Rogue firms that trick Internet users into using premium rate numbers to connect to the Web could be hit with fines of up to £250,000 under new government proposals.
The proposals, unveiled by e-commerce minister Alun Michael and backed by the premium services regulator ICSTIS, come in response to consumers concerned about unwittingly connecting to expensive Internet diallers.
The current fine for such tricks stands at £100,000 but the government is concerned that some rogues can make significantly more money than that.
Michael said: "I'm determined to see that consumers are protected against rogue firms abusing the phone network and bringing misery to millions with nuisance calls."
He added: "We all have the right to use the Internet without the fear of being exploited by firms who prey on consumers. Customers have unwittingly run up hefty phone bills when their automatic dial-ups get locked in to a premium rate number."
ICSTIS director George Kidd said: "Our current fine limit of £100,000 is no longer sufficient to deal with the worst services we see.
"A new fine limit, combined with the other proposals in the Ofcom Review to strengthen consumer protection, should ensure that the relatively small number of rogues out there do not continue to damage trust and confidence in the entire premium rate industry."
The proposed increase is part of the drive to tackle nuisance calls, and Ofcom has announced that it is investigating seven companies who made nuisance calls, usually silent or short duration calls, following a string of complaints from consumers.
Talkback
DETERRENT IS THE NEED OF HOUR
The rogue-dialler problem is in existence because laws are not deterrent enough to ward off vice intentions. The need of the hour is to adopt “punitive approach” with strong “deterrent flavour”. The fine limit is rightly enhanced but so must be the imprisonment limit, if any. The innocent sufferers must have sufficient safeguards so that their property and “surfing rights” are not hampered. The internet must be a “beneficial platform” and not an “arena of frauds and offences”. The exemplary fine as well as a stringent and deterrent punishment can alone eliminate evil intentions that are a big threat for the internet culture.
Rogue diallers "sneaking" onto peoples PCs isnt just a bad thing..its theft and a form of extortion...
ANY company guilty of this should immediately be shut down, everyone working for the company should be BANNED from owning, starting or working in any telecoms company for at least 10 years, and the owners and directors of such companies should receive MASSIVE prison sentences as a serious deterrent these large-scale con-men who assume that the risk of being caught is balanced by the IMMENSE possible gains to be had.
Its missing the point.
All of these cons; premium rate dialers,reciever pays texts etc. only work because the phone companies will collect the money and accept no resonsibility - they take their cut and have no interest in stopping it.
Premium rate calls above about £0.60 a minute, or pay-to-receive texts have NO significant legitimate purpose, Why are they allowed in the first place?
Having been through an OFCOM complaint on tincoming texts (everyone says its nothing to do with them) it seems that the system is effectively unregulated. I had a refund promise from the company involved, but never actually got it. All this change will result in is bigger uncollected fines.