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Thread ID: 142210	2016-05-18 23:36:00	Spark Helpdesk Tapped my landline!	bk T (215)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
1420685	2016-05-18 23:36:00	I received my Spark bill online last night, opened and found that Spark charged me for a call which I did NOT make. It's a call to my very own cell phone from my home landline. I recalled that on that day at that time, a Spark representative phoned my cell phone regarding a speed issue of my Fibre Internet connection. My cell phone's call log shows it's from a number 06 xxxxxxx . The date, time, call duration matched my Spark bill exactly. The helpdesk representative has called my cell phone and put the charge to my account! Phoned Spark just now and spoke to a representative but she denied and insisted that the call was from my home line and that it's impossible for anyone to manipulate my line account. However, after she consulted her manager, they agreed to give me a credit of $3.90 for that call they wrongfully charged. It's not the matter of $3.90 but it's how could a Spark representative tap my phone. She further stressed that Spark has a very robust security system that no one could tap my line, which I disagree based on the fact that they have tapped my home line to call my cell phone! My cell phone's calling log can prove that.	bk T (215)
1420686	2016-05-19 00:35:00	it's impossible for anyone to manipulate my line account. . It's very simple actually, but I doubt she'd have a)The codes B)The ability to do so from her location Probably just a billing stuff up.	pctek (84)
1420687	2016-05-19 00:41:00	Easily, in fact. Once you've done work for a Telco you'd know. They shouldn't have billed you for that though, but them having the ability to do that isn't a surprise to me in the slightest. I know it's possible to forge your Caller ID information with certain Telcos too and have almost anything show up, so you could effectively make it seem as though "0800 83 83 83" is calling to your mobile, even though you aren't Pizza Hut yourself ;)	Chilling_Silence (9)
1420688	2016-05-19 00:42:00	Oh and for the record, it's not them "tapping" anything like that, at all, they will have simply originated a call and used that Caller ID as the source.	Chilling_Silence (9)
1420689	2016-05-19 02:13:00	Suffice it to say that in the real world phone tapping, tracing, etc is nothing at all close to what you see in movies. Sometimes I think they perpetuate these myths on purpose so criminals will buy into it and get caught. The only thing I've seen on a movies that resembles reality is someone climbing a pole and accessing the phone wires directly, but it always looks more like a power pole and power wires for some reason...... But this is entirely a billing thing, especially as it sounds like the number on your log is not your own? You sure you phone wasn't diverted to the cellphone for a bit?, that might explain it. Spark can remotely set up diversions easily enough and often divert to a cellphone for landline faults.	dugimodo (138)
1420690	2016-05-19 02:17:00	What annoys me was that the lady I spoke to this morning kept on saying that their security system is impossible to break and that the call was made directly from my home phone. She doesn't trust what I told her of my cell phone's call log and suggested me to bring the phone to one of their Spark store and show it to them. I just came back from Spark store talked and showed my cell phone call log to a guy and told me that he has escalated the matter to their investigation team. Will report back once the 'investigation' has completed.	bk T (215)
1420691	2016-05-19 03:08:00	She further stressed that Spark has a very robust security system that no one could tap my line, which I disagree based on the fact that they have tapped my home line to call my cell phone! My cell phone's calling log can prove that. Robust security system or not, it is very simple for any Spark employee to access your line and make calls. I know how easy it is as I worked for Telecom as a technician for 21 years. Employees access people's lines on a regular basis, usually for fault finding and line testing. So don't let anyone tell you that it does not happen, but in the majority of cases, your line will be accessed only for a matter of minutes when testing or repairing.	Roscoe (6288)
1420692	2016-05-19 05:08:00	What annoys me was that the lady I spoke to this morning kept on saying that their security system is impossible to break . But she's just a call centre twit.....they barely know anything anyway. Like my dead phone line the other day - unplug your modem. Uhuh, that would work when someone had disconnected us at the exchange. A while back now, had a customer with Win98 and a dilaup modem/. She had an issue, rung Telecom (Manila) and got told Win98 was "too old to be able to do that digital stuff". Er....yeah....DOS anyone? I replaced her faulty internal modem. All better. When NEAX first got installed, husband went round with the yanks putting it in parts of the Nrth Island. Then we had a play one day. From our phone we could pretty much run the exchange, anything we liked. He spoiled it by telling them and they made it that you had to be at an exchange (or be near the actual equipment) and not be able to from any old phone.	pctek (84)
1420693	2016-05-19 06:11:00	Have to say I had great service from Spark this time re my modem problems. Agreed with me that there was a fault in the wireless side of things and sent a new modem out straight away. Have just installed it and found the problem is solved. I would give them 9/10 this time. Would have given them 10/10 but I don't want them to get cocky!! Ken :)	kenj (9738)
1420694	2016-05-19 07:43:00	When NEAX first got installed, husband went round with the yanks putting it in parts of the Nrth Island. . Actually it was Japanese.	paulw (1826)
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