Consumer council warn of bogus callers

Consumerline has today issued a warning on bogus telephone callers seeking bank details or asking consumers to call a premium rate telephone number.

Trading Standards Service’s helpline, Consumerline, has been receiving calls from consumers who have been phoned by someone claiming to be from the company and asking questions about their bank charges.

The Consumer Council do not call anyone, and any calls of this nature, from someone claiming to be from them, are bogus.

Under no circumstances should members of the public disclose their bank details to anyone who contacts them by telephone.

A recent scam was one where consumers are phoned by a company called Parcel Delivery Services (PDS).

The consumer is left a telephone message asking them to call a premium rate telephone number, saying that there is a parcel waiting for collection.

This is a variation on a scam where consumers are sent a card through the post asking them to phone what is actually a premium rate number.

On calling this number and hearing a recorded message, the consumer is likely to have been billed several pounds for the call. There may be a parcel but it will be worth less than the phone call.

Stephen Thompson from Trading Standards Service said: “Trading Standards Service would advise consumers who receive a card or phone call from Parcel Delivery Service to arrange delivery of a parcel they are not expecting, not to phone the number given to them.

“The number connects to a premium rate '090' phone service and will incur heavy charges. Consumers are advised to dispose of the card. They may also wish to contact ICSTIS who regulate the premium rate industry."

Premium rate service regulatory body ICSTIS have confirmed that a number of people across the UK had received cards from Parcel Delivery Services (a service run through a service provider called Studio Telecom).

However, the regulator invoked its emergency procedures to remove the service which was operating on 20 numbers on December 19, 2005.

A spokesperson for ICSTIS said: “We do not believe that this service is operating again and have issued a statement to the industry to reiterate that they fulfil their responsibilities under our code of practice and ensure that any premium rate service running on their network abides by our regulation."

The spokesperson stressed that the maximum charge per minute on the premium rate number service is £1.50 per minute.

ICSTIS can be contacted on 0800 500 212 or on their website at www.icstis.org.uk.

Alternatively, anyone concerned about any type of postal or telephone scam, contact Consumerline on 0845 600 6262 or log onto www.consumerline.org

(EF/SP)