Hacked Phone Line

Kim.Duckworth

Please can someone help. I had a letter from Sky yesterday to say I had "Unusually high call costs" on my sky account. I never use my landline as I don't even have a phone plugged in. It's there purely for broadband (which is also sky) On checking my account I had a £121 phone bill all for calls that I haven't made. They are obviously hacked calls as they are lots for a few seconds only, there are ones to an India mobile network, there are ones to prime numbers again for a few seconds and then the odd one for longer. Mobile ones to different networks. I called Sky immediately and the sky agent checked the line for me and said that he'd done all his checks, there was no crossed line and that I would have to pay the bill, he was apologetic but I am so upset. I haven't made the calls and it's obvious I haven't made the calls so how can it be right that I have to pay for them.
They are over a short time span finishing on 11th December so if there was a problem then it has been fixed. Our line actually went down completely on 12th for 3 days and an Openreach engineer had to be called out to fix it. This was reported to Sky so maybe this was something to do with it.
I have been a Sky customer for over 20 years and I am disgusted that Sky just seem to wash their hands of it and expect me to pay for these calls. If they have sent a letter because there was unusual activity on my account then surely it must be obvious that this isn't me.
Steve

Stevie_Palimo

Send in a complaint as the chances are speaking with a bod in Cus services did not have any power to offer at least a deduction and would have to ask a Manager to do it.

AJXX

Have you checked externally around the property for signs of tampering with phone wires?

If you have no phone INSIDE the house then physically the only way to make calls via your line would be to cut into the wires on the outside of the property.

JJ_Egan

Have you / can you check the call numbers ??

brewerdave

Seems quite a coincidence that you line went down just after the problem - could be tampering at the street cabinet -if so, BT Openreach engineer should have reported the damage back up the line so Sky should be able to find out. Suggest you raise a written complaint to Sky explaining the issue concisely with dates.

Sterlingtimes

Is there anything connected to the line within the house, e.g. Sky boxes, alarms, computer modem, that could dialup?


There is minor possibility of interference (either theft or incorrect wiring) external to the house, at the street cabinet or at the telephone exchange. Has anyone connected a cordless 'phone to the line external to the property?