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Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

SkylineUK
Grafter
Posts: 60
Thanks: 7
Registered: ‎01-04-2010

Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

I didn't take up the man's offer - I told him I never believe that there's a free lunch from anyone. And I had no way of knowing he was from PlusNet.
He offered to replace my current broadband tariff of £11.49 with £9.99, half that for three months and unlimited data usage!  The only catch seems to be that a re-commit to a twelve month contract.  I've been with PlusNet a few years now.
Is this a genuine offer?
Are there any un-disclosed catches?
What happens if I move house in 12 months (which I'm planning to do).  Would I be asked to stump up a penalty?
33 REPLIES 33
bill
Grafter
Posts: 73
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

I had a phone call yesterday afternoon from a Rotherham number claiming to be from Plusnet who wanted to save me money when my contract is up for renewal. I told him I only deal with my ISP when I initiate the call. He had a Yorkshire accent and seemed genuine. He offered to transfer me to his manager or raise a ticket on my behalf when he realised I doubted his position. When I declined his offer he said he would still like my details. Good afternoon and I hung up. because I suspected a scam.  I rang Plusnet and gave them the telephone number of the caller. Plusnet have the matter in hand.
alanf
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 1,931
Thanks: 78
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Registered: ‎17-10-2007

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

I had a similar call and treated in with similar scepticism. I never found out what was on offer as I refused to give security details.It turned out to be genuine. I believed that I was opted out of telephone marketing but it seems that I was wrong. See the following thread.
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,119833.0.html

reserved
Grafter
Posts: 617
Registered: ‎08-11-2008

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

I had a similar call and took it to be genuine so went ahead.
Shortly afterwards these 2 "questions" were in my account so appears to be 100% ok  Wink

1.This question is confirmation that your Plusnet Unlimited (Contracted) - Market 2/3 contracted service has now activated.
Contract Length: 12 Months
You can view further information about this contract on the Account Summary page in the Account Details section of the portal.
2.Discount has been created
alanf
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 1,931
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Registered: ‎17-10-2007

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

Another thread on a "money saving" sales call.
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,119940.0.html
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

Did these cases of genuine Plusnet phone calls show a valid CALLER ID ?,
and if so what was the phone number - so that everyone else can program "Plusnet Sales" into their phone's directory.
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

A standard call from Plusnet shows number unavailable as it is made from behind a PABX (I think that is the right term but please don't shout if it isn't)
I had one as well but as my better half picked it up I don't know what was actually shown
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
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Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

Quote from: Oldjim
A standard call from Plusnet shows number unavailable as it is made from behind a PABX

Hmmm.  Lips_are_sealed
Firstly the number can be displayed by ANY modern phone system, it's configurable by the administrator. If its hidden someone has decided to do that. On many systems you have huge flexibility as to what number is shown depending on which department/extension originates the call.
Any external call centre working "on behalf" will have exactly the same flexibility.
Also, I believe that industry "codes of practice" require a number to be presented, so why are PlusNet not doing that?  Cry
Obviously the number has to be valid and appropriate to be called back on, but doesn't have to be the line making the call.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

If Plusnet are still phoning with CALLER ID as "unavailable" then that is just unacceptable.
I'm sure that many Plusnet customers would WELCOME genuine calls from Plusnet offering reduced subscriptions or technical support.
However when like me you receive twenty to thirty unsolicited "unavailable" ID sales calls EVERY DAY, you HAVE to use a call blocker on your phone line in order to maintain your own sanity.
It can be seen from the other responses in this thread that other customers are rightly suspicious about engaging in conversation with these (probably genuine) sales calls from Plusnet - because of all the other (usually foreign) fraudulent calls on "unavailable" numbers.
All it would take is for Plusnet to publish the outgoing phone number from their PABX, and customers would know to answer the call.
In my case the phone would actually ring because it would be seeing the CALLER ID of an identified caller, anything else is silent and ignored.
alanf
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 1,931
Thanks: 78
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Registered: ‎17-10-2007

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

I understand that Caller IDs can be spoofed so a genuine number being displayed is not a guarantee that the call is from that number.
I did not see the calling number at the time as I picked up the call from an extension phone without a caller ID display. On just checking my main phone display, the number was not witheld. It was 01709 964403.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

That number doesn't appear much on the nuisance calls reporting websites, just the odd mentions such as this in the past few days.
Usually on these nuisance reporting websites, a few people will start reporting that it was "British Gas" or "double glazing" or whoever, so future enquirers have some idea of which call centre uses that phone number.
bill
Grafter
Posts: 73
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

Quote from: alanf
I understand that Caller IDs can be spoofed so a genuine number being displayed is not a guarantee that the call is from that number.
I did not see the calling number at the time as I picked up the call from an extension phone without a caller ID display. On just checking my main phone display, the number was not witheld. It was 01709 964403.

That is the Rotherham number that called me yesterday afternoon. Plusnet told me that it is not one of their numbers.
alanf
Aspiring Pro
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Thanks: 78
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Registered: ‎17-10-2007

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

Quote from: bill
That is the Rotherham number that called me yesterday afternoon. Plusnet told me that it is not one of their numbers.

Strange then that the caller opened and closed a ticket on my account confiming that it was Plusnet that had called and Bob Pullen has confirmed this.
Quote from: Bob
Quote from: alanf
I just had a call from someone saying that they were from Plusnet and that may well have been the case.

It was the case.
reserved
Grafter
Posts: 617
Registered: ‎08-11-2008

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

Quote from: alanf
Quote from: bill
That is the Rotherham number that called me yesterday afternoon. Plusnet told me that it is not one of their numbers.

Strange then that the caller opened and closed a ticket on my account confiming that it was Plusnet that had called and Bob Pullen has confirmed this.

Likewise  Wink
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: Had a phone call last njght offering to REDUCE my charges?!

Hi there,
Happy to say these calls from Rotherham are genuine.
To address the OPs questions:
Is this a genuine offer? - yes, very much so.
Are there any un-disclosed catches? - no, though as you've noted there is a contract.
What happens if I move house in 12 months (which I'm planning to do).  Would I be asked to stump up a penalty? - if you take the broadband with you, no there won't be any contract based fees though if you cancel at the time there'll be an outstanding amount to pay for the remainder of the contract (not full price though).