Company Call Charges

Eldo_2

Hello there all,

Stupidly perhaps I was never aware that an 0845 number was a premium rate, dare i say i thought it may even have been a 0800 alternative. I try to keep up to date with such things as much as possible and would consider myself relatively switched on, but had no idea it was a premium number nor was there ever any warning at any stage.

Most recently returning a call to my bank when they were checking fraudulent activity on my account. I was charged £2.35 charge for a 13 minute call, some of which waiting for them to check the issue. Considering this was to a mainstream company! (Naive I know) I would never have suspected 'premium call rates'.

Wanting to know what was going on and why I was not made aware about the charges I called the bank. After pressing the issue the lady advised me that I was calling a premium number and that I should call from a landline in future. The bank advised me all call costs should also be displayed next to the numbers, which checking thoroughly they are not. I mentioned I did not have a landline to call from and was given an email should i want to take it further and send them a copy of my phone bill. (bills in this case going back some months).

I would really appreciate some advice what one should do, while the amounts are not insurmountable it is the principle. Its feels like its their own secret little revenue. My bank told me it was an issue for my phone provider, phone provider obviously said it was an issue for my bank. I did get out of my bank eventually that they received some of the money from the premium calls. I appreciate mobiles cost more, but think this is a little shady considering the lack of upfront warning.

Any advice most welcome, i.e do I have any come back especially as i'm noticing 0845 everywhere now...

oh yes, any other numbers i should be aware of!

Kind Regards
Eldo

Heinz

A 14 minute weekday daytime call to an 0845 number from a BT residential landline would have cost 12.5p connection + 14 x 2.042p = 41.1p.

Which calls provider were you using to have been charged so excessively?

EDIT. I see now you were calling from a mobile and, as they all rip users off for 084/087 calls, you're stuck I'm afraid.

Personally, I use www.saynoto0870.com and usually find a geographical number to use. I that fails, I normally use one of their 0800 sales numbers and become the innocent dipstick caller to blag my way through to where I want (having free calls to 0500/080 numbers from my Giffgaff mobile helps there too).