David

London, UK

IT Consultant

I think that these scammers should be stopped and prosecuted, and all it takes is for BT and other phone companies to take responsiblity for protecting their customers. If they don't protect customers from these scams, too many of them are easily duped into responding and cannot help themselves, so BT should help.

I think that premium rate numbers should be severely restricted and licensed and regulated in some way. But, BT make so much money from them, I doubt if BT even care what is going on and they just want to rake in more money. Also there is the con of local rate and national rate numbers, using codes 084- and 087-, which are charged at costs considerably higher than normal costs to 01- and 02- numbers. My calls to 01- and 02- numbers cost 0p per minute (with a 3p connection fee on weekdays) whereas 084- costs 4p per minute and 087- costs 8p per minute. We should go back to all numbers being geographical numbers beginning 01- and 02- as well as freephone numbers like 0800 and 0808, for landlines, and get rid of higher rate codes for good.