Reverse Call Charges Rip Off?!?!?!

trevelina

I was dismayed at being charged 119 pounds for a 3 minute reverse charge call from Brazil (done by my son in an emergency, price was not quoted before accepting) but after seeing the charges quoted by other customers here, i consider myself to be lucky! Anyway, this charges are definitely extorsionate, how can they not be REGULATED? what about if they say it is 10,000 for 2 minutes? they can say whatever they want, apparently. We have no means to check the real cost of the call. Is this THEFT legal? what's the role of the Ombudsman?

trevelina

My reverse charge calls extorsionate prices were served by BT

iniltous

Although it's a huge amount of money, (your other post states you were charged twice,) so £60, it does match to the price list, which is £8ish per minute,5 mins minimum plus £15 call handle fee..given the operator in brazil set up the call, the onus would be on your son to ask what the charge would be, the international operator who called you only needs to ask you if you accept the charge...
if the call has appeared twice then obviously you shouldn't have to pay twice if only one call was received

Buzby

The info in many BT Payphones is for 0800 Reverse, which is an advert, and had nothing to do with BT, but a 'value added' supplier. It is a fully automated service, and leaves the call recipient with a whopping bill a few weeks down the line. It IS possible for consumers to opt out of this service, and 0800 Reverse provide a form on their website to do this, but you need to renew this every 4 years.

As for not being advised of the cost of the call, as this is based on duration, I'm at a loss to know how anyone could be reliably told of the cost before the call concluded.

poppasmurf_bewdley

Buzby wrote: »

The info in many BT Payphones is for 0800 Reverse, which is an advert, and had nothing to do with BT, but a 'value added' supplier. It is a fully automated service, and leaves the call recipient with a whopping bill a few weeks down the line. It IS possible for consumers to opt out of this service, and 0800 Reverse provide a form on their website to do this, but you need to renew this every 4 years.

As for not being advised of the cost of the call, as this is based on duration, I'm at a loss to know how anyone could be reliably told of the cost before the call concluded.

Unfortunately, you cannot now opt out on their website (from what I can see anyway).

Looking at the website, they provide an 0845 number, which is only manned Mon-Fri office hours so those with free calls at evenings and weekends would have to pay. No alternative is offered on SayNoto0870.

Evidently too many people have been opting out. I did probably more than four years ago, but I won't be adding to their coffers by ringing 0845.

They are a money grabbing company, no doubt about it.

PS. I've just emailed them instructing them to remove both my home and mobile number from their overpriced service.

Buzby

AFAIK there never was an online opt-out, you had to email the customer services department directly and request it - this was an OFCOM requirement, although they do not make it easy for those stung to opt out. I supplied them with a list of 7 number to remove.

The benefit it doing this, of course, it to ensure the Reverse caller is told it is not possible to connect the call using their service. Having tired to call my own number using it, I can confirm my block is still in place,

Le73Uq86Uv

Seems my 0800 Reverse service has come back as allowed.

Got call after call one night, now blocked for the year but why should we have to dial a 0845 number to block a service we do not require?

Something needs to be done about this !!!

cord123

It probably too late for you now but my mum gave me a card thing that I could use at any pay phone.... I put a pin in and it would dial home and wouldnt cost anymore than a normal phone call... may be worth looking at? x

spike7451

Reverse charge's have always been a rip off,but what I find to be a complete rip off is the minimum charge of 60p to use a payphone nowerdays...

Buzby

It is almost as if they didn't people to use them - mind you, add to this the conversion to cashless kiosks, and not repairing kiosks out of service, the writing is certainly on the wall.