Yep RBJ,

Yet another insidious example of how the scam is now exploding out of all control. It is now quite clear that Ofcom will do nothing, no matter how much worse it gets, until enough consumers wake up and protest more vigorously.

I believe the truth is that this now has become a Political issue. It will not be solved until a government gets rational and equitable control of Ofcom again. As I understand it, one of the key functions of Ofcom was supposed to be to represent the consumers interest, but this they are failing to do completely.

The number of scams with the use of all "revenue sharing" (generating) calls, including 09, will continue to increase, until a proper method for the subscriber to actively sanction an agreed cost to be incurred for a supposed "service", with some sort of PIN entered, is enforced before each transaction proceeds. The problem occurs because of the indiscriminate mixing and confusion of the cost of a simple telephone call, with the cost of a so-called service, without any confirmation that the subscriber is agreeing to this. This should of course have been implemented in the first place, but BT was allowed to get away without it. After all, where else can anyone charge you for a transaction which you have not agreed to enter into specifically, and which you have not specifically sanctioned? Only with telephone calls in rip-off Britain could this occur. Nowhere else in the world could such an unbelievably stupid disaster scenario be perpetrated.

You have probably heard that you are not alone with the rip-off you have had foisted on you. Other companies are using the same tricks, for example various satelite TV companies and TV set-top box providers are all pulling the same trick with the default settings on the SW set to dial revenue sharing numbers automatically at intervals, unless you change the default. It is all really a form of covert quasi-criminality, to generate large amounts of money.

Why risk getting caught committing real overt crime, when you can pull these sorts of tricks instead?

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In the energy and water markets, the consumer protection function (Energywatch, WaterVoice) is separate from the economic regulator (OFGEM, OFWAT).  This is not the case with Ofcom, so there is potentially an internal conflict of interest.

Check out the DTI website, and the current consultation on consumer strategy.  One proposal is a single utilities consumer council (i.e. for representation of consumer interests and for consumer advocacy).  If telecoms were brought within this regime, perhaps we would see the consumer interest supported more strongly as against spurious economic arguments.

Respond to the consultation, and Ofcom may be split into regulator and consumer council.

Hoxne,

Which particular consultation are you referring to?

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Hello Sproo
Alliance Business Banking Merchant Services Technical Help Desk
0161 491 7711

Note this is not the number for their Liverpool Call Centre for operating normal accounts.