I am receiving calls from a 0871 number on my mobile phone. The caller rings once and then hangs up!
I suspect that some 0871 users are calling small business' (which I am), stopping the call after one ring and this then encourages people to return the call, thus duped into paying extortionate rates.
Has anyone else experienced this?

Sounds similar to the scam where a call from a 070 "personal" number rings once. Ringing back may leave you with a recorded ringing tone. A scam.

Thanks Dave.
Fortunately I have not experienced that scam however, this proves that more control is required over "premium rate" numbers. I also believe that the appointed regulation authorities (all industries) should be given much more powers and teeth which bite!

Yes - this is an example of "persistent misuse of a telecommunications network or service". Ofcom has powers to address this under sections 128-130 of the Communications Act. Its policy on use of these powers refers to any use of premium rate or any other high cost number as CLI. It specifically refers to this scam.

Ofcom would tell you that it collects reports about such cases and would only investigate if a sufficient number of reports were received about a particular number being used.

You may want to make a complaint to Phonepayplus (premium rate regulator).

Although, at this time, they wont do much they will still have to log the call, etc.

This may help in the future because Phonepayplus are of the opinion that 0871 wont be used for scams like this and as such is planning on imposing only very, very limited regulation on 0871 numbers leaving scams like this and being kept on hold for ages alone.

I hope that eventually (a long time probably away) that Phonepayplus may reconsider their very light-touch regulation on 0871 numbers.  However, this will depend on how many complaints they get about 0871 numbers.

bbb_uk wrote on Jun 13^th, 2008 at 5:15pm:

I hope that eventually (a long time probably away) that Phonepayplus may reconsider their very light-touch regulation on 0871 numbers.

Would that perhaps be around the same time as hell finally freezes over bbb_uk? ;) ::) ;D

NGMsGhost wrote on Jun 13^th, 2008 at 10:55pm:

Would that perhaps be around the same time as hell finally freezes over?

It may be long before Ofcom uses its persistent misuse powers properly!