Charged for calls we haven't made (don't have a landline handset!)

[#1]

Hello,  I have had a very similar issue to others on the forum:

I joined Plusnet just over 2 months ago from Sky, landline and fibre.  On last months bill I noticed there were around £14 of call charges on there.

Myself and my wife don't even have a handset plugged into the landline (and haven't used one for years because we both have mobiles with plenty of minutes).

Spoke to PN, they advised it was likely a crossed line, so an engineer was sent out.  The OpenReach engineer came and confirmed no crossed line however he also confirmed no handset connected in the home therefore must be another issue.

He told PN this, however PN's response to me was that this is impossible, it is either a crossed line or we made the calls.  So now I am left with the £65 engineer charge on top of the calls we didn't make!

Have had several conversations with PN support, tech team... All to no avail leaving me more and more frustrated - they cannot see past it either being a crossed line (engineer confirmed this is not the case), or that made the calls and therefore must be lying (more frustration).

I would really appreciate it if anyone could offer some advice on this.

Many Thanks

[#2]

Can you borrow a handset and dial the 17070 test number and listen to the automated message. The automated message will playback your telephone number, it should be your own but if there is an issue it can come back with another number.

[#3]

To follow from @mikelahey 's comment - if you check the numbers alledgely dialed from you line, are they random, or just a couple (and what type are they - 084xx, 09xx, mobile or ordinary landline?)

[#4]

Hi Mike, cheers for reply.  The engineer plugged a device into the phone socket when he came round and confirmed that it was the correct number.

I wonder if at some point during my switch over the number was wrongly attributed to someone else or the lines were crossed then, but now have been resolved?  The calls all appear on the bill over a period of three weeks, to some local numbers and mobiles.  Since this period no calls have appeared on the bill...all very strange....and leaving me £80 down!

[#5]

@Welshpat85  - without knowing how well or otherwise your switch from Sky went, it is difficult to comment on the second paragraph in your reply above, but knowing the hiccups that can happen with transfers from them, anything is possible.

[#6]

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@Welshpat85 wrote:

I wonder if at some point during my switch over the number was wrongly attributed to someone else or the lines were crossed then, but now have been resolved?

That does indeed appear to be the case, exactly as occurred here.

If @Gandalf or one of his colleagues pick this up, they will see that it's the same situation, and refund your charges.

Once again, this case illustrates the wisdom of having a landline phone, as it will give early indication of a crossed line.

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[#7]

Thanks @198kHz, it does appear to be the same/or at least a very similar scenario.  Would appreciate some help @Gandalf.

Yep, I may pick myself up a second-hand landline handset to try to stop this sort of thing in the future.

[#8]

Sorry to hear of your experience. I believe you've spoken to Matt with regards to this and it should be resolved?

I've asked the mods to lock this thread as you've got another one over here for the same issue.

[#9]

Moderator's note:

Thread locked in favour of @Gandalf's link above.