We investigate: premium-rate phone lines

How does it work?
This code sets out rules that all providers of phone-paid services must comply with. This includes clear and accurate pricing, honest advertising and appropriate promotions.

As a general rule, Phonepayplus will only deal with complaints about services operating on 09, 118 and mobile short codes (five-digit text numbers).

It also does a lot to try to stamp out urban myths – such as scams suggesting that fraudsters are luring consumers into calling a premium-rate number that will cost them £50 a minute.

In reality no premium rate service can cost more than £1.50 a minute and for those there is a £30 maximum charge.

However, each operator has its own tariffs so the final charge could be slightly more – ie each minute would cost £1.50 from a BT landline but slightly more using another phone service.

Calls made from mobiles may be significantly more expensive. For calls costing less than 60p per minute there is no cut-off total.

If a consumer has a complaint about a service or the amount they have been charged, Phonepayplus has made it easy to complain. The consumer can visit the agency’s website and make a formal complaint in three ways.

There is an online complaint form, or a free helpline at 0800 500 212, which is open 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday. Alternatively people can write to at Phonepayplus at Freepost WC5468, London SE1 2BR.

If you want to check a number on your bill, the number checking service on the website identifies the service operating on the number, the company providing it, if the service is under investigation for any reason and any action being taken.

Phonepayplus has also set up a website called Phonebrain aimed primarily at children, some of the biggest consumers of paid-for mobile content.

The site explains what phone-paid-for content is and how to avoid running up unnecessary bills. There is also a section for parents and teachers.