Our recent phone bill lists the number of 09015422422 as being called at 4am over the space of a few days, often numerous times within a minute, each call lasting no longer than about 20 seconds.. So it has ended up as being quite expensive.. Googling it, and searching on the ICTIS website, I think it is..

"This is a competition line advertised on a TV programme. This service costs 75p per call from BT landlines (Higher rates may apply if the call is made through a different phone network)."

But I don't believe anyone from this house has made the calls.. So I was wondering what we should do?

Thanks.

I doubt BT will believe you. Are you sure no one has been phoning the number? It sounds like one of these Quizmania-type programmes that are on late at night, targeted at lonely insomniacs and the drunk post-pub crowd.

I had the same problem a few years ago. My computer used to dial up a premium number when we werent even in the house. Those calls amounted to a total cost of well over £60 which I had to pay!!!!

I would personally recommend you should call the service provider to dispute the charges - they should be able to 'put them to one side' whilst they look into the problem you have. meanwhile, lodge a complaint with Icstis.

Doing a google search for this number finds a different forum with a user having the same problems - someone has mentioned that there may be a crossed line as they also experienced calls being made at 4am - but they have had a total of 53 calls made in a 34 minute period.

From reading the whole thread there isnt much you can do except call and complain. By any such chances are you with the former NTL, now VM?

If you have a BT line, you can have Premium Rate calls (all 09 numbers) barred free of charge. I'd recommend you do that.

If you don't want to do so (because you want to be able to make such calls yourself), I'd recommend installation of one of these devices on each active telephone socket and that you retain ALL the keys yourself.
Last edited by Heinz : 24-02-2007 at 21:03

The number belongs to Cash Call - according to a Google Search.

Be prepared to find out the calls were made. In the vast majority of cases they are. Of course everyone thinks no-one in there house would have dialled a TV show at 4am.

If what the OP says "often numerous times within a minute" it would seem unlikely that it is a human doing the dialing. Not impossible, but unlikely.

Its a TV quiz show, its not unusual for people to hit redial when they hear they haven't been selected. Its easily possible to dial the same number several times in a minute.

During the parliamentary hearing into these quiz shows/channels it was revealed that in a single two hour programme one person entered over 150 times.

There is dodgy software out there that can dial out to a premium rate number, its very unlikely a TV show would do that. Even if it did, you would still be responsible for not protecting your computer properly.

I see. I didn't realise that.

Thanks for clarifying.

Yeah, with the likes of ITV Play, Deal or no deal, and the other quizzes where they charge you a set fee for example 75p per call and you get charged whether you get through to the studio / chance to leave answer or not.

So you may only be on the call for a few seconds to hear \"Sorry, you haven\'t been successful this time, please try again\" and you have been charged 75p try again, hit the same message hit for 75p again, and so on until eventually by luck you may be successful, though likely to be several hundred pound down.