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bt

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aaargh!
just got the bill - it had 41 calls listed to 123 (the talking clock) there are only two of us in the house - both adults and i am sure we have never called it at all - let alone 41 times!
called bt. after some trying (at first they said they couldnt see it on the bill) they found the amount (£10.45) and said they would refund just £8 something of it. when i asked why they wouldnt refund the full amount they said it was because the rest was vat!
i asked why i was paying vat on someting that i hadnt used (that would be like returning something to a shop for a refund and only getting your money back minus vat!) after being on hold even longer they agreed to refund the full amount - however - then told me that although they had refunded it - they wouldnt do it in the future and i should inform people in my house not to call it as it costs money! - in other words, suggesting that we did call it!
cheeky !!!!!!s.
ps if anyone can advise about moving from bt i am putting another post on the telephones board.
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Comments

  • gt94sss2
    gt94sss2 Posts: 6,082 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Do you have anything else attached to your telephone line, apart from telephones?

    For instance, I've heard of calls being made to 123 by misbehaving Sky boxes. In general BT's billing systems are very accurate, hence their asumption that something at your end made the calls (even if not you)

    Regards
    Sunil
  • patwa_2
    patwa_2 Posts: 1,542 Forumite
    Lucky that. We had an issue with BT about ten years ago re: calls to premium rate numbers. Like we'd wrack up £800's worth of bills without knowing it! Ended up going to court, and I don't know what happened next. One day, dad just came home and the matter was never talked of again.

    I'd recommend TalkTalk if you're looking for a new supplier, but take a look at Uswitch to see which would be best for your usage plan.
    Know me for who I am, not for who I say I am.
  • will def try a new supplier - havent got anything connected full time tho do use internet but use a laptop so its put away disconnected after use. sky plus box used to be conected but hasnt been for some time now - i will have a think about when it was unplugged from the phone line.
  • Edinburghlass_2
    Edinburghlass_2 Posts: 32,680 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I would definately look at how/why this has happened before trying a new supplier as this will only happen again.

    Leave BT and go to TalkTalk.... not a good idea. That means moving everything to TalkTalk in which case I suggest you read all the threads in the Telephony Boards.
  • gyzmo
    gyzmo Posts: 624 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Something similar happened to me. My bill showed 18 calls within a 1 minute period, the longest lasting about 30 seconds.

    When I called the customer services number, I was told that they wouldn't refund the money as I must have made the calls.

    When i asked them to explain how I could dial 18 numbers in one minute AND be on one of the calls for 30 seconds (so really dialling 17 numbers in 30 seconds), she said that I must have accidentally hit the redial button (like I have obsessive compulsive disorder or something?). The fact that they were differrent numbers did not register with them, but much complaining to someone with common sense and a real threat to leave soon got my money back.
    Don't bother trying to sue me - I've got no money!
  • patwa_2
    patwa_2 Posts: 1,542 Forumite
    Reading this for the second time reminds me of when i got my first cordless phone. It was an EasyRoute model from Sun AXA Insurance as a free gift for my mum taking out the policy.

    BT bill came through the next quarter, showing more than 150 calls, each of 7 seconds in duration, and being made at random times. Sometimes there would be a cluster of calls, then nothing for a couple of hours, then one single call, then a cluster again.

    After speaking to someone at BT who had seen the problem before, and that lady digging out the records of the customer affected, she found notes detailing the problem. That customer had the same phone as us, and the phone was apparently making the calls all of its own accord.

    Turned out after speaking to EasyRoute, that the phone had not been registered with their control system prior to despatch. The registration system was therefore trying to complete the process, but as the system was constantly engaged, it could not be completed, hence the calls.

    Easyroute refunded the call charges, and replaced the handset which has since had no further problems.

    Therefore, I would check to see if you have any devices that rely on the time, that are connected to your phone (including clock radios) and that may have an incomplete time sync process.
    Know me for who I am, not for who I say I am.
  • Ongobay
    Ongobay Posts: 23 Forumite
    I work at BT - to be honest it won't be a billing error, however I would never dismiss the possibility completely.
    Customer service advisors will refund for a first instance upto £10 as a gesture of good will.
    For the speaking clock to be called 'unknown' it would generally be a sky box or a burglar alarm.
    Try to think if there have been any changes within that billing period. If your PC is connected to the phone line via a modem it could be infected with a virus - they usually call Int prs numbers but can occasionally call any numbers.
    Amstrad emailer phones are especially bad for dialling numbers without people knowing.
    I'm not being rude but they aren't cheeky !!!!!!!s - they deal with issues such as yours on a day to day basis - not once have I seen calls made to be on a bill by BT error. It is always either someone in the property (Children, builders, plumber, electrician, visitors etc) or equipment. You can even get fridges and washing machines that call out.
    Firstly it would be such a monumental error for BT to add on charges randomly to bills incorrectly - secondly it would be just as bad for them not to know or pick it up on audits.
    If you went to TalkTalk then the calls would be charged by the exact same billing system from the exchange.
    The only error from BT was the advisor not correctly explaining the full possibilities and for not including the VAT in the first place.
  • The problem is the telecoms industry is all to willing to bill for faudulently generated calls.
    This happens because the industry is poorly regulated and unpoliced.
    Here is a "rogue dialler" example from 2004.

    Icstis (UK regulator) allowed fraudsters to use 3,500 known premium rate numbers to target tens of thousands of UK families throughout 2004 and into 2005.
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4397308.stm
    After the program BT said there was no legal reason the bills should not be paid.
    Throughout 2004 Icstis misled the media and victims as to the true scale of the fraud.
    http://news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39158412,00.htm
    "If it's only a few cases, then we can put it down to the husband or kids not admitting to surfing !!!!!!, but if 300 customers are saying the same thing about one company, then we can't ignore it," said Baht. "We can't work out what the problem is, so have recently started talking to the Hi-Tech Crime Unit so they can do a criminal investigation."

    The following are the service providers that targeted the victims in the BBC program. Icstis recieved countless numerous complaints regarding each number. Many of the service providers were operating 500 numbers. They were clearly sharing the same addresses and registered by the same people. Despite the high level of complaint Icstis relicenced them in August 2004 and allowed them to continue.
    Amara Amichi 2000 SL.....................0909 967 7600 to 0909 967 9299 = 1700
    Amara Amichi 2000 SL.....................0909 967 9608 to 0909 967 9907 = 300
    Icstis contact................Jorge de la Riva..... C ter 27 Bajo Iz,Palma De Mallorca,Spain
    Spanish Companies House=..M* De M*.............Can Puigdorfila 2,1-B-07001 Palma De Mallorca,Spain

    Inversion Zarnoza SL.......................0909 967 7600 to 0909 967 8099 = 500
    supplied by Amara Amichi 2000 SL
    Icstis contact.........................C/ Murillo 15, Apt 13, Nova Sta Ponsa, 07180, Spain
    here=..C/ CAN PUIGDORFILA, 2 1º B, PALMA DE MALLORCA, BALEARES, 07001

    Cala De Plata SL.............................0909 967 8100 to 0909 967 8599 = 500
    supplied by Amara Amichi 2000 SL
    Icstis contact...Sussana Heinkel, susanna@bingos.com, Passeig de l'arbreda 15, Llucmajor, Mallorca, 07609, Spain
    Spanish Companies House=..M* De M*.......Can Puigdorfila 2,1-B-07001 Palma De Mallorca,Spain

    Mesa rotation SL.............................0909 967 8600 to 0909 967 9099 = 500
    supplied by Amara Amichi 2000 SL
    Icstis contact....Celia Constante, Can Puigdorfila 2,1-B-07001 Palma De Mallorca,Spain
    Spanish Companies House=..M* De M*.......Can Puigdorfila 2,1-B-07001 Palma De Mallorca,Spain

    Middleton holdings ltd......................0909 967 9100 to 0909 967 9299 = 200
    Middleton holdings ltd......................0909 967 9608 to 0909 967 9907 = 300
    supplied by Amara Amichi 2000 SL
    Icstis contact....c/o Amara Amichi, C ter 27 Bajo Iz, Palma De Mallorca, Spain

    Ibero Latino De Telecomuniccaciones..0909 967 3002 to 0909 967 3006 = 5
    Icstis contact....0034 971 906 906, Gremi Boters 42, Nave2, 07009 Poligono Son Castello, Palma De Mallorca, C.I.F: A-57094708, Spain

    Premium Media Communications..........0909 967 2808 to 0909 967 2808 = 1
    Premium Media Communications..........0909 967 2995 to 0909 967 2999 = 5
    Premium Media Communications..........0909 967 3654 to 0909 967 3953 = 300
    Icstis contact...E* D*, 0034 6618 3999, Cl. Del Ter 27 Bajos Izqueirda, 07009 Poligono Son Fuster, Palma De Mallorca, C.I.F: B-57161366, Spain

    Telecolux SL..................................0909 967 3217 to 0909 967 3241 = 25
    Icstis contact.....M* S* P*, c/o Ter 27 Bajos Izda, 07009, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
    Jokomo Media SL............................0909 967 3242 to 0909 967 3261 = 20
    Jokomo Media SL............................0909 967 0019 to 0909 967 0029 = 11
    Jokomo Media SL............................0909 967 0046 to 0909 967 0055 = 10
    Jokomo Media SL............................0909 967 0582 to 0909 967 0601 = 10
    Jokomo Media SL............................0909 967 2830 to 0909 967 2849 = 20
    Jokomo Media SL............................0909 967 2942 to 0909 967 2966 = 25
    Icstis contact......0034 696 953 685, c/o Ter 27 Bajos Izda, 07009, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

    Quizir SL........................................0909 967 3544 to 0909 967 3578 = 35
    Quizir SL........................................0909 967 3579 to 0909 967 3598 = 20
    Quizir SL........................................0909 967 5000 to 0909 967 5099 = 100
    Quizir SL........................................0909 967 6060 to 0909 967 6459 = 400
    Quizir SL........................................0909 967 7100 to 0909 967 7599 = 500
    Icstis contact..Jose Balle. ......Can Puigdorfila 2,1-B-07001 Palma De Mallorca,Spain
    Spanish Companies House=..M* De M*.......Can Puigdorfila 2,1-B-07001 Palma De Mallorca,Spain
  • I had a major issue with BT in 2004 where they decided to cancel (?) the DD and cut me off for it . When i contacted them to see why i couldn't ring out they said i had canceled the DD and they wanted the full bill paying their and then or they would prosecute me. I logged on to my bank website whilst talking to this horrible woman and said the DD is still active she called me a liar and said it wasn't. To my total embarrassment she had me tears saying really nasty things, anyway she said she would reinstate the DD which she did. The following day i went into my bank and asked them to check this DD for me and they gave me proof to send to them that was active and had never been canceled. I never had a letter back or an apology when i sent this in even though after i spoke to them they promised to deal with it. Well i said bye bye to calls with them in 2005 i put it through Tesco not the cheapest but we collect air miles and then i also put the account in my sons name as i will be moving out shortly and he and his girlfriend will live her together. Goodbye BT thankfully but i wish they would back off sending me please come back to us letters. I wouldn't have another account with BT if they paid me. Can you not have an NTL phone installed?
  • Ongobay wrote:
    I work at BT - to be honest it won't be a billing error, however I would never dismiss the possibility completely.
    Customer service advisors will refund for a first instance upto £10 as a gesture of good will.
    For the speaking clock to be called 'unknown' it would generally be a sky box or a burglar alarm.
    Try to think if there have been any changes within that billing period. If your PC is connected to the phone line via a modem it could be infected with a virus - they usually call Int prs numbers but can occasionally call any numbers.
    Amstrad emailer phones are especially bad for dialling numbers without people knowing.
    I'm not being rude but they aren't cheeky !!!!!!!s - they deal with issues such as yours on a day to day basis - not once have I seen calls made to be on a bill by BT error. It is always either someone in the property (Children, builders, plumber, electrician, visitors etc) or equipment. You can even get fridges and washing machines that call out.
    Firstly it would be such a monumental error for BT to add on charges randomly to bills incorrectly - secondly it would be just as bad for them not to know or pick it up on audits.
    If you went to TalkTalk then the calls would be charged by the exact same billing system from the exchange.
    The only error from BT was the advisor not correctly explaining the full possibilities and for not including the VAT in the first place.

    I take it you mean electrical interference. Modem i will agree with but burglar alarms usually call the service provider/call centre and don't need to know the time. Blue tooth can do this as well as cross lines which has been posted on www.NTLhell.co.uk recently. Regarding washing machines a take it you are talking about electrical interference. I just checked your post with a technician who is well up to date with technology. Sorry but BT doesn't wash it with me and never will.
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