Warning over phone rip-offs

SCOTS WERE warned yesterday about a new mobile phone scam that hits phone users in their pockets.

Carnoustie and District Crime Prevention Panel urged people to be aware of the new scam which could end up costing phone users as much as £50 a minute.

Group chairman Lindsay Martin said the latest ruse involves phone owners getting a message indicating that they have a missed call.

“The number—0709 0203840—comes up on your phone,” he explained.

“The last few digits may vary but certainly the first four numbers will remain the same. If you call this number back you will be charged £50 a minute.

“People have complained about their phone bills once they’ve realised the cost of the calls but apparently this is completely legal,” he added.

Mr Martin also spoke out against the calls people get to their landline telephones informing them they have won a holiday, and urged people not to be taken in by the messages.

“They ask you to press 9 after telling you you’ve won a holiday—if you press 9 you will be connected to a premium rate line that will cost you £20 a minute,” he said.

“Even if you disconnect immediately, it will remain connected for up to five minutes costing you £100.”

Commenting on the scams, a police spokesman said, “Tayside police remind people that they can ask their telephone supplier to ban access to premium rate calls to their phone number and recommend that people seek further advice from their telephone supplier.

“If you do receive non- solicited calls do not talk, do not press any keys—just hang up.”

The Daily record reports on an expensive night

THEY'VE DRUNK THE LOT

Jun 17 2005

Hotel guest buys £32k whisky and downs it

By Simon Evans

A HOTEL guest bought the world's most expensive bottle of whisky - then drank it in one sitting.

The bottle of Dalmore 62 Years Old Single Highland Malt was bought for £32,000.

It was one of just 12 bottles of Dalmore 62 produced at the distillery in Alness, Easter Ross.

And its price tag is the highest price ever paid for a bottle of single malt.

Denis Barthe, 33, sold the bottle one evening last month.

The Frenchman looks after VIP bar guests at the Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot, Surrey.

He said: 'The man paid the £32,000 and then drank the whisky with his friends.'

Barthe was given a glass of the Dalmore by the guest, who is a fairly regular visitor to the hotel.

And Dennis revealed the taste was 'fantastic'.

He said the customer handed him the empty bottle and its wooden case to keep as a 'souvenir de Grande Bretagne'.

Barthe said the hotel had bought the bottle for £31,000 four months ago - then a record price.

One sold at auction in Glasgow in 2002 for nearly £25,877.50.

Drew Sinclair, manager of the Dalmore distillery, said he 'wished he could have been there' to sample some of the malt

Errr actually no

this type of fraud is possible but at nowhere near that level

check out the following link

here

also the one about pressing 9 and still getting billed after you hang uop is not possible i'm afraid. You would think the crime prevention panel would be a little better informed but it seems not !