SAYNOTO0870.COM - HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes

pansa90

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HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes
Jul 6^th, 2009 at 8:06pm

Hi All
Just used the site and called the HMRC TAx Credit helpline. After taking my details the operator advised that i had called on an international number and that he would not proceed with the call . He said people are using that number to circumvent the system Huh

.

My repeated attempts to even give me a number/dept to whom i could write and complain drew a blank. According to him its not a complaint as I was in the wrong !!!!!!

Have been trying the 0845 number and it keeps getting cut off as too many people are calling them

A Big boo hoo to them
SP

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Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes Reply #1 - Jul 6^th, 2009 at 8:14pm Write to your MP about this. They are getting more and more complaints from constituents.
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mikeinnc

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Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes
Reply #2 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 8:14am

pansa90 wrote on Jul 6^th, 2009 at 8:06pm:

Hi All

Just used the site and called the HMRC Tax Credit helpline. After taking my details, the operator advised that I had called on an international number and that he would not proceed with the call . He said people are using that number to circumvent the system Huh

.
SP

Did you preface your call with the caller-ID blocking code? That way, the idiots on the other end have no knowledge where you are calling from - and if they ask, just lie. Say 'France' or something!

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SilentCallsVictim

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Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes
Reply #3 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 8:37am

mikeinnc wrote on Jul 7^th, 2009 at 8:14am:

Did you preface your call with the caller-ID blocking code? That way, the idiots on the other end have no knowledge where you are calling from - and if they ask, just lie. Say 'France' or something!

I hope the re-branding team have picked up on the fact that some see saynoto0870.com as being for use by burkha-wearing, queue-jumping liars to call idiots. Is this an impression to be encouraged or dispelled?

(By the way, whilst a number may be withheld, the location of the call may not)

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« Last Edit: Jul 7^th, 2009 at 8:40am by SilentCallsVictim »

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loddon

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Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes
Reply #4 - Jul 7^th, 2009 at 9:43am

SilentCallsVictim wrote on Jul 7^th, 2009 at 8:37am:

mikeinnc wrote on Jul 7^th, 2009 at 8:14am:

Did you preface your call with the caller-ID blocking code? That way, the idiots on the other end have no knowledge where you are calling from - and if they ask, just lie. Say 'France' or something!

I hope the re-branding team have picked up on the fact that some see saynoto0870.com as being for use by burkha-wearing, queue-jumping liars to call idiots. Is this an impression to be encouraged or dispelled?

(By the way, whilst a number may be withheld, the location of the call may not)

Sorry SCV, I do not understand. What does "......for use by burkha-wearing, queue-jumping liars to call idiots." mean?

How is the location revealed if the number is witheld?

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biggerkev

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Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes
Reply #5 - Jul 15^th, 2009 at 4:24pm

pansa90 wrote on Jul 6^th, 2009 at 8:06pm:

Hi All
Just used the site and called the HMRC TAx Credit helpline. After taking my details the operator advised that i had called on an international number and that he would not proceed with the call . He said people are using that number to circumvent the system Huh

.

My repeated attempts to even give me a number/dept to whom i could write and complain drew a blank. According to him its not a complaint as I was in the wrong !!!!!!

Have been trying the 0845 number and it keeps getting cut off as too many people are calling them

A Big boo hoo to them
SP

I have just rang the HMRC on an alternate number to 0845 300 3900 which is 01253 503333 Preston office, after i was held for approx 4 mins the lady took my details and then informed me rather abruptly that now she had my details it was noted that i had dialled through on a number that I shouldn't be using, I told her that I will not phone a 0845 number, she then said "it would be noted on my records that if I use that number again my call would be terminated".

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idb

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Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes
Reply #6 - Jul 15^th, 2009 at 4:59pm

biggerkev wrote on Jul 15^th, 2009 at 4:24pm:

I have just rang the HMRC on an alternate number to 0845 300 3900 which is 01253 503333 Preston office, after i was held for approx 4 mins the lady took my details and then informed me rather abruptly that now she had my details it was noted that i had dialled through on a number that I shouldn't be using, I told her that I will not phone a 0845 number, she then said "it would be noted on my records that if I use that number again my call would be terminated".

This is insane. Presumably the determination that you are not calling from an international location is based upon the CLI presentation. So, given that I live 4500 miles from the UK, and given that I can use a VOIP system which will present a UK number, one wonders whether I would get the same treatement, ie being told that I am not an international caller, purely on the basis of the CLIP. Perhaps I'll try it, although the absence of children probably negates the need to contact this body. I suppose that I could switch on the television or radio, and ask the operator to listen to the broadcast to try to establish that I really am calling from overseas. Insanity.

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As from November 21, 2013, I no longer participate in the forum and am unable to receive private messages.

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Dave

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Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes
Reply #7 - Jul 15^th, 2009 at 7:19pm

biggerkev wrote on Jul 15^th, 2009 at 4:24pm:

I have just rang the HMRC on an alternate number to 0845 300 3900 which is 01253 503333 Preston office, after i was held for approx 4 mins the lady took my details and then informed me rather abruptly that now she had my details it was noted that i had dialled through on a number that I shouldn't be using, I told her that I will not phone a 0845 number, she then said "it would be noted on my records that if I use that number again my call would be terminated".

Hi biggerkev,

Sorry to hear about thism but it is becoming more and more common for the state to treat citizens in this totally contemptuous manner.

May I suggest that you write to your MP about this, as well as local media. You can find out your MP's name by typing your post code into this page.

I have sent you a private message that you can read by clicking the "1 message" text just below the SAYNOTO0870.COM banner at the top of this page. Then click on the subject line to open up the message.

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jen1104

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Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes
Reply #8 - Jul 29^th, 2009 at 7:33pm

I have just rang this number 01355 359007 and was asked what number i was ringing and why, I said that I have been ringing the 0845 number and was fed up of getting to the end of the message and being cut off only to be charged again every time this happens. She told me that in future I must ring the 0845 number as this is a priority number for overseas but she will however deal with my query (must have been the end of a good day as she was fairly pleasant too!) Is there any way a message can be put along side these number informing others? I have only used this site a couple of times and so don't know how/if that will be possible.

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poppasmurf Junior Member Offline Posts: 55 Bewdley, Worcs Gender:	Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes Reply #9 - Aug 2^nd, 2009 at 10:37pm I rang the 01355359007 number for child tax credits in Preston earlier this week, and had no problems whatsoever. Everything was dealt with in a perfectly normal manner, as has been the case each time I've used that number in the last 12 months.
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Dave

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Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes
Reply #10 - Aug 2^nd, 2009 at 11:02pm

biggerkev wrote on Jul 15^th, 2009 at 4:24pm:

I have just rang the HMRC on an alternate number to 0845 300 3900 which is 01253 503333 Preston office, after i was held for approx 4 mins the lady took my details and then informed me rather abruptly that now she had my details it was noted that i had dialled through on a number that I shouldn't be using, I told her that I will not phone a 0845 number, she then said "it would be noted on my records that if I use that number again my call would be terminated".

Less than three weeks later, 01253 503333 is now not recognised. Perhaps they got fed up of all the calls coming to it from people getting the number from this website. Oh well, I've removed it from the database so they can use it again without those pesky citizens ringing up on it. Grin

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« Last Edit: Aug 2^nd, 2009 at 11:03pm by Dave »

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SilentCallsVictim

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Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes
Reply #11 - Aug 4^th, 2009 at 10:28am

It could be worthwhile for someone to have a friendly word with HMRC about this matter. There are two separate points at issue here.

HMRC clearly wants to have numbers dedicated to particular functions. SayNoTo0870 wants to offer those who visit its website geographic alternative numbers. The two are presently operating at cross purposes.

There is a wider issue about the type of numbers that HMRC and other public services use, which will not be resolved swiftly. Putting that aside for the moment, could not a Sayno member approach HMRC to ask for some suitable alternatives that could be published in the database to help prevent misuse of published geographic numbers that is clearly causing a problem and forcing HMRC to withdraw services that are being abused. Such an approach would also help protect the reputation of Sayno, which probably presently stands accused of encouraging misuse of published numbers.

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Dave

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Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes
Reply #12 - Aug 23^rd, 2009 at 9:02pm

Source: Mail on Sunday

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1208437/Tax-credits-boss-orders-Keep-cal...

Tax credits boss orders: Keep callers on the line

By Simon McGee, Mail on Sunday Reporter
Last updated at 1:12 AM on 23rd August 2009

Tax officials have secretly changed the way they run one of their 0845 advice helplines – raising costs for many callers and potentially netting the Government millions of pounds.

The HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) tax credits helpline on 0845 300 3900 is used by low-income families to secure Working Tax Credits and Child Tax Credits.

Handling 23million calls a year, it has already attracted controversy for costing callers using mobile phones up to 40p a minute, which critics warn hits vulnerable people.

[…]

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SilentCallsVictim

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Re: HMRC - Child Tax Credit Helpline woes
Reply #13 - Aug 24^th, 2009 at 11:34pm

Dave wrote on Aug 23^rd, 2009 at 9:02pm:

Tax credits boss orders: Keep callers on the line

Excellant story - well briefed reporter.

The silly thing is that the HMRC do not "make" any more out of mobile callers over those paying nothing to call within their BT call plan. That is however not the point.

This well written piece demands follow-up - and will receive it.

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« Last Edit: Aug 25^th, 2009 at 12:54am by SilentCallsVictim »

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sandradee

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HM Revenue & Customs
Reply #14 - Nov 14^th, 2009 at 12:08am

I have called HM Revenue & Customs - Tax Credits - on 01355 359007 (0845 300 3900) a couple of times and had success in speaking to someone. However, the last call I made - the (gentle?)man I spoke to got very angry and told me that I was not to ring on this number again. If I did, the call would not be answered. Can they do this?

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