BBG, c/o BT downright lie printed on BT phoneboxes enabling their partner to swindle your money! internet

I used a BT phonebox in northern england yesterday. No cash calls allowed, and clearly stated £1.20 minimum to make a call by card. this is exorbitant, but I had no choice, so made 3 calls, all to uk landlines. Two I hung up after one ring, hoping those I was calling would figure it out and call back the phonebox. They didn't, so I made one last call, which went straight through to answerphone. I hung up directly. When I got home, a message was passed on to me by my bank of suspected fraud. Two amounts had been taken by 'BBG' that morning ~ obviously partners with BT ~ one of £17.70, and one of £6.50. I have very little money coming in, and I'll be lucky if this doesn't push me over the edge of my overdraaft and incur a £30 fine.

But, reading through some of the other complaints agaainst BBG, I WAS lucky I didn't lose more!

Here's thismorning's response from BT:

Hi

 Sorry to hear about this situation.. In relation to the charges these are set by a company called BBG not BT as they provide the service for the use of cards there number is 08081011272. Just to let you know the way the system works is the card company taken an amount up front from your card for each call, within 48 hours any amount not used on the call is refunded back to your card. Should you find this has not happened then please BBG to deal.

To which I ressponded:

Dear Paul,

Thanks for your response ~ but if BT aren't accountable for calls made in their call boxes, they really shouldn't have the 'BT' logo on them. Funny, when you just google 'BBG' you get nothing relevant ~ but google 'BBG complaints' and dozens of results appear.

Such as:

Approximately 100 compaints about BBG here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/directory/bbg-communications

A lawyer particularly focussing in the problem here: (((link redacted)))

(excerpt:)BBG COMMUNICATIONS PAYPHONE SCAM

Have you been charged extraordinary rates for making a call from a payphone using your credit card or debit card?  If so, you have likely been the victim of BBG Communications, Inc.’s unfair, deceptive and unlawful business practices.  BBG is a San Diego based company provides phone service to payphones in airports, cruise ship terminals, train stations, currency exchange kiosks, and hotels.  These services are provided in California, other states of the United States and throughout the rest of the world. BBG does not disclose its exorbitant connection fees or its outrageous per minute usage rates. Don’t let BBG get away with ripping you off. Contact Eppsteiner & Fiorica about what you can do to get back your money and justice for you and others. Contact us by email 877-480-1500.

BBG goes by numerous fictitious business names to make it harder for you to find them.  Your credit card bill will not identify BBG, but only one of its fictitious business names.

BBG uses fictitious names in conducting its business. Your credit card bill may only reference one of BBG’s fictitious names. The fictitious business names used by BBG Communications’ are stated below.

(THEN FOLLOWS A LIST OF 43 NAMES!)

A youtube account of the global problem here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unAUBO5YypM

65 unresolved cases here: (((link redacted)))  

...and 64 here: (((link redacted))) 

...and many more here: (((link redacted)))  etc...

(And, if you follow the link to BBG's own site, the page titled 'complaint resolution' has nothing about complaints on it ~ or from it.) It's unacceptable for BT to plead unaccountability and simply respond "It's nothing to do with us." 

These phone boxes have BT's logo on them, and BT's reputation behind them, and it's BT's decision to partner with an unscrupulous, fraudulent company. I would like to escalate this complaint, and request that you urgently pass it on to the manager of BT.

Thank you,