Rogue calls to 123 from my BT landline

riskaverse63

I checked my BT bill today and noticed 3 calls of 1 second to 123 (the speaking clock apparently). They were made on a day when we were away so I knew we couldn't have made them. I contacted BT and they refunded the money - £1.50. After I called them I searched to see if it had happened to anyone else. Apparently it's been going on for years and some people have been billed for much more. The person I spoke to said there may be a crossed line but then I saw this explanation online that seems plausible:

There have been occasions when an engineer working on the network looking for a ''stopped line'  that they can use for a fault or a new provide, will dial 123 ( the speaking clock) on a random line, to confirm if it's a working line or not, if the call connects , it isn't a stopped line but a worker, so they know they cannot use it, and they look else where, unfortunately , it generates a charge on whosever line it was.....this is something they shouldn't  do, but as it's quick and easy 'test'  some will do it anyway.

So please just be aware that this may happen to you too. Even if the call connects for just 1 second you get billed 50p!  Call 150 and ask for a refund.