118820 scam - beware!

nettymes

Last month my husband dialled a local number and got a recorded message saying there was a fault on the line and directing him to phone 118820. He assumed this was the number of a BT engineer so he rang it. He told the lady who answered that he had been told to phone because of a fault on the line he was calling. She put him on hold for several minutes and then said that there was a fault and he should try again later. He asked if she was a BT engineer and she gave what he later realised was an evasive answer.

Now we have got our BT bill and discovered that we have been charged £14.60 for that call! By googling it appears that 118820 is a Directory Enquiry service that 'legally' charges £2.50 connection fee and £2.50/minute. But the scam is obviously the recorded message that directs you to call the number, with no indication that you will be charged. Lots of people have been scammed like this. Some people have actually been connected to the number they were trying to get and paid £2.50/minute for the whole call, so in that respect we got off lightly.

We have completed an online complaint form at PhonepayPlus who cover 118 numbers. Need to report it even if we don't get a refund.

Ypaymore

See also : http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/118820

and http://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/Home-Phone/118820-scam/td-p/1352549

The 118820 number is operated by these people http://www.numbergroup.com/ who sell/rent out numbers.

It appears that when one of the numbers allocated to them is not in use by a customer they put a recorded announcement on it to call 118820. A right rip off !!!!

I tried it out by ringing one of the 0800 numbers and one of the 01 numbers that are available to rent from them, and i got a message telling me to call 118820.

redux

£60,000 fine a few days ago, and remarks about guidance for future compliance

http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/For-Business/Adjudications/2014/8/Numbergrp-Network-Communications-Ireland-Ltd-34513-Track-2-18C95C9F-D118-E411-87A7-00155D051116.aspx

most of the complaints were in January and February, it says, but the OP had this last month

The tribunal ruling includes " and a requirement that the Level 2 provider must refund all consumers who claim a refund, for the full amount spent by them on the Service, within 28 days of their claim, save where there is good cause to believe that such claims are not valid, and provide evidence to PhonepayPlus that such refunds have been made. "

Ypaymore, did the IVR have information yet on the price of the 118820 number, and a non-premium contact number?

BJV

I am sure that it is me but I thought that before you could be charged there had to be a written or verbal announcement. Complete insult and thanks for the heads up.

theloft

I noticed my phone bill was higher than normal and upon investigation were found to be 2 calls to 118820 numbers that I had not made,(or my wife). These were on the same date and withinn 2 minutes of one another. One for 45 Sec.s and the larger one for 2 mins. plus. The resulting charge was over £21.00. Well I thought I had not made them but realised that I had been conned as I telephoned a number for the Hotel Collingwood in Bournemouth, to check if my wife had arrived safely. I was advised there was a fault on the line and if I dialled 118820 I would be given an alternative number. I did not listen to the whole of the message, and apparently the charges are explained at the end of the message. But as the number to call was so short I wrote it down and dialled it - first call I disconnected as I had not got the original number I was dialling in front of me. Cost £5.59. The second call gave me the correct number, but it cost me over £15.00 !
I telephoned SKY this morning and was advised that all charges are computer generated and that I was liable for the charges. As I was incensed about them, SKY have promised to investigate, but it does not sound promising.
I have told SKY that I will be leaving their Sky Talk unless I hear the charges are being credited. Have also complained to Number Group Network Communications (Ireland) Ltd. who say the number I originally dialled which I obtained from the Hotel's website - did not exist - and that they had provided a service for which I was liable. How can somebody put an erroneous number on a website in order to dupe people ? The hotel are investigating.
So do not call 118820 if you get a "fault on the line" message.

[Deleted User]

theloft wrote: »

I have told SKY that I will be leaving their Sky Talk unless I hear the charges are being credited.

Sky provide your telephone service, what numbers you dial are your own responsibility. It's not Sky's fault that you didn't listen to the message detailing the charges you would incur.

You are, of course, free to leave Sky Talk if you wish-but I doubt you'll be able to blackmail them into crediting your account.


However, thanks for the warning to others who might be tempted to ring such premium rate numbers.:)

chachiluz

My husband aunty was also done by this company. She was charged on the 3 of November £24 for a 6 minutes call. Her phone line was faulty. She is 90 and I don't think she remembers what happened but she said that she did not ask for a number. I think she was tricked as well.
This is a huge con. Shame on them.

littletoe46

This is surely an illegal scam. When trying to find a local heating engineer, I was re-directed without any warning whatsoever, to call 11 88 20. When I later tried to investigate a charge of £5.60 for a 6 sec call on my BT bill for a call to 11 88 20, I was informed that the service was currently closed and to call back the following day which I did - again without any indication whatsoever that it was an exorbitant premium rate number.The cost of the three calls was in excess of £16. If I cannot obtain a full refund for all 3 calls, I am going to take the matter up with my MP as PhonePay Plus appear to be unable to put a stop to this obvious scam.

stagil

Livid! After recently finding out I've been scammed by the full financial for £495 this is just the icing on the cake, upon trying to contact the above company the number was no longer in use so it prompted me to ring 118820 which I did, the lovely gentleman was very helpful and after putting me on hold for a bit was able to come back and tell me the company was no longer trading and had been unauthorised and gave me numbers of who to contact next, the call lasted 7 mins 24 secs and I have now got my phone bill in and have been charged £ 26.64 for the pleasure!!! Surely they can't do that, can they??

oldharryrocks

You need to complain to the regulator.

http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/For-the-Public/Make-a-complaint.aspx

jazbo

I have just recently been scammed and it cost me £23.61 for 5 mins. I dialled a number for NHS and was told there was a fault on the line and to ring 118820. I have just rung BT and there is nothing they can do about it. BT have said it's a directory enquiry number I did not realise it was a scam even until I typed it into Google and saw the posts on martins money tips. I have tried to register a complaint on the link provided on this website but the link has now been removed.