Extent of web scam revealed

AROUND 300 homes a day are being hit by a premium rate internet scam, BT warned yesterday. Families are being landed with phone bills of up to £1,000 after rogue operators secretly plant their connection software on to their computers.

Without the user knowing, the so-called 'Trojan dialler' changes their internet dial-up number to a premium rate line charging up to £40 a minute.

The problem is now so widespread that BT has received more than 80,000 complaints. A spokesman said it was 'an enormous problem', admitting: 'Some people have been getting bills of £1,000 a quarter and it comes as a nasty shock. On average, victims of this con have seen their bills go up £100.'

The internet pirates get their money through BT once the phone bills are paid - and last year they made an estimated £8m.

A BT spokesman said: 'We are being blamed because we are the ones billing the consumer but in cases where we have tried to block premium-rate companies we have ourselves been sued for denying them access.'

Simply clicking on a website to download a piece of music or play a game can cause a Trojan dialler to install itself on a home computer. In an attempt to tackle the problem, BT is offering free protection software which acts as an early warning system. It alerts customers by e-mail or text message if their bill suddenly rockets or they dial a 'suspect' destination such as Sao Tome in Brazil.

The BT Privacy Online service can also warn customers if their modem tries to call any number not included on a pre-approved list. The scam does not affect high-speed broadband users, because they remain permanently connected to their internet provider. Vulnerable users are those who dial into the internet using their ordinary telephone line.

One way to spot if you have been infected is to keep an eye on the phone number the computer is dialling. If it is a premium number such as one beginning 0898, or an international code starting 00, abort the call.

If the computer refuses to abort, unplug the phone line from the wall socket before it makes an expensive connection.

Another safeguard is to instruct BT to block premium lines from being dialled from your number. Trojan diallers can be flushed out of a computer with anti-virus software.