topic Re: Credit limit being reached by bogus calls to 123 in Home Phone

Credit limit being reached by bogus calls to 123

Goonerbertie — Sun, 02 Jan 2022 23:08:47 GMT

Why do I get daily emails from Plusnet telling me my credit limit is going to be reached and that if I don't top up I will be charged £5.76 admin fee when the majority of calls (at 50p each) are to 123 which I never make. I can see posts stretching back several years on calls made to 123 by engineers being charged to customers, so why is this practice still happening ? Is this just an ongoing scam by Plusnet to dupe unsuspecting customers into topping up their home phone credit ? This practice must be stopped immediately.

Re: Credit limit being reached by bogus calls to 123

Townman — Sun, 02 Jan 2022 23:31:40 GMT

These calls can also be spoofed by line faults. Is the line noisy?

See https://community.bt.com/t5/Home-phone-including-Digital/Random-dialling-of-123/td-p/2139945

This report references 123 calls on broadband only circuits https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2015/11/phantom-calls-to-the-123-speaking-clock-on-bt-openreach-phone-lines.html

Re: Credit limit being reached by bogus calls to 123

198kHz — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 08:11:13 GMT

@Townman wrote:
These calls can also be spoofed by line faults.

Indeed, or a faulty phone or line cord.

When this problem occurred on my own line some years ago the culprit proved to be a standalone caller display unit.

Re: Credit limit being reached by bogus calls to 123

LaurenB — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 10:59:40 GMT

Hiya @Goonerbertie, thanks for getting in touch. I am really sorry to hear of the unexpected charges on your account and for the concern caused by this.

I have tested your line and this is locating a fault and so have raised this to our suppliers to get this resolved. I have created a fault ticket where you can monitor this here: https://www.plus.net/wizard/?p=view_question&id=220797279

Once the fault is cleared, we will get the charges credited. Please let us know if you have any further queries in the meantime.

Re: Credit limit being reached by bogus calls to 123

Goonerbertie — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 13:01:45 GMT

Lauren, many thanks, I look forward to this being resolved.

Re: Credit limit being reached by bogus calls to 123

LaurenB — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 15:40:58 GMT

No worries, if you have any further queries in the meantime at all, please do just get back to us.

Re: Credit limit being reached by bogus calls to 123

Goonerbertie — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 19:54:09 GMT

Lauren, BT changed the master socket, but I've still been charged an extra £52 in my latest bill. I've even just had an email from [CSA Removed] informing me that the charges are because of all the 123 calls (no sh*t Sherlock !!). Will the £52 be credited on my next bill ? Glen

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat): CSA name(s) removed (to an area staff can see) as per Forum rules.

Re: Credit limit being reached by bogus calls to 123

LaurenB — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 16:38:33 GMT

Thanks for getting back to me. I'm glad the engineer has resolved the issue for you.

I am really sorry that the calls weren't credited off for you. Once the payment clears for your recent bill I will get the charges refunded for you.

I am really sorry for the inconvenience caused in the meantime.

Re: Credit limit being reached by bogus calls to 123

Townman — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 19:17:11 GMT

@Goonerbertie wrote:

BT changed the master socket, ...

If that is all they did, I would be surprised if the issue does not reappear! Spoof dialling or 123 or other low digit numbers arising from simulated pulses tends to arise from intermittent contact with something else. One would not expect a master socket to give rise to such events.

Re: Credit limit being reached by bogus calls to 123

RealAleMadrid — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 19:43:36 GMT

@Townman Seems to be the standard Openreach response to any problem, change the socket without any tests or diagnosis and beat a hasty retreat. I would agree with you that the problem has not been resolved, there will be an issue further back along the line somewhere.☹️

Re: Credit limit being reached by bogus calls to 123

198kHz — Sat, 15 Jan 2022 09:33:06 GMT

@RealAleMadrid wrote:

@Townman ...tests or diagnosis...

Ah, I remember those days from long ago... 😉