In 2002, eight times as many people as the year before complained to ICSTIS, whose job it is to make sure these premium rate phone numbers are run properly.

In some cases companies send out texts telling people they've won a prize, but to claim it they need to ring another number, which is often really expensive.

Often people don't check or don't know how much the numbers cost to phone, and get upset when they find out.

ICSTIS also got more than 1,000 complaints from people who were sent e-mails that connected them to an expensive internet connection without them knowing.