A Manchester law firm is vowing to battle corporate giant British Telecom on behalf of up to 50,000 Internet users who it says have fallen prey to a 'phone scam' after their computers became infected with a virus.


Davis Blank Furniss (DBF) has created a specific company, Dial Up Fraud, to deal with a group action it maintains could affect thousands of people who have received telephone bills owing to 'rogue diallers' - computers that ring premium rate telephone numbers over the Internet without their owners' knowledge. Potential claimants are invited to register on the company Web site at: www.premiumratescam.co.uk.



DBF partner Stuart Shalom said it expected a high level of interest as BT was currently refusing to waive the costs for customers who were faced with bills worth hundreds of pounds, and called on customers to 'collectively join forces'.



He argued: 'This [situation] is grossly unfair and we want to get BT to accept that its customers should not have to pay for all those unwanted calls.'



A BT spokesman said it had done everything in its power to crack down on rogue diallers, including blocking 1,000 numbers and sending e-mail warnings to 1.8 million of its broadband customers. It has offered free barring of premium rate numbers and said any profits it made from the call revenue will be donated to charity.



In response to possible action, the spokesman added: 'We have considered the legal issues and don't see any grounds for a challenge.'