PREMIUM RATE INTERNET BILLS

Local consumers have complained of receiving exceptionally high telephone bills after unwittingly falling victim to premium rate internet dialling frauds.

Consumers have found that their computers had hung up on their existing internet service supplier (ISP) and had automatically redialled a premium rate number.

Trading standards are advising consumers who use the internet to regularly check their ISP numbers to ensure that they are not phoning an 090 premium rate service which can cost up to £1.50 a minute.

The fraud has been highlighted on the BBC Watchdog programme http://ww.watchdog.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/advice/internet.shtml and is currently being investigated by The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services. (ICSTIS), tel 0800 500212.

Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Tel: 01851 709389 (Work)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk