SLAMMING

[Jayc]

Anyone familiar with the term 'Slamming', unfortunately I discovered it today. Its when another company takes over your business telephone line without you knowing. A rival communications firm KCT took over my BT business line without my permission this July, Bt apparently have little power over such practiises and all they can do is cancell the rival companies order. I was approached by KTC back in May and to be fare their terms sounded great compared to BT, i even gave them my details i was that impressed. However when I went to BT to advise them that i was thinking of taking up with another company they sprung the penalty cluase thing on me, so i went back to KCT and declined their offer. They seemed ok about it and said if they could be of service int the future etc etc. However today 18/8/10  I received an invoice from KCT re July/Aug bill ! I called up KCT and they said they were in control of my business line. I then called BT who said they were also in control of my business line, but they ceased to charge me for calls July/Aug... Why? Because the account had been taken over by KTC. But I had not given any authority for this to happen. This took up most of my morning hence time I should have been working. I have basically been paying 2 companies this July/Aug for my line rental plus VAT!! I would like to hear from any other small business that have experienced the same - slamming......and what course of action did yoy take? So far ive emailed OFCOM and Bt says they will cancell the take over, fab.

[laurafleming]

Hi 

I dont know if anyone else has looked, but if you go on KCT webpage KCTgroup ltd, at the bottom of the page you have CODE OF PRACTISE ... link this... it gives u info abouf ofcom and stuff, right near the bottom ot the page it has the word HERE highlighted in blue... link this and it will give you what they call... general conditions 24 KCT are supposed to provide you with this but i doubt no1 got it... i found it helpful.

[davidnewton111]

Hi Everyone i have also had a similar problem to all of you with KCT. Can i urge you all to file your complaints with all of the bodies listed below. If we dont all do it then they will keep doing this to other people and it has already been very expensive for my company. I have registered with all three but Offcom cant take action on individual cases only if there are alot of complaints so lets all complain. Lets stop KCT from doing this to other peole.

cheers and good luck

Offcom 02079813000

Otelo 01925 430049

OFT 0845 404 0506

[ajm58]

hi i have been in dispute with this kct company for a year, i rellocated my hair salon having a phone line through bt i had a phone call from kct who said they were bt and they could cut my calls by half then after a long conversation they pass you to what they say is bt finance to take your details. its only when you get the paper work that you realize that is not the case i did not sign or return this paperwork .after lots of letters and phone conversations i am now at the stage they are  taking me to court for nearly two and a half thousand pounds!!!! which they say is for a 60 month contract they have a tape of me agreeing to. They obviously only tape the part of the conversation that you have with the so called bt finance department.

I now have taken my case to otelo and trading standards, it is a nightmare that i like you could do without, my email address is [please either send a private message to this member or post a response on this Forum, email address removed due to privacy / fraud concerns as per forum guidelines. Thanks, moderators] if anyone would like to email me with there stories or advice

[ajm58]

We are having the same problems with KCT as everyone else on here. I have made a facebook group please take a look and join its called......JOIN IF YOU ARE HAVING MASSIVE PROBLEMS WITH KCT. Kind regards emma.

[dillon]

Exactly the same story, these people claimed to be from BT Wholesale, have now returned to the real BT, Ktc have rung me threatening contract cancellation charges no doubt running into thousands of pounds, well I'll be honest with you they can take me to court, these "Vultures" tried to charge me £137.057p for six and a half minutes of phone calls, I'm very careful when it comes to cold calling from people offering fantastic deals, but I'll admit these people have well rehearsed this little scam and I really thought I was speaking to British Telecom, and with all these other people having the same problem this isn't just a case of a one off misunderstanding, this is calculated fraud and surely can't be legal, the only way to beat these people is if all those who have been placed in this situation stick together. 

[davidnewton111]

I have also reported them to watchdog now as our situation has developed where they have failed to uphold there part of the bargain which means an employee might end up with a ccj. Professional CON men who need shutting down. Could everyone report them to Watchdog i have attached a link to go straight to the page on the website to fill out the details. If everyone does this we might get them on rogue traders how good would that be. I think it is sadly to late for me to recover any cost but lets stop them getting other people.

I also couldnt find the facebook page mentioned above so if anyone has found it post this message to it as well. i want as much covergare as poosible.

good luck

http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/gotastory/

[craig-dynamight]

Just had the scammers on the line, introducing themselves as part of BT, not a reseller (CPS, carrier pre select) provider.

As soon as I questioned who they where and that I have never heard of them before, they got on the defensive and then hung up on me.

I was straight onto my BT local business account manager and explained that I've had a call from them and under no circumstances have they to take ownership of the line. He was well aware of KTC and passed the information on the back office team & to the relevant people at BT as well.

These shoddy practices from KTC Group should be stopped immediately & ofcom & otelo should be taken heavy action against them.

[ajm58]

http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_161120830585968

Hi there, I am set up the facebook group. Im really sorry that people are having problems finding it. But here is the link to it. Hope it works. It is my mother who is having the problems with kct. Awefull surelly this rogue company cannot get away with it. I now they are now being investigated. Im hoping if we all get together there is power in numbers. and we can support each other. Also stop this companys behaviour. Kind regards emma mallon

[Fuc-KCT]

I also have had this happen to me I opened a business in July of this year and took a contract with BT for my telephone and broadband. I was contacted a few days later by phone by somebody claiming to be from BT offering a better price plan, I asked him again if he was from BT and that if he was just changing my price plan. He confirmed this to be true as I also stated that I had just got with BT only a few days earlier. He said that nothing would change I was still with BT only changing the price plan. I became suspicious and contacted BT the next day to confirm the call. They said they do not have a price plan like that and that I had probably been slammed I requested that my line remain in the control of BT. Nothing happened for months and now recently KCT Communications have taken control of my phone lines, they have used a edited telephone conversation of me to gain my line from BT, this is serious fraud KCT communications are committing. BT are also aware of this because they have seen a pattern and have been investigating them since May 2010. BT informed me they are using a code I instead of code z to manipulate the transfer system, why if BT know about this fraud, why is nothing being done to stop this?. I also told BT about this company in July and recently when I received a email saying thanks for cancelling, why did they still manage to get my line, there is a flaw in the system which needs to be sorted fast.

Has anyone manage to sort this out I am really worried about losing my phone number to this fraudsters it could cost me thousands in lost sales.

[emma]

Hi Jackie, I am also having a lot of problems with KCT and wondred if you would be able to contact me via my email address it is <email address removed by Moderators>  it would be much appreciated. King Regards Emma Louise