Premium Rate Dialler Scams

Premium Rate Dialler Scams

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I recently had a letter from BT stating that they had blocked premium rate numbers from my home 2nd line as I had already run up £300 calls to premium rate numbers in the last month and they accepted this was unusual! The problem has now become quite high profile in the press relating to these "trojans" or whatever they are called which divert your normal internet dial up to a premium rate number, but was there any responsibility on BT to act sooner? I do not want to get involved in "blame culture" but our home internet ISP is BT, the only use of this line is for BT internet via BT, and it is "free" ie included in the rent, we never have call costs on the account, therefore if they have the means to determine the call pattern was unusual they could have spotted it a lot sooner. Also no warnings etc via BT Internet. I do have anti-virus software etc although it is beefed up now, and no we cannot get broadband, too rural although should by next January. How do BT allow these numbers to operate through their systems when they are clearly used for fraudulent purposes?
Andy Shady

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By AnonymousUser
01st Nov 2004 18:02

Free software
It is my opinion that free software, when it comes to internet security, just doesn't cut it.

The one area where I would always suggest paying for software, given the choice, is internet security.

Look in the Yellow Pages for a sole trader computer technician - they are often willing to give out free advice on what to buy (I say this because my other half is one!)

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By AnonymousUser
01st Nov 2004 13:41

BT & Proceeds of Crime Act
I agree with Paul Wakefield that BT commits a money laundering offence under the Proceeds of Crime Act by benefiting from a crime (Computer Misuse Act 1990). BT's auditors must have suspicions and should report their client to NCIS.

Chris

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By paulwakefield1
01st Nov 2004 14:17

Ideal World?
I think Marc and I are on the same side. For a lot of people it is rocket science and the advice of an expert IS desirable rather than a go it alone attitude. This is why I disagreed with the suggestion that one can just download free software. Mind you the individual needs to know there is an issue in the first place! - I think most corporates would know but I doubt it for private individuals.

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By dwordley
01st Nov 2004 09:22

Not Just Premium Rates
After being caught with the premium rate line scam my cousin had his internet line blocked.
He then got a large bill for sites that re-directed him to overseas numbers. Apparently one site was based in Cuba for which which he was being charged over £6 a minute. His son ran up a £200 phone bill in less than a week.

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By jonock
30th Oct 2004 08:40

ISP Scams
This happened to me at home, when I noticed £65 worth of internet calls in one month. I thought it was particularly clever as I am on broadband. I called BT and they said that they would not pursue this amount and that their Fraud Investigation Team would take the matter up. However, the amount still keeps coming forward as an unpaid arrears amount on our account, so it doesn't seem resolved yet.

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By ChickPea
30th Oct 2004 14:08

Ideal World?
Paul Wakefield talks about an "Ideal World".
No, we're not living in an "ideal world". However, if you have a problem and you don't know how to deal with it- get someone in who does, just as you would advise someone with an accountancy issue. The problem with IT at times is that most people know enough to get into trouble, or worse, they have a friend, nephew, cousin, son-of-a-neighbour etc who is "handy with computers."

Sometimes the first half of a callout is undoing the damage done by a well-meaning "friend".

I'm an IT consultant- I have people calling me up, often at unsocial hours, because they have a problem- but they won't, generally, get me in before it's a problem. It's a bit like dentistry (or accountancy for that matter) - get good advice beforehand, and it will be cheaper and more pleasant in the long run than hoping for the best and "firefighting" after it's all gone pear-shaped. Like many other consultants, I do a "virtual IT Department" service, where I provide an on-call facility for a monthly fee, including regular reviews and updates- a bit like fixed-price accountancy services. I'm sure there's someone near most of you that can do the same.

Anyone who doesn't have anti-virus and firewall installed is living on borrowed time: the average life of an unprotected PC on the internet is measured in minutes. The worst type of intrusion is one you'll never know about until someone comes calling with a warrant, because it does nothing overt- it just collects all your clients' bank details and sends them to Nigeria, Columbia or Russia to be plundered.

Something to ponder- of all companies that suffer a major data loss, 85% never recover, and about 75% cease trading inside a year. This is not a time to begrudge the odd 20-50 quid software purhase or an hour or two of an expert's time. You are presumably worth your fees- so are we.

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By Neville Ford
27th Oct 2004 14:30

Similar problem
I had a similar problem with Royal Mail over some non-delivered items under their Door-to-Door system.

They claimed that I had not delivered the items to their distribution centre as I could not produce a signed POD (Yes, I know I should have got one). This was despite them having distributed others delivered at the same time and also producing a petrol receipt from the garage around the corner from their distribution centre (which is 100 miles from me).

I kept hammering away, threatened legal action on the basis I had reasonable evidence and eventually they gave in paid compensation and my costs as well. So persistance can work.

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By AnonymousUser
27th Oct 2004 15:35

Phone Scam
The other side of the coin is people must take some responsibility for themselves. It is not really rocket science to be able to download something like Zonealarm wich will pick up these outgoing connections, as well as providing essential firewall protection when connected to the internet (whether modem or broadband). It is the same with viruses, there's no excuse for getting caught and blaming the script kiddies around the world, there is free for home use software available that will update when connected.

So whilst BT may have been slow in picking up £300 of calls and I believe are at fault for allowing these numbers to be set up, continue to be used and then pay money over, whose fault is it for leaving their computer exposed in the first place?

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By AnonymousUser
27th Oct 2004 16:04

I'm going through a similar process which has been rumbling on for quite a while now. The ISP concerned finally sat up and took notice when I sent a letter which was 'carbon copied' to the author of an article on this same problem which had appeared in a magazine a few months ago.

So I would advise that you check out the full details of the articles that appeared in The Independent (see Paul Wakefield's post) and then do likewise. Given that BT would not like a wider awareness of your particular case to trigger a whole rash of similar claims, I'm sure that a £300 credit to your account would follow fairly quickly!

Good luck.

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By ChickPea
27th Oct 2004 16:10

Protect yourselves.
While BT should probably have been a bit more on the ball, there are some basic things you can do to protect yourselves:

1) On any line used for internet use, especially if it's a business line, block premium and international calls and secure the block with a PIN. Resist the temptation to add the PIN and unlock code to any dial-up connections.

2) Install a decent anti-virus (e.g. AVG), a decent firewall (e.g. Outpost), a trojan scanner (e.g. TauScan) and a malware scanner (Spybot S&D, including the oddly-named "TeaTimer" component.

The average uncompromised lifetime for an unprotected PC connected to the internet is mow about seven minutes- even if you're using a dial-up connection. In fact, these types of scams preferentially target dial-ups, because they *know* you have an analogue modem.

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By User deleted
27th Oct 2004 16:11

How sure can you be your'e protected?
I should point out to Nigel, I did say I was not getting into "blame culture" but I did have anti virus software which I updated regularly, but clearly these are only updated as and when the providers become aware of new problems and by that time perhaps it is too late. In the office we spend a lot on virus protection etc but when running "spybot" it is quite frightening how much stuff has found its way onto our network, so don't be complacent by having anti virus programmes loaded. If BT were aware of the problems then when lines are clearly only used for legitimate internet use as our is, ie installed as part of the internet package some time ago,why do they not bar premium rate calls as a matter of policy or at least make customers aware of the position and give them the options.

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By AnonymousUser
27th Oct 2004 12:02

I agree with David.
I am a firm believer of standing your ground and writing stern letters where appropriate. It usually yields the desired results!

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By paulwakefield1
27th Oct 2004 12:38

BT Scam
There was a series of articles/letters in The Independent on this recently. Might be worth a Google search. The general view was go after BT but don't hold your breath.

Given it is a fraud and BT are paying the fraudsters, BT are presumably party to the crime and should be reported by us to NCIS under the MLRO (if it is come upon in a business context)!

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By AnonymousUser
28th Oct 2004 14:42

Dialler scams
Commiserations Andy on your plight! I found myself in exactly the same position and rang BT for advice. They suggested that as I only used my second line for my (non-broadband!) internet that they could bar it from accepting premium rate numbers for no charge.
This did the trick for me (along with Mcafee antivirus software!. Sadly rebating any charges were not up for discussion!
Chris Davis 28/10/04

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By David160
26th Oct 2004 20:33

Have a go
I suspect that BT will refund the money you have incurred on the scam. I would write a letter setting out the situation and not pay that part of the bill (remember to include VAT). Then await their reply. You have nothing to lose so try it.

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By User deleted
28th Oct 2004 15:13

Dialler scams...blame BT?
There are internet users who will gladly pay premium rates in order to view [***] or to use chat-rooms or visit gambling or gaming sites, therefore wouldn't it be wrong for BT to automatically bar those numbers?

In fact when you install some legitimate software, (unless you read the licence agreement) you will agree to allow certain "spyware" or "malware" to be installed on your pc. This software can contain such diallers and software to track your browsing habits. Some of these will dial up whilst the pc is unattended.

You could use free software such as "Ad-Aware" or "Spycatcher" to check your pc for suspicious items. These are quite "hard" programs that will remove everything - even items you may want on your pc. Norton Internet Security Pro 2004 has a similar scanner but I understand it is a bit "softer" and may leave some items on your pc because it is recognised that you have accepted that they be there.

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By paulwakefield1
27th Oct 2004 17:05

Not everyone is highly IT literate
I think Nigel Bradley is living in bit of an IT users ideal world. Yes of course we should have all those things. But there are many out there who struggle with computers (certain relatives immediately leap to mind :-) ). They have probably heard of antivirus but wouldn't know where to get it and certainly not realise there are free ones. As for a Firewall, they wouldn't know what it was if it stood up and bit them.

So yes it IS rocket Science for some people.

Being diverted onto a premium rate number is something I would not have thought of (fortunately I do have the protection regimes in place to stop it - I hope). It is however something BT can easily spot and do something about.

I don't believe in the blame culture and generally agree people should be responsible for themselves but I think the providers are best placed to police in this instance.

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