state. She said she had a call from someone saying that there had been an accident in our family. How do these people manage to get through the blocked nuisance calls? I am actually away at the moment and had to get someone round to console her as she was so upset. These companies shouldnt be allowed to frighten elderly people like this.

Surely making such calls is not legal?

Complain about it here:

http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/consumers/number_ranges/default.asp

Done.

I've also registered a complaint with the the TPS,
and I have e-mailed the provider of the 070 number,
threatening to report them to "Watchdog" if I get
one more call from this number!!!!

Any other suggestions welcome...

MARK