A phone call about winning a Floiday holiday?

[tvout]

Hi all,
Sorry it's possibly not related to being on Virgin telephone but wondered if anyone else had had this before...

I just had a call at 1915 from a withheld number and when I answered it was an automated American voice saying 'Congratulations. You have been randomly selected to win a Florida holiday worth £1000. For more information press 5'
I just hung up on it as it sounded like an obvious scam, you hear loads about stuff like that. I'm on the TPS (Telephone Preference Service) register which stops me receiving most unwanted calls.

Was just curious to know if anyone else had received a call like that - and if you did actually press number 5 or something.

I didn't want to risk it as I didn't know if it was possible that pressing the number option could somehow charge me at premium rate...
I did a quick search on the net and it seems like it asks for credit card details and the holiday is actually half price...

[joglynne]

Nobody gives anything away at drastically reduced prices or for free. I have in the past been told that I have been selected to win a free holiday in Florida , a time share in Greece and, most recently, free double glazing (if I consent to endorse their product).

The first 2 were automated calls like yours. The last one was a live caller who hung up on me when, after deliberately wasting his time by keeping him talking for over half an hour, I insisted he put his offer in writing before I was willing to go any further. (He caught me on a day when I was feeling bored.:D)

If you were to select an option on the automated calls you would undoubtedly, at the very least, end up on a premium rate call.

http://www.alphatalk.com/scam_alert.asp

and even guidence from the Home Office.

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/how-you-can-prevent-crime/telephone-scams/

[papa smurf]

the word free does not exist in American vocabulary

[TheNorm]

the word free does not exist in American vocabulary

Sure it does - it just means something different from in Europe, namely "I'll give you this item but we both know that you will spend the equivalent amount of money anyway."

A bit like the way Tesco does BOGOF. They expect you to spend more money in the store because you feel good about saving money. Or something.

[fudge]

something like this was in the paper a few months ago as soon as you press the 5 button the info you get costs you £15

[Cobbydaler]

I've had the same call twice now. Hung up both times without pressing 5.

I'm on TPS as well...

[grabbi]

Isnt there a way to sue these people for an invasion of privacy or something?

Probably not, because your only renting a phone line, which still makes it Teleco's property, and thus you could get any calls from anyone! lol

Still, its your number, really...

[Chris]

something like this was in the paper a few months ago as soon as you press the 5 button the info you get costs you £15

The maximum rate for a premium number in the UK is £1.50 per minute.

---------- Post added at 18:36 ---------- Previous post was at 18:34 ----------

Moved to the Lifestyle forum, as this is unrelated to Virgin's phone service.

[Alien]

I got 1 a couple of weeks ago from an 09170 number. When I answered, all I got was some crappy music. I said "hello?" a couple of times, & then when there was no answer said, "if you don't respond I'm hanging up". I gave it a couple more seconds, but there was still just the music, so I hung up.

The reason I had a number show up, & that I don't get many marketing calls, is that besides being ex-directory, & on that do-not-call list, I also have anonymous-call-blocking enabled. :)

[tweetypie/8]

Hi all,
Sorry it's possibly not related to being on Virgin telephone but wondered if anyone else had had this before...

I just had a call at 1915 from a withheld number and when I answered it was an automated American voice saying 'Congratulations. You have been randomly selected to win a Florida holiday worth £1000. For more information press 5'
I just hung up on it as it sounded like an obvious scam, you hear loads about stuff like that. I'm on the TPS (Telephone Preference Service) register which stops me receiving most unwanted calls.

Was just curious to know if anyone else had received a call like that - and if you did actually press number 5 or something.

I didn't want to risk it as I didn't know if it was possible that pressing the number option could somehow charge me at premium rate...
I did a quick search on the net and it seems like it asks for credit card details and the holiday is actually half price...

its a load of cobblers ignore it :td:

[Nidge]

Hi all,
Sorry it's possibly not related to being on Virgin telephone but wondered if anyone else had had this before...

I just had a call at 1915 from a withheld number and when I answered it was an automated American voice saying 'Congratulations. You have been randomly selected to win a Florida holiday worth £1000. For more information press 5'
I just hung up on it as it sounded like an obvious scam, you hear loads about stuff like that. I'm on the TPS (Telephone Preference Service) register which stops me receiving most unwanted calls.

Was just curious to know if anyone else had received a call like that - and if you did actually press number 5 or something.

I didn't want to risk it as I didn't know if it was possible that pressing the number option could somehow charge me at premium rate...
I did a quick search on the net and it seems like it asks for credit card details and the holiday is actually half price...


It's a scam, they use random dialing machines connected via a computer to a phone line, when they used to phone me up the first thing I used to say was, "how did you get my number"? I'm on the TPS, you should have heard their voices change, erm erm erm sorry sir have a nice night.:D

[bayonet]

Listen to fonejacker tells you all you need to know about scam calls!!!!!!!!!!