BT tackles premium rate dial-up fraud

BT is to block calls to premium rate numbers associated with internet diallers following a rise in the number of complaints from surfers.

The UK's telephone industry regulator ICSTIS has reported a “significant rise in the number of complaints” from people left facing huge bills for premium-rate calls they claim they did not make.

The problem can arise when Trojan horses install themselves on computers and are able to change the internet settings so that dial up connections always call premium-rate numbers rather than the regular ISP numbers.

MPs called a debate at the House of Commons’ Westminster Hall this morning to highlight the issue of so-called rogue diallers and urged BT and ICTIS to take action to safeguard consumers.

BT has now vowed to block calls to premium rate numbers associated with diallers for all its customers and will “forego its share of the money generated by these expensive calls” - it claims that for every £100 bill run up by a dialler, BT’s share is £1.85. BT will also offer a free premium rate call block on all customer lines.

Gavin Patterson, BT group managing director at consumer and ventures, said: “We have decided to act on this issue, which is causing genuine concern to us and thousands of our customers. When a premium rate number is suspected of being used to deliver rogue diallers we will block traffic to that number without waiting for the regulator to complete an investigation.”

“ICSTIS is already aware of the changes that need to be made to their code of practice. Their investigations into these numbers are lengthy and the current code of practice doesn’t take into account much of this practice. BT is working urgently with the regulator and other network operators to address this industry problem.”

George Kidd, director of ICSTIS, said: “ As an industry we should all do everything possible to prevent dialler harm from happening. ICSTIS is looking at taking our registration process further and introducing some form of licencing. Where harm does occur we need to act fast.”

BT will include advice on how to avoid drop-in diallers in its Update magazine that accompanies the blue bill, and at www.bt.com/premiumrates. The company has also emailed all its internet customers with advice.