Scam regulator (From The Argus)

Scam regulator

11:06am Tuesday 30th October 2007

• Print
• Email
• Share

With reference to the article in which Lewes MP Norman Baker warns about a postal scam (The Argus, October 25). it is unfortunate that the information was not double checked before he contacted The Argus, as the email warning of the scam currently doing the rounds is itself not genuine.

There was a phone line set up by the company stated, but it was closed down by the telecoms regulator Icstis (now renamed PhonepayPlus) in December 2005. In any case, there are no call rates which charge the caller "£15 to call once a recorded message begins to play". Callers were charged £1.50 per minute.

Due to the numbers of enquiries they have received, PhonepayPlus have set up a special webpage at www.phonepayplus.org.uk/pdfs_ news/postalscam2007.pdf which goes into more detail.

As with any email warning of this type, a recipient should double check with a reputable source such as PhonepayPlus before passing it on. Although, reminders of the many devious ways criminals use to con the unwary out of their hardearned cash are always useful. Any suspect telephone numbers can be checked on the regulator's website.

• Russell Ridout, Howlett Drive Hailsham

• Print
• Email
• Share