Spam phone calls clog 999 fire service lines
Emergency 999 phone lines are being clogged by spam phone calls, putting lives at risk by preventing genuine callers getting through, the Express & Star can reveal.
Emergency 999 phone lines are being clogged by spam phone calls, putting lives at risk by preventing genuine callers getting through, the Express & Star can reveal.
West Midlands Fire Service today confirmed it has received two or three of the machine-generated calls to the emergency 999 line every day for almost two weeks, by a firm claiming to help with personal protection insurance (PPI) refunds.
Operators say the caller always hangs up before they have a chance to establish where they are calling from.
It means operators have not been able to ask the firm to remove the number from their database.
One worker, who asked not to be named, said: "While it's the 999 number, there is also a longer version it is registered to and the machine they use to dial has obviously struck on it somehow. It's taking up valuable time and it's dangerous."
Fire service spokeswoman Lindsey Preece said the source of the calls was a mystery as there was no caller ID.
"These calls effectively tie up our telephone system and in a worse case scenario, could prevent a caller from speaking to a fire control operative," she said. "We are trying to trace the calls. We are telling them that they have come through to the emergency services and it is inappropriate for them to be calling, but they are just hanging up and the calls continue."
West Midland Fire Authority chairman Councillor John Edwards said: "It is actually unlawful to make frivolous 999 calls.
I would like to see these people tracked down and any necessary actions taken. We cannot have 999 lines being taken up with spam and nuisance phone calls."