ICSTIS, the premium rate services watchdog, is investigating a Sheffield based company that has been fooling people into calling up a premium rate phone number. The investigation may result in the company being stopped from trading.

The company allegedly sends text messages asking recipients to call urgently. On returning the call, the caller hears an engaged tone which in actual fact is a recording of an engaged tone. The caller is charged £1.50 for every phone call they make. As the message may instil a sense of panic in many recipients, they are likely to call the number several times before trying other methods of contacting the person or event htey were worried about.

Comment: ICSTIS stands for Independent Committee for the Supervision of Telephone Information Services.

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