Mysterious "Personal Numbering Service" numbers on 3 bill

A friend of mine with a 3 account has had several personal numbering
service numbers come up on her bill as if she had called them. However,
she hasn't. 3 customer services refuse to even consider the possibility
that she didn't make the calls, so she has to pay for them. They are
only short calls. Is there any sort of known fraud going on involving
this sort of thing?

martin_pentreath@hotmail.com submitted this idea :
> A friend of mine with a 3 account has had several personal numbering
> service numbers come up on her bill as if she had called them. However,
> she hasn't. 3 customer services refuse to even consider the possibility
> that she didn't make the calls, so she has to pay for them. They are
> only short calls. Is there any sort of known fraud going on involving
> this sort of thing?

Yes.

Number beginning 070 one-bells the phone, so it shows as a missed call.
This will often result in you (her) calling the missed number back
assuming it's a mobile number when it's not.

martin_pentreath@hotmail.com wrote:
> A friend of mine with a 3 account has had several personal numbering
> service numbers come up on her bill as if she had called them. However,
> she hasn't. 3 customer services refuse to even consider the possibility
> that she didn't make the calls, so she has to pay for them. They are
> only short calls. Is there any sort of known fraud going on involving
> this sort of thing?

Exhaust the 3 complaints procedure and then contact Ofcom if you really
believe the calls were not made using her SIM.

Otherwise consider the possibility that the calls were made using her
SIM - think about it.

<martin_pentreath@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1161294684.275059.52610@i3g2000cwc.googlegrou ps.com...
>A friend of mine with a 3 account has had several personal numbering
> service numbers come up on her bill as if she had called them. However,
> she hasn't. 3 customer services refuse to even consider the possibility
> that she didn't make the calls, so she has to pay for them. They are
> only short calls. Is there any sort of known fraud going on involving
> this sort of thing?
>

Probably the 070 personal numbers scam. I bet if you fall for it they keep
pinging until the mark stops returning the calls.

Thanks - I think you're probably right in that she was returning
mysterious missed calls and has just forgotten about it. Nice trick, I
think I'll give it a go! I'm fed up trying to make money the honest
way.

(This is the same friend who used my computer once during the days of
dial-up and somehow managed to click on one of those pop-ups that
redirected her connection via a premium rate number clocking me up a
bill of £18 for a few minutes connection! She shouldn't be allowed to
use a phone without a grown-up supervising. Her number is probably high
up on the list of all scamsters. All it needs is for Mr Abuchak from
Nigeria to start emailing her offering her a share of his inherited
millions and it will all be over.)