BT Bobs all in it together

[Lockhouse]

My reasonably tech aware (iPhone, iPad, laptop) 81 year old mum changed her webmail password on her BT\Yahoo account. She didn't realise that would make her MS Outlook client stop working so she got herself in a bit of a state when it did - she depends on it for contact with the outside world. She then phoned BT for advice.

After explaining the problem to BT they explained that they couldn't help her with Outlook and gave her another support number to ring. This new number told her that she'd have to pay £250 to get her computer repaired. She got even more into a panic, told them she didn't have any money and called me. I sorted the Outlook problem as soon as I could get her to tell me exactly what had happened. Then I searched for the telephone number online and found it was Tech Support - iTechAcharya Provides 24x7 Tech support for your Computer and immediately smelt a rat. It's the typical support scam.

It took a little while to get to the bottom of it but apparently the guy in India at BT had just Googled for an answer to her problem and that site had come out at the top of the list. I wouldn't be surprised if there were kickbacks involved though. Great stuff.

[darmstadt]

I think that you, or at least your mother, should take this further as it could well be affecting other people and BT (UK) and the ombudsman should be made aware of this...I know I would be kicking up a tulipstorm if it happened to me or a member of my family.

[Lockhouse]

I think that you, or at least your mother, should take this further as it could well be affecting other people and BT (UK) and the ombudsman should be made aware of this...I know I would be kicking up a tulipstorm if it happened to me or a member of my family.

I agree. BT apologised and said it was a one off but you never know.

[vetran]

I agree. BT apologised and said it was a one off but you never know.

nothing to stop you contacting Watchdog, as you suggested there may be kickbacks involved!

[Freamon]

Ask BT for the call recordings by making a subject access request under the Data Protection Act.

[SueEllen]

nothing to stop you contacting Watchdog, as you suggested there may be kickbacks involved!

^^This

Or any TV consumer show will do. As your mother is old this will make a very good story.

[mos]

^^This

Or any TV consumer show will do. As your mother is old this will make a very good story.

+1

BT said its 'one off' but who knows what are their recruitment / training standards in India. Perhaps they are taught that Brits are gullible fools, who can and should be taken for a ride?

[BoredBloke]

I'd be onto Watchdog based purely on the fact that there could be plenty of vunerable old fogies who fall for this. Remember many of these will hand over their life savings to a pikey who claims their roof is broken.

[proggy]

A few years ago there were terrible storms and the wind uprooted a huge tree in our back garden, It completely snapped 5 or 6 telephone lines coming from a pole in a star fashion.

So I called BT and explained what happened, I got put through to a bob call centre. I explained to him that the telephone cable to my flat had been completely snapped and there was no phone or broadband obviously.

Bob then started asking me to reboot the router and check if the light was blue etc !!!!!!!!!!! Reboot my PC check that the cables in the back where pushed in.!!!!!!!!! WTF?

[NotAllThere]

I agree. BT apologised and said it was a one off but you never know.

They would say that, wouldn't they.