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Company involved in fake ‘voting’ lines fined

PhonepayPlus, the UK regulator of premium rate telephone services has fined a company for setting up fake 'voting' lines for ITV shows including I'm A Celebrity and Britain's Got Talent that were just one digit different to the official numbers.

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Subhan Universal Limited operated ten 090 numbers that, expect for one digit, were identical to the numbers used as voting lines by popular television programmes “Britain’s Got Talent” and “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!”

The phone numbers were designed to take advantage of people voting for their favourite act who had accidently miss-dialled and even played a recorded messaging saying "Thanks for voting".

The calls made to the premium rate phone numbers were charged at £1.02 plus standard network charges, and operated between 6 May 2012 and 31 May 2013, when they were suspended.

Company must refund victims

PhonepayPlus imposed a formal reprimand and a £6,000 fine. It has also said the company must fully refund within 28 days all those who were caught up in the scam who ask for a refund.

The regulator was alerted to the scam after receiving a complaint from a viewer who had attempted to call one of the Britain's Got Talent voting lines.

For more information visit the Phonepayplus website.

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To report a fraud and receive a police crime reference number, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use our online fraud reporting tool.

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