HMRC Fraud Purveyor

[jon]

Just blocked number: 07560790859 a voice wanted me to press '1' to connect.

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

jon has brought this to us :

They mentioned that scam just this morning in a consumer program.

I have all unknown callers filtered out on my landline number by my phone system, I only rarely get them on my mobile so not much of an issue.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

It will be a different number shown tomorrow. I get those on my mobile really irritating but on the home phone true call won't let them past. Brian

[critcher]

should have kept em on line and strung them along for 1/2 hour.

[newshound]

At one time that could have committed you to a significant charge on a premium rate line. I am not sure if that scam has been "trapped".

[Dave Plowman (News]

Had one today I'd had years ago, so knew well. Very polite young sounding man claiming to be a detective sergeant from Hammersmith police. And that they'd caught someone using my credit card.

Asked him for his full name and rank and I'd phone back the police station using the number in the book. And then got the reply they were in a special incident room not on the switchboard. So carried on and asked a few stupid questions. Whole thing ended up in laughter both ends. Rather enjoyed it while self isolating - not much else to do.

[John Rumm]

I will admit to getting a tad annoyed when folks repeat urban myths like this without actually thinking it through!

How would that actually work?

They phoned you. You have not disconnected the call, so all you would be doing is extending the duration of the existing call *at their expense*.

If they asked you to phone them back, then yes, that is call you could be charged for. Even then, it should usually be fairly obvious you are dialling a premium number since it starts 09, 070, or 118 etc. (and those are governed by the PSA, so you have means of redress in cases of abuse):

[Robin]

you are not alone - but sadly I feel too old to bother doing anything about it

[Scott]

A former neighbour of mine handed the phone to her five year old and told him to talk to the nice man on the phone. Personally, I would not take that risk.

[Fredxx]

Taking a call has always been free. The scam you're probably thinking is where someone phoned you with a premium number hoping you'd phone them back.

Premium texts are more nasty where you pay on receipt. Some operators allow you to block them.

[Ian Jackson]

AIUI, this is just urban myth - and there's no way you can be charged for simply pressing 1 (or any other button). Nevertheless, some Google research might be useful.

FWIW, yesterday I had six calls from various numbers advising me that someone had ordered an iPad on my Amazon account - and suggesting that I press 1 to speak to the accounts department if I wanted to cancel it. Despite what I said above, so far I have resisted the temptation (just in case!).

[Andy Burns]

Except 0800-reverse (do operator connected reverse-charge calls still exist?)

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

You cannot do that as its a recorded message. Often the system assumes if you press a key you have agreed to something, next hing you know they your energy over to bloggs power. Brian

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Courier fraud. They are not nice people, since they are basically after the card and its pin. Brian

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

newshound formulated on Friday :

Lots of rumours of that, but it is impossible. Only you can dial a premium rate number on your line, you cannot be transferred to one mid-call.

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

Dave Plowman (News) formulated the question :

Well done, those calls usually end with a very annoyed scammer slamming the phone down rather quickly, once you are rumbled.

[tim...]

No it couldn't

it's impossible to be charged for an incoming call

(unless roaming of course)

[tim...]

there are no police station numbers "in the book" anymore

haven't been for decades

[tim...]

we used to do that

but then someone who doesn't understand how things work, decided that switched took too long and wanted to set a limit for them to be done in 24 hours

which, of course, now leaves no time for such checking

[Harry Bloomfield, Esq.]

I think that is a legal requirement - I have swapped several times and each time my current supplier has asked me to confirm I want to move away.