PhonepayPlus Fraud: Head of Communications responds on behalf of Sir Alistair Graham

[El Gringo]

Background

Sometime ago PhonepayPlus was contacted by somebody in order to obtain the identity and contact details of the provider who was providing the premium rate services on the following two premium rate numbers.

09829323380 and 09829319990

The person made it very clear they were not contacting PhonepayPlus as a consumer or customer making a complaint and did not require or need advice for obtaining a refund.

After several emails a member of PhonepayPlus agreed to contact Mr Ian Patterson of Call Republic Ltd and ask for the information. Needless to say PhonepayPlus and the person wanting the information are still waiting.

The development

The numbers as Phonepayplus knew all the while were not being used to supply premium rate services, they were being used by somebody hacking into the phone network and placing premium rate calls as part of a scheme to commit criminal theft from the public.

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/09829323380
http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/09829319990

**** to pressoffice

Dear Phonepayplus,
I originally sent this to PPP person but he appears to be away until next week.

I believe it is important and wondered if it was possible for it to be forwarded to Sir Alistair Graham for him to read and respond to personally.

Thank you.
---------------------------------------------------

Dear PPP person,

I don't know whether it is possible but I would be grateful if this correspondence could be forwarded to Sir Alistair Graham for him see and respond to.

It is now clear that the Ian Patterson's client was not using the numbers to supply premium rate services to the public but instead was using them to commit common criminal theft.

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/09829323380
http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/09829319990

This is by no means the first time Patterson and others have allowed their numbers to be used in this way.
Over recent years (2005-2010) http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/t30060.html? for example the same Virgin Media customers around the London area have been repeatedly targeted.

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/09080829292
http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/09083916319

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/09083149092
http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/09066646558
http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/09041948677
http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/09041948710
http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/09041948739

It's clear that Phonepayplus have been aware this has been happening for sometime and have been unwilling or unable to take any meaningful steps to protect the public from this form of criminal theft.
Phonepayplus continue to take no action by claiming its outside their remit. To my knowledge not a single case has been forwarded to the police and been prosecuted.
Phonepayplus and the Networks continue to mislead the public who complain as to the true criminal nature of the problem.

I would be grateful for a response to this email and to know what action is going to be taken to address this current criminal theft. For example is it going to be referred to the police and if not why not?

Mr ****.

Shirley Dent to ****, PPP person

Your message to the press office email address [which was requested to be forwarded to Sir Alistair Graham] has been forwarded to me.

First, let me assure you that we aim to do all we can do within our remit to help you.

The advice we have given to you to contact your network provider in relation to a refund is what we believe could result in the quickest redress for you in this instance. PPP person, as he wrote in the email dated 24 August to you, has tried to call Call Republic to ascertain the information you require and is awaiting the company’s response.

Second, if you have any concerns about our conduct or procedures, we have a complaints procedure and policy, which you can read more about by clicking on the link below.

http://www.phonepayplus.org.uk/outpu...-about-us.aspx

If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me by email, telephone or mail (my contact details are below).

Dr Shirley Dent
Head of Communications

and the girl is well aware that it is not in the PhonepayPlus remit to tackle cases of pure criminal theft and fraud so why the hell is Shirley Dent butting her nose in where it is not needed and not wanted

These are the same idiot games Icstis used with me in 2004/05 when I tried to report the dialler fraud.

[El Gringo]

Dear ****

Many thanks for your e-mail and the information contained within it. I have now had the opportunity to speak to both Call Republic and BT’s fraud department in relation to this matter.

BT have confirmed they have been investigating this for some time and have now passed their report to the police to review. They are aware that this problem has affected a number of their customers and believe that a form of ‘hacking’ into personal lines has taken place. BT are aware of all their consumers that have been affected by this problem and are refunding upon request. They have also been in recent contact with the PhonepayPlus Investigations team to obtain further information about the companies contracted on the numbers generating any charges.

PhonepayPlus will assist both BT and the police in providing any information that may assist their enquiries as requested but will not open a formal investigation as no breach of the Code of Practice has taken place – this appears to be fraud and this is therefore a matter for the police to investigate. Any link between Call Republic and similar problems that may have previously occurred (such as in 1995) will hopefully be discovered as part of the police investigation. We will not be in a position to provide any further information, such as any company that may have sub-contracted with Call Republic to anyone other than BT or the police as part of their investigation.

I can assure you that I have discussed this matter in detail with Paul Whiteing, Chief Executive of PhonepayPlus who is in full agreement with this course of action. Mr Whiteing has regular meetings with Sir Alistair Graham and an update will be added to the next agenda.

If you do have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards

PPP person

yes but is the police investigation for the benefit of BT or BT's customers?

eg
possible theft of service from BT
or
possible theft of money from customers

the whole thing stinks and its been stinking for a long time

[El Gringo]

2010 Placing premium calls on customers line by hacking into network

PhonepayPlus will assist both BT and the police in providing any information that may assist their enquiries as requested but will not open a formal investigation as no breach of the Code of Practice has taken place – this appears to be fraud and this is therefore a matter for the police to investigate.
[...]
I can assure you that I have discussed this matter in detail with Paul Whiteing, Chief Executive of PhonepayPlus who is in full agreement with this course of action.

Originally Posted by PhonepayPlus

and it was Paul Whiteing who claimed the internet rogue dialler services from 2004 were not shut down by Icstis (Phonepayplus) because they appeared compliant with the Icstis code of practice!

@Hamlet et al
were Icstis (Phonepayplus),BT and others feeding everyone bullshit in 2004?

were they really working with the police on behalf of the public (victims of fraud and theft)?
or
were they working with the police on behalf of the Networks ('theft of service')?

why did they turn a blind eye to the majority and request the Press not to identify them?

'Much as I would like to name and shame these scumbags, Icstis begged me to keep schtum because it is still investigating. Identifying the company could jeopardise the chances of nabbing them. I wasn't impressed to learn that my tormentors lease their line from a leading UK telecommunications firm.'

2004 Placing premium calls on customers line by hijacking modem
http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/t29727.html?
The Great Phone Call Con (Jan-Aug 2004)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4397308.stm

why did they only act against so few?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2004...d.jobsandmoney
The companies and numbers listed by Icstis as under investigation
AKU GmbH (Schleswig-Holstein)
0909 799 8408 8444, 0909 799 4697
B&B Svs LLC c/o Ilex Trust (Lugano, Switzerland)
0909 962 9050 - 9055
Deltino Ltd (Dorking, Surrey)
0909 027 0282, 0909 771 0205, 0909 027 4169 - 4171
DDD Com AG (Liechtenstein)
0909 642 0870 - 6429
Edvan Solutions (Florida)
0909 029 4032 - 4189, 0909 029 4300 - 4322, 0909 029 4401 - 4422
Futurpago SL (Madrid)
0909 792 0406 - 0407
Matrix Technologies Networks SA (Madrid)
0909 792 0030 - 0033
MediaSky 2001 GmbH (Lubeck, Germany)
0906 734 0091, 0906 732 0032, 0906 734 0024, 0906 734 0034
Media Work (Hamburg)
0906 269 0372 - 0375
Moldconecta SRL (Moldova)
0909 655 0021
Premiatel (Santa Ponsa Spain)
0909 024 0026, 0909 024 0061 - 0212, 0909 024 0251 - 4400, 0909 792 0056 - 0061
Streamtone Investments (Panama)
0909 656 5816 - 5817, 0909 967 0120 - 0125
Telehansa GmbH (Hamburg)
0909 967 3025
Telessential Media Group Ltd (Bedford)
0906 517 0090 - 0094, 0909 027

[Steve__M]

BT are aware of all their consumers that have been affected by this problem and are refunding upon request.

The above quote suggests that BT will only refund customers who notice the problem and can get the message through the appalling BT call centre staff.

[El Gringo]

BT are aware of all their consumers that have been affected by this problem and are refunding upon request.

Originally Posted by Phonepayplus

The above quote suggests that BT will only refund customers who notice the problem and can get the message through the appalling BT call centre staff.

Originally Posted by Steve__M

There is no suggestion about it. BT are pocketing and profiting from the Proceeds of Crime and Phonepayplus are helping and protecting them!

http://www.soca.gov.uk/financialIntel/legislation.html
Section 328 - An offence is committed when a person enters into or becomes concerned in an arrangement which he knows or suspects will facilitate another person to acquire, retain, use or control criminal property and the person knows or suspects that the property is criminal property.

http://www.soca.gov.uk/financialIntel/legislation.html
Section 330 and 331 - create an obligation on those persons in the regulated sector to report their suspicion or knowledge of another person’s money laundering to SOCA. Failure to report is a criminal offence.

the simple fact is that unscrupulous companies like BT generate huge amounts in Taxes (corporate/VAT/licences to operate etc...) to the UK Exchequer that they are effectively protected from criminal investigation and sanction.

here is another thread where you can read how Sir Alistair Graham and Paul Whiteing helped protected criminals who were also generating revenue for the UK Government Exchequer and City investors
http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/t22598.html?

and this...a typical calls log of a typical Premium Rate Service Provider?
http://www.the-scream.co.uk/forums/s...91&postcount=2
danke