Anyone else being plagued by Online Competition Services

Brendan Burgess

Brendan Burgess

Founder
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52,117
I have had 8 phone calls today with a prerecorded message telling me that someone in my household had won a prize and to call 1580 600111 at €2.40 to claim it.

I rang eircom to see if I could bar them from calling me as their number came up on caller display, but eircom said I couldn't. The eircom person said that they had many complaints about this today.

I emailed regtel, so I hope that they get banned from using the premium line service.

Brendan
 
no call

No calls to me, and I'm with Euphony, don't know if that makes any difference.

Its bad enough being phoned by a live person but prerecorded is OTT IMO, not to mind 8 times!
 
Re: no call

This Comreg pdf document says,
Regulations1 made in 2003 prohibit
unsolicited contact by electronic
communications means for marketing
purposes. This includes contact by fax
and SMS. Companies must ensure that
you have given your prior permission i.e.
“opted in”, to receive direct marketing
calls on your mobile. A fixed line
customer is considered to have “opted in”
however they can “opt out” by contacting
their service provider.
Click to expand...
 
Brendan I received that call in early Jan. To my :eek:
I phoned. Consumer Affairs advised me to phone RegTel
and, to my amazement, was told this was a genuine call!
RegTel advised that I claim the prize and need not worry
about sending a s.a.e. with claim code etc.

In another two weeks I should receive "the prize" -
two weeks hol. in Canaries. I'll get back to RegTel again when
it doesn't arrive. Looked at the link. How can one phone them
to be taken off their list when they only leave a
recorded message premium line number? I have never given
permission for anything like this.

Wrote a post about this to AAM but can't find it now.
Would you consider phoning RegTel and see what they say to you?
 
Thanks suellen.

Am too busy chasing up Ramada/Imperial Majesty Cruise Vacations aka 'Whatever you're having yourself' to be worried about that premium line. It's hard work and time-consuming.
 
Here is the response I got from Regtel today. Unfortunately, unlike Sherib, mine does not appear to have been a genuine call, so if I want that plasma tv, I will have to buy it myself:

Thank you for your letter of complaint. The service you referred to has been removed by the Regulator in accordance with the Emergency Procedure as set out in our Code of Practice. The service was not authorised by this office. Further investigations will be carried out and sanctions as seen fit by the Regulator.

If you feel that you have not entered any "database" by way of using a Premium Rate number or, if you have used a Premium Rate number but have not given your permission to be added to a database, I would be pleased to advise you that you should go directly to the Data Protection Office. The Data Commission employs superior powers to ourselves when it comes to this issue but I would have to say that it is this issue that is of most concern to us.

I would be grateful if you would let me know if you wish to pursue further the matter of database validity.

I hope this information is of value.
Click to expand...
 
Re:Anyone else being plagued by On Line Competition Services

I can't post even though I'm logged in. My user
name doesn't appear at the bottom of the screen.
Writing here because repeated posts replying to
this keep disappearing.

What is wrong? I'd be grateful for any help if anyone
is up late and sees this.

sherib
 
Re:Anyone else being plagued by On Line Competition Services

That went - even tho' it still looks as if I'm not logged in.

I still don't believe that premium line I rang was genuine
even though RegTel said it was.
The No. was 1580 500 200. Prizes sound exactly the same. It would be interesting to know
who if anyone won the BMW or the Plasma TV.

Seems a bit of a coincidence that I was phoned first normal Sat.(8th) in Jan and those 200 calls to sunny south-east were on the last Sat. Only difference is the number. Was the earlier call a trial run?

I wonder how traceable are these premium lines by the authorities? If 25% of 200 people rang at ~€17/call, that works out at €850.00 -
not bad if they can't be caught.

It will take another 20 days to discover whether or not
the no. I rang was fraudulent. If so, what will RegTel do?
Suppose I'll just have to wait and see.

:rollereyes
 
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