Secret Internet Phone Scam Must Be Stopped, Says Lamb

4.36.24pm GMT Mon 28th Jun 2004

Secret software that makes people's computers dial premium rate numbers instead of their normal Internet Service Provider (ISP) was condemned by Liberal Democrat MP and Member of the Treasury Select Committee Norman Lamb today.

The secret internet diallers surreptitiously change the number that computers dial when people log on to the Internet, and have resulted in telephone bills amounting to hundreds of pounds per person. The fraudsters are making millions from unsuspecting Internet users. Computer users have been powerless to tackle the latest crime scam to hit the Internet according to Mr Lamb.

Today Norman Lamb called on the Department of Trade and Industry, telephone operator BT and ICSTIS, the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services, to begin urgent talks in order to protect consumers.

Mr Lamb said: "Thousands of Internet users are being affected by this latest Internet scam. The industry and Government must urgently tackle these 'Premium Rate Diallers' that worm their way into people's computers without their knowledge or authorisation. It is a criminal offence and the criminals should be tracked down and prosecuted.

"I am today writing to the Secretary of State at the DTI, Patricia Hewitt to ask her to set up urgent talks between the DTI, BT and ICSTIS on this issue. In the first instance, BT should refrain from taking its usual cut of the per-minute charge in cases where premium rate diallers have been used fraudulently. BT must also take swift action to block fraudulent premium rate numbers as soon as they are identified.

"ICSTIS, the industry-funded regulatory body for all premium rate charged telecommunications services, must have enough resources and expertise to handle calls and complaints from customers.

"The DTI, working with other Government departments and the police must be able to tackle fraudsters who operate within the UK and internationally in order to protect the public. At the very least foreign operators should lodge a bond in the UK before being allowed to operate in this country, so that customers in the UK can be reimbursed if they suffer fraudulent charges."