Sky alerts customers of shock £10 call fee mistake and warns people not to be ‘caught out’ by ‘concerning trend’
SKY has alerted customers of a "concerning trend" that sees customers duped into paying £10 per minute for calls to the company.
Fraudulent sites have been found directing users to phone numbers that charge exorbitant rates to connect to Sky contact centres.
Normally, calls to Sky contact centres are inclusive for Sky Mobile and Sky Talk customers - and for anyone else it usually just comes out of their minute allowance.
"These scams operate by manipulating Google results or using deceptive ads to target people looking for Sky’s support," the firm writes on its website.
"Once you dial these numbers, you're hit with high charges.
"This scheme exploits our customers' need for assistance."
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The broadcaster is reminding customers that it never uses premium rate numbers for support and people should pay extra attention to the numbers they dial.
Ofcom says calls to 03 numbers cost no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number - and must count towards any inclusive minutes in the same way as 01 and 02 calls.
Usually, these are included in free call packages but if you call an 01/02 number outside of any inclusive minutes, they can cost between 3p and 65p per minute.
Phone numbers that start with 09 are premium rate, which typically have a service charge and an access charge.
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You can block the ability to call 09 numbers from your phone by contacting your network provider.
Sky is telling customers "don’t get caught out" and "always use our official Sky contact numbers to avoid extra charges".
"To protect yourself from falling victim to these scams, always use the contact details listed on our official site or from official Sky correspondence," the firm continued.
";If you encounter any suspicious websites or phone numbers, please report them immediately.
"Our dedicated customer service team is available through verified channels to assist you and ensure your experience with Sky remains secure and positive."
How to protect yourself from scams
BY keeping these tips in mind, you can avoid getting caught up in a scam:
- Firstly, remember that if something seems too good to be true, it normally is.
- Check brands are "verified" on Facebook and Twitter pages - this means the company will have a blue tick on its profile.
- Look for grammatical and spelling errors; fraudsters are notoriously bad at writing proper English. If you receive a message from a “friend” informing you of a freebie, consider whether it’s written in your friend’s normal style.
- If you’re invited to click on a URL, hover over the link to see the address it will take you to – does it look genuine?
- To be on the really safe side, don’t click on unsolicited links in messages, even if they appear to come from a trusted contact.
- Be careful when opening email attachments too. Fraudsters are increasingly attaching files, usually PDFs or spreadsheets, which contain dangerous malware.
- If you receive a suspicious message then report it to the company, block the sender and delete it.
- If you think you've fallen for a scam, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its .