BT Landline - have I reached the end of the line?

linclass

Hello readers.

This is a HUGE tale of woah, which started in January 2016, but I didn't notice it til June 2016. I get my bills online, prompted via an email sent. I noticed last June that I'd been charged for calls to two local numbers that neither me nor my partner had made, along with one call to a 118 number, ALSO not made by us, this one charged at £7.00. I called and spoke to an advisor not located in this country. I was more or less called a liar, being told the billing is always correct, and I MUST have made the calls. I was of course not happy with this, and it was eventually escalated to the next level of complaint.

During this time, I looked back at all billing back to January 2016, and e.v.e.r.y bill excepting March and May 2016 has a few calls made to the same two local numbers. They were billed at 30p each time and lasted typically 0.2 or 0.3 seconds. Anyway! It was agreed at the next level of complaint that I be reimbursed as a good-will gesture for £20.

During the next few weeks, I checked the 'MyBT' billing online and sure enough, more of these calls appeared. Let me state at this point I do NOT (neither my partner) use the landline to make calls - we both have mobiles and the calls are inclusive of the monthly rental. I've called the 2 numbers in question - one of them, 01400 643107 rings only, whatever time of day OR night I call it, the other 01400 643101 has a recorded message - 'This number is out of service. Call 118 023 - for directory enquiries. Calls cost £6.98 per call. plus £3.49 per minute plus your phone companies access charge'. Only an Idiot would call this number that charges like this...

The complaint was eventually elevated to top level (!!) and We've had an outreach engineer Up the pole, in the box located in the next street and in our home, trying to locate the fault. Nothing was identified.

I then approached Ombudsman services who took 3 months to complete their investigations. I sent them the bills showing ALL the calls charged for that we did not make. Result? They couldn't find BT at fault and confirmed I could appeal, which I did, showing them a further 3 calls made since they found no fault by BT. They stuck with their first conclusion however, that BT wasn't at fault.


Still with me?

OK then - looked at MyBT just now, and yep - 4 calls not yet billed for, but will be on the next bill:

01400 643101 17 Mar 12:03 UK Landline 0.02seconds £0.30

01400 643101 14 Mar 18:03 UK Landline 0.03seconds £0.30

01400 643101 14 Mar 11:03 UK Landline 0.02seconds £0.30

01400 643101 06 Mar 09:03 UK Landline 0.02seconds £0.30

The first thing I noted was all 4 of these calls was charged for (made) at 3 minutes past the hour. Just to let you know, we do not have Playstations or the like.

Thing is, this is only £1.20 THIS time. Question is, how MANY MORE people are BT ripping off like this, then FLATLY DENYING they are at fault, and we MUST have made the calls??

What can I do now please? I called Ofcom last week and told them what's gone on. Reply? They'll log the call but sadly nought they can do.

WHAT do I do now? WHO is gonna believe me, that we did NOT make these calls??

Advice greatly appreciated.

***ADDITION: Just spoke with BT, who can of course also see the MyBT screen with the 4 calls - BUT - all 4 calls are logged on his view as at different times!!! ***

Ian011

Do you have a burglar alarm or fire alarm system connected to the phone? Some of these make a test call at a pre-determined time.

In order to rule out a crossed line with someone else, call your number from another phone, such as from a mobile, and let it ring. Don't pick up your house phone, let it ring and ring. Keep listening to your mobile to see if someone else picks up the call. Try this at different times of the day and night.

TadleyBaggie

Ian011 wrote: »

Do you have a burglar alarm or fire alarm system connected to the phone? Some of these make a test call at a pre-determined time.

My thought too, but I wouldn't expect the number to local. Since the calls are appearing to be made at 3 minutes past the hour, it would suggest that something is connected to the line that is making automated calls.

linclass

Hello Ian, negative to both suggestions. No playstations, Wii or any other gaming stuff. I will try what you've suggested, thanks

linclass

TadleyBaggie wrote: »

My thought too, but I wouldn't expect the number to local. Since the calls are appearing to be made at 3 minutes past the hour, it would suggest that something is connected to the line that is making automated calls.

Hello Tadley, all I have is the BT Router they sent to me when I joined BT. I have a wireless printer, but that's only a few months old and the issue started way before I bought that, but I can see where you're coming from,

iniltous

First thing to check is that the number on 'your' line is the number you are billed for...dial 17070, you should get an automated voice response along the lines of ' this circuit is defined as 01***,******...if the number is not the one you would expect, you may have a crossed line, your 'number' at someone else's address and you have their number at yours ( not that likely TBH as normally you notice getting incoming calls for that number )
Is your property something like an apartment in a complex ?, usually everyone's phone line enters the building in a common area, the utility's room/cupboard , if an unscrupulous person has access to that area, then it's easy to connect a phone to someone else's line and make calls at their expense

armistice

You say you don't use the landline for calls at all. In that case could you not request BT to make the line incoming calls only in light of your problem.

linclass

No really, Armistice, I work from home and need to make calls ***BUT*** I have an access number to dial before each call I make. And they are in various parts of the country. WHY is it though, that it's only these 2 numbers that keep coming up?

linclass

Thanks iniltous , I will try this...

an1179

Quite a few years ago now I noticed calls appearing on our bill dialed in the early hours, I queried it and BT told me the call were definately being made from our phone.

I unplugged the phone and the calls stopped. It turned out that the phone my husband had bought in a local auction was in fact old stock from a company and it was programmed to dial a number in the early hours.

We were not charged as we had inclusive calls at the time.

linclass

Well! Just dialled as you suggested Iniltous, 'welcome to your openreach line test facility .. there was no CLI detected on this line'. So what's that all about then? What's CLI detection? I live in an old end of terrace property. None of my neighbours have experienced anything like this.