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Scammers......
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astonbuilder
 


Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8051

England 2012 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 XS Auto Santorini BlackDiscovery 4
Scammers......

Few weeks ago I was asking for advice on alternative phone suppliers for my (83 year old) mum, etc.

Turns out the deal she was on was the 'best one' in the end really. This was based on my sister (who generally looks after mum on a day-to-day basis) saying she was paying £21.99/month as the benchmark.

I've slowly been taking over 'premium renewals' side of mum's affairs and so now have the phone bill as one of those.

Did a quick check on mums physical bank statements and noticed her actual phone bills and then something called 'Zoom-T' charging her £21.99/month for last five months.

Bit of digging on this and it appears to be company called 'Zoom Telecom' AKA 'Guaranteed Telecom'.

Bit more digging with my sis' and she remembered that in May 2018 mum 'confessed' she thought she'd been scammed as she, under duress, "gave some bank details out over the phone".

Within a couple of hours my sis' had cancelled cards and verified all OK at her bank and thought no more.

In that couple of hours 'Zoom' had set up a direct debit and the £21.99/month charge is for the 'Telephone Preference Service' (which is a free service Evil or Very Mad ).

To be fair to mums bank (Lloyds) they have refunded her the payments back under the indemnity scheme but cannot treat it as fraud as "likely she gave her details out on request" (fair enough).

Quick internet search on the company name(s) shows this is a wide issue and they crop up time and again.

Will be writing to their contacts and calling (not expecting any reply or the usual "she agreed" mantra back Confused

Also getting in touch with trading standards contact I have as appears they have been 'looking into the company' a while.

Full-on rant at the company or 'invite' them to respond before I report it as 'fraud' (OK, won't stick I guess?) and/or to TSA?

Scum bags Censored [/i]
  
Post #19987748th Nov 2018 12:50 pm
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Narpy
 


Member Since: 18 Jul 2011
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2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 S Manual Cairns BlueDiscovery 3

What service do they actually provide for the money they receive?
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Post #19987778th Nov 2018 1:04 pm
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astonbuilder
 


Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8051

England 2012 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 XS Auto Santorini BlackDiscovery 4

I'm guessing there will be some sort of 'link' between them and TPS so that in may 'technically' not be fraud as they are providing 'something' - bit like them passport and DVLA type companies that charge for free services, etc.

I'll see if there is any more physical details when I go up at weekend but mum has never had any postal follow-up with them, signed anything, etc. (she does have all her marbles too) and she is adamant she never agreed to any 'service' either although I expect there will have been some 'smooth talk' applied as they often cite "the call was recorded and you agreed" spiel on the web when reading up on them
  
Post #19987918th Nov 2018 1:31 pm
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Sydney
 


Member Since: 11 Aug 2013
Location: St Neots
Posts: 903

United Kingdom 2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 Base 7 Seat Manual Zermatt SilverDiscovery 3

I had this with my mum who has dementia, she got taken for thousands before I found out. Her number was on a list somewhere and she was constantly getting cold called.

TPS is pretty good but once they have your number the calls never stop.

My advice is to change her phone number and give it only to people who need it such as close family, care teams etc. Don't even tell her that her number has changed as she might inadvertently give it out.
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Post #19988218th Nov 2018 3:12 pm
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astonbuilder
 


Member Since: 29 Sep 2006
Location: MIDLANDS
Posts: 8051

England 2012 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 XS Auto Santorini BlackDiscovery 4

Changing her number is an absolute no-no, whatever the consequences. Think it's an 'age thing' as that number is how people known to contact her for donkey's years that lose touch and pop back up now and again (usually to tell them that so-and-so has died.....). Won't happen......
  
Post #19988248th Nov 2018 3:17 pm
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Mrs Trackman
 


Member Since: 10 Feb 2011
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 48

Scotland 

Try a truecall unit.

We got one for ourselves a few years ago when we realised we got WAY more spam and junk calls to the landline than people we actually wanted to speak to. The junk callers know that if calls are being screened you won't knowingly talk to them so they don't even bother to go that far. I think 95% of our calls never cause the phone to ring and are junk. We wouldn't be without it now and are sorting out one for my parents to avoid the problems that you have.
  
Post #19988418th Nov 2018 4:30 pm
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