Watchdog: How do I block premium numbers?

[Anonymous]

How do I block my phone from ever calling 09 premium rate numbers?

[Anonymous]

The issue isn't me phoning premium rate numbers, the watchdog piece showed that mobile phones were being stolen, then the sim was used in a unlocked phone to contiually phone a premium rate number owned by the phone theives. This then gives the theif a phone and a few thousand pound kick back from his premium rate number.

A phone lock or phone security software will not work since the sim can be taken out and put in a different phone, a sim lock will work, but if you read the other thread on this you will see loads of people have managed to fully lock their phones and can't use them now. So the simplest way to stop this would be to bar being able to call 09 numbers on your account, then although your phone can be used to make calls, it cannot be used to line the thieves pockets at your expense though these premium numbers.

I hope this clears up the reasoning behind wanting this block now, and if I do ever feel the need to phone a premium number, I can get the block lifted.

[viridis]

Nope, the easiest way is to put a pin number on the sim as has been the case for 2 decades.

[viridis]

And trust me, whatever watchdog are scaremongering you with, the sim is 99% of the time the first thing discarded.

And no one has "locked" their phone. They simply need their puk code as provided on my o2 free for reasons such as this.

[Anonymous]

There are two options available here and to be honest I do them BOTH.

1. Sim lock the sim card. It can't lock your phone fully because if you enter it in incorrectly you can ask o2 for your puk code then reset it. You would need to pass security over the phone with o2 to get your puk do is more secure.

2. Call Customer Services and ask them to put the bar on premium rate calls. It is free to do. To avoid a long wait I would recommend you call early morning. You could also ask Live Chat to put the premium rate bar on but personally I would rather phone. Live Chat have a chequered performance history.

As you can see. Quite easy to achieve your wishes.

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous also gives good advice here. I refuse to call premium rate (and that includes 0843, 0844, 0845, 0870) as there is no need for companies to have these numbers. More recently the Government has orders (non financial?????) Companies to offer 03 numbers as an alternative and to promote them as well so us customers are not fleeced.

If a company insists on expensive numbers. ...... They don't want my business. Simple as that.

[jonsie]

Couldn't agree more. I always use overseas numbers for banks etc....he'll they don't know where I am when calling from my mobile . Even the tax office now uses 0300 numbers....

[anticpated]

Smartphones can be wiped and locked remotely too. Unfortunately this can be circumvented, although a password protected bootloader if you have one is also a good preventative.

[MI5]

---

@anticpated wrote:

Smartphones can be wiped and locked remotely too. Unfortunately this can be circumvented, although a password protected bootloader if you have one is also a good preventative.

---

An app such as Lockwatch will give you that bootloader protection too....

[jonsie]

---

@MI5 wrote:

---

@anticpated wrote:

Smartphones can be wiped and locked remotely too. Unfortunately this can be circumvented, although a password protected bootloader if you have one is also a good preventative.

---

An app such as Lockwatch will give you that bootloader protection too....

---

I use that here myself!

[MI5]

Very wise....