Is this a scam??

[Cian]

Hrm, so it seems BT have told me (a BT employee....) some very out of date prices.

Any chance you could see what 0845 costs on a BT line? Been telling people its 5p/min at all times, cause thats whats written down in the operations manual

 

[fork me]

Are the service charges on maintaining those lines not horrific? I looked in to getting an 0818 here (same price) for similar reasons - was getting loooong calls from my cable company all the fecking time - but it was a few grand a year to have it.

No, for a while you copuld get an 0870 for free. The company supplying get a proportion of the price, you get a cut and BT (ot wehoever the originating company are) get the rest.

There aren't (AFAIK) any companies providing them for free any more. As soon as the contract is up for renewal on this one I'll be getting rid. I only got it to make a point. It's also the only number I have that isn't registered with the TPS, so I get double glazing companies etc ringing me on it as well. I kinda like the idea of making money out of those calls, even if it is an insignificant amount!

Fork Me

 

[fork me]

Hrm, so it seems BT have told me (a BT employee....) some very out of date prices.

Any chance you could see what 0845 costs on a BT line? Been telling people its 5p/min at all times, cause thats whats written down in the operations manual

0845 is "local NTS", priced at 3.95p peak, 1p evenings and weekends.

To be totally up to date, try here:

http://www.downloads.bt.com/pricing/SpecialisedNos.pdf

WARNING: This is a pretty hefty pdf document!

Fork Me

 

[Cian]

0845 is "local NTS", priced at 3.95p peak, 1p evenings and weekends.

Fork Me

Thanks, will be useful to tell someone who's whinging about how long I've left them on hold when I've gone to get a cup of tea

 

[Lord Bracknell]

please contact BCW Group PLC urgently on 08717001519

Why don't we ALL phone that number?

 

[fork me]

Re: Re: Is this a scam??

Why don't we ALL phone that number?

Coz it'll cost us all nearly 10p a minute to waity on hold for half an hpur or so. Whatsmore the bullying bastards of that debt collection agency will earn money out of us doing it.

Now, if someone can find their geographical number, it'd be worth it.

Fork Me

 

[fork me]

Re: Re: Re: Is this a scam??

Coz it'll cost us all nearly 10p a minute to waity on hold for half an hpur or so. Whatsmore the bullying bastards of that debt collection agency will earn money out of us doing it.

Now, if someone can find their geographical number, it'd be worth it.

Fork Me

Found it! It's 0141 221 3535

 

[Everest]

How about reverse charge?

 

[bristolseagull]

Fair play my arse.

There's no way I would have called them back on a premium rate number. If a company wants to get hold of me then they can call me, not expect me to call them. If I'm not available and they leave a message it should be GEOGRAPHICAL or cheap number.

They're just tyring to rip off the most vulnerable, but then that's what you debt collectors do isn't it? Make money from the misery of others.

Fork Me

I didnt call the number they left on the text, found a free number on the website, asked the receptionist what was going on she told me i must ring that number urgently.

i didnt bother

couldnt give a f*** to be honest

 

[KPTF]

then that's what you debt collectors do isn't it? Make money from the misery of others.

Fork Me

Personally, I don't. I always leave my freephone 0800 number for debtors to call if they're not in when I visit; the 0870 number is for my clients to contact me.

 

[fork me]

Personally, I don't. I always leave my freephone 0800 number for debtors to call if they're not in when I visit; the 0870 number is for my clients to contact me.

Good for you, and I mean that, no sarcasm intended.

The limited experience I've had with debt collection agents has not been positive.

I've had one lot threaten to take me to court for a debt that wasn't mine. Despite me providing photographic proof (ie my passport) that I wasn't the person they were looking for (it was a previous tenant of the flat!), they repeatedly came round pestering and threatening me with court action. I told them to bring it on. It took six months before the idiots gave up, all the time coming up with bigger and bigger threats, including threats to break down my door and remove property. Many people would have given up and paid the bastards.

Fork ME

 

[KPTF]

That's not nice or helpful and doesn't make my job any easier as people's perceptions are that we're all a bunch of thugs who will kick the door down if people don't pay. Sometimes I FEEL like doing that when no-one answers the door, it's pissing down with rain & you can see the telly/lights on but I haven't (yet) succumbed!).

You obviously have a bit of savvy which enabled you to (rightly) stand your ground but I've seen many examples (single mums, for instance) where they haven't known their rights, let the bloke in and wonder where their telly went!

From my perspective, once I've got past that initial reluctance from the debtor to do anything about it, we usually have good banter and some look forward to me calling as they may not get out much & may not see someone to talk to from week to week so there's almost a bit of 'community service' tagged on to the job.

Mind you, some of the sights & smells I've seen/smelt make you wonder how such squalor still exists in 21st Century Britain. On the plus side, the extremely fit blonde bird who had just got out of the bath in Lewes on Tuesday night wearing just a skimpy towel wasn't the worse sight ever so it does have it's moments as well.

 

[e77]

My problem is with companies who pass your debt on without really giving you a chance to pay it or for some very small sum.

 

[Everest]

the extremely fit blonde bird who had just got out of the bath in Lewes on Tuesday night wearing just a skimpy towel

Grasping at straws, but you weren't looking for NB were you? If so, did you get a photo?