- 07
- Jun
‘Revenue-sharing’ phone numbers could be impacting upon consumers’ debt management, it has been suggested.
According to Which?, numbers that begin with 0870 and 0845 are often used by firms for their customer service lines, as the longer they can get customers to stay on the line, the more revenue they can share with their phone service provider.
As a result of facing such expensive calls consumers could find their ability to make repayments on personal Loans, utility bills and credit cards squeezed.
Neil Fowler, editor of Which?, said: "Tales of customers hanging on for ages at huge expense when they are trying to place an order - or even make a complaint - are numerous."
Mr Fowler added that such numbers are "a stealth tax of the worst kind".
The consumer publication also pointed to figures from premium-rate number regulator Icstis indicating Britons spend more than £300 million every year dialling 0871.
Earlier this month, SimplySwitch.com reported that a number of price reductions on calling plans by telecoms provider BT could help customers with their attempts at debt management.
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