PremTel Limited (Case reference: 01815)
| Case Number | 01815 |
| Published date | 22 October 2008 |
| Year | 2008 |
| Adjudicated Party | PremTel Limited |
| Procedure Type | Emergency Procedure (Phone-Paid Services Authority) |
THE CODE COMPLIANCE PANEL OF PHONEPAYPLUS
(FORMERLY ICSTIS)
TRIBUNAL DECISION
Thursday 9 October 2008
TRIBUNAL SITTING No. 12 / CASE 2
CASE REFERENCE: 773838/DL
Service provider & area: PremTel Limited, Derby
Information provider & area: Daniel Clifford, London
Network operator: Switchconnect Limited
Type of service: Customer care line
Service title: Laptops Online Inc “customer care” service
Service number: 07045501170 and 07099800149
Cost: 07045501170 – 50p per call
07099800149 – 50p per minute
Network operator: All Mobile Networks
Number of complainants: 33
BACKGROUND
PhonepayPlus received 33 consumer complaints in respect of emails received from a
company using the name ‘Laptops Online Inc’. The email appeared as an order
confirmation for a laptop and gave the recipient the impression that he or she had
ordered a laptop and that delivery was underway. The complainants stated that they had
not placed any such order. The email provided a “customer care” service number, which
was an ‘070’ prefixed number charged at a premium rate. Complainants who rang the
service numbers, anxious to cancel the fictitious order and stop payments, were charged
for the call. They were allegedly connected to a recorded message which encouraged
them to call back at a later time, which many did. No complainant spoke to an actual
person.
The emails appeared to have been sent from various different originating server
addresses. It is unknown how many e-mails were sent, but those that were complained
about were dated either 9 or 10 September 2008. The email stated that the consumer
could not reply to the email, but ought to call the 070 number provided, in order to
amend the order or discuss any matters relating to the “Technical Support” or simply
contact the “UK office”.
The Executive’s Monitoring of the Service
To continue reading
Request your trial