Calling back missed call numbers.

[nomoss]

My Orange bill is usually the same every month, as I have free calls to fixed and mobile phones everywhere I ever call, so I was surprised that the bill received today was increased by €2.99.

On investigation, the extra charge relates to a call to a "special" number, for a period of 6 seconds! i.e. 50 cents per second!

The only special numbers I occasionally call, if absolutely unavoidable, are to help lines and one local hospital, but none have ever charged at anything like that rate.

However, at the bottom of the Orange bill is a note:

"vos appels vers des numeros speciaux neccesitant egalement une

communication qui est incluse dans votre offre ou facturé comme un appel local,

selon les conditions de votre offre"

"your calls to special numbers also requiring a

call that is included in your offer or billed as a local call, depending on the

terms of your offer"

We receive a couple of  unidentified calls almost every day, less than before set the answer machine to reply after 10 seconds, and no longer pick up, but I check the number calling or recorded and pick up or call back if necessary.

I do remember recently calling back an unfamiliar number with a local prefix, thinking it could be somewhere where I had made an appointment, getting only silence, and hanging up.

Now, from the note above, I gather that the special number was connected as a result of my call to a normal-looking  number, from which it was transferred, although I believed that transferred calls are billed to the number making the transfer.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[mint]

No similar experience, but then I don't call back any number which I don't recognise and where there is no message from the caller.

Sometimes it's actually an advantage to have severe phone phobia[:P]

[idun]

There are too many numbers in France for official things that should be 'free' and are not.

I know how galling it is. Last time I had to call something official in France, I was charged and I could not avoid calling them. I too have a very comprehensive contract, but it never covers everything.

[suein56]

nomoss wrote : I do remember recently calling back an unfamiliar number with a local prefix, thinking it could be somewhere where I had made an appointment, getting only silence, and hanging up.

That would be your culprit, IMO.

These people rely on you ringing back to make their money.

If you still have the number then you can Google it and see if other people have been caught out.

You could also report the number to Orange .. though I'm not sure that would help.