THE number of scams using premium rate phone lines is reaching "epidemic" proportions, trading standards officers have warned.
Fraudsters typically target their potential victims through letters, text messages and e-mails.
The ploy is often linked to bogus competitions offering guaranteed 'prizes'.
Consumers are told all they have to do to claim is telephone a given number, which turns out to be a premium rate line charging up to £1.50 a minute.
The Trading Standards Institute believes one way to tackle the problem is to allow customers to bar all premium rate numbers from their phone for free.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article