Hi guys
I've managed to find my way back to the forums after an extended period of abstinence to request your help. It's with an expensive problem that came to light when checking my Mothers' phone bills from her new provider Plusnet. Only when I was sent an email advising her credit limit of £55 would soon be breached was I spurred into action.

Over the last 5 months bills, I came across a bunch of calls logged to 0906 numbers at shed loads of money per minute that I can't trace by all the usual methods, so I would really appreciate your help please.

Mother swears blind that she never made the calls but I've got a feeling that as she's in her 80's, her memory isn't what it was. It could also be a scam but I need to trace them as Plusnet don't seem inclined to help. If I can find some evidence of wrongdoing, then I can confront them with details and hopefully twist their arm into getting the money back.

I've included times & dates as well to go with each number called, if it helps.

0906 6614013      19.25 26/11/2010
0906 6614001      11:43 29/12/2010
0906 6614023      18:39 04/01/2011
0906 6614060      11:37 14/01/2011
0906 6614032      16:13 20/01/2011
0906 1900371      22:05 02/02/2011
0906 6614039      11:05 03/02/2011

I have a feeling that they may be from competitions, TV or otherwise, though I can't be sure.

Many thanks in advance.

Hi DaveM

You can check them out on the PhonePayPlus site here http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/output/check-a-number.aspx  .

When in use they are normally  Competition Entry  Lines.

All the numbers appear to be from the same provider and they will say that the company has been contacted on the premium rate numbers and they cannot do anything about it.

I had a similar incident some years ago and after complaining to both the provider and Ofcom I eventually got my money refunded as they said it was a "rogue dialer"

It may be a long hall but it is worth pursuing and if this does not work contact the ombudsman.

Good Luck

I think the provider is Globe Telecom who advertise themselves as

Globe Telecom is the number one in postpaid plans and prepaid services in the Philippines!

DAVE

The first number is Daily Mail word search game.
The 0371 is Bid Up TV

Hope that is of some help.

DaveM,

I had a look via PhonePayPlus for you, and ALL bar one number can be traced to a company,

0906 6614023 is the ONLY one I cannot trace, the rest belong to either ChurchCastle in St Leonards, East Sussex, (who ironically are "local" to me), and who I have seen mentioned in adverts before. A few belong to BCH Digital Ltd, who are based in Manchester.

Have you been able to block the numbers?

I will keep doing some looking,

sherbert wrote on Feb 16^th, 2011 at 12:02pm:

I think the provider is Globe Telecom who advertise themselves as Globe Telecom is the number one in postpaid plans and prepaid services in the Philippines!

So where did you get that info ?

The Phonepayplus number checker clearly indicates the provider of the service where known,and the nature of the service provided, and Globe Telecom is not mentioned.

CJT-80 wrote on Feb 16^th, 2011 at 6:13pm:

I had a look via PhonePayPlus for you, and ALL bar one number can be traced to a company, 0906 6614023 is the ONLY one I cannot trace, the rest belong to either ChurchCastle in St Leonards, East Sussex, (who ironically are "local" to me), and who I have seen mentioned in adverts before. A few belong to BCH Digital Ltd, who are based in Manchester.

I Googled these two company names and came up with these pages which make interesting reading:
http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2002/09/they-cash-in-on-trash.html
http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/cgi-bin/mt/mt-search.cgi?IncludeBlogs=49&search=churchcastle
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/05/24/win-4500-115875-22280901/
http://www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-updates/press/2006/160-06
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=1240079
http://white4wordart.blogspot.com/2008/10/rant-reward-and-personal-stuff-its-all.html

bigjohn wrote on Feb 16^th, 2011 at 6:26pm:

sherbert wrote on Feb 16th, 2011 at 12:02pm: I think the provider is Globe Telecom who advertise themselves as Globe Telecom is the number one in postpaid plans and prepaid services in the Philippines! So where did you get that info ? The Phonepayplus number checker clearly indicates the provider of the service where known,and the nature of the service provided, and Globe Telecom is not mentioned.

here

http://pimkoa.com/09061900371


Also see here

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/09066614060

Unfortunately Plusnet do not offer Premium rate call barring as standard, only at £7.50 per quarter!  :(

see:http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,82592.0.html

Sorry guys. I posted a reply earlier at noon & it seems to have gone astray.

I used PhonepayPlus as suggested by bigjohn above and found all the numbers except 0906 661 4023

I called the provider of most of them, Churchcastle Ltd on 01424 797 531, and a nice lady gave me the details of what (all of) the calls were made to on the relevant dates.

I've told Mother the details but she still has NO recollection of making them.

One peculiar point came out of the talk with the lady at Churchcastle. It seems that they have her as subscribing to magazines yet she says she ONLY purchases them, as and when, from the newsagent. NONE of them are specially ordered for her. The links posted by Dave showed me that things may not be as they seem ! :o

I cancelled any more mailings to mother (I hope) when I talked to the lady at Churchcastle. I'm now looking at how to block the numbers (090* and 070*) from her phone. Plusnet have been most unhelpful saying they can only block all or block none ! :-/

DaveM, were you looking to block ALL 090 and 070 numbers or just a few?

I would recommend a FULL premium number block by the sounds of it,

I also wonder if you can block 084/087 calls as well ? (pref exluding 0845/0870)

If you need any help re Plus Net give me a shout,

Yes CJT - ALL 090* and 070* numbers to be blocked !

NOT mobile numbers just in case she needs to contact me or t'other half when we're out of the house. She doesn't have a mobile (I tried her on one but she couldn't get the hang of it - Technophobic !!)

Because she was being charged the earth for normal short calls to the family, chemist, council, etc. during the day, I've just switched her onto the Plusnet ANYTIME as from next month.

An 0844/71/72 block I think isn't available. I had a look at the additional services that Plusnet supply for extra cost, but only found it on the link to their forum.

DaveM, I will have a word on the PN area of the forum I visit on a regular basis, and report back any responses.

:)