Barclaycard faces rap over silent phone calls

Barclaycard faces a fine of up to £50,000 for continued silent calls made to customers.

An investigation from the regulator Ofcom surrounds automated calls from call centres that result as companies systems dial more numbers than staff can deal with.

As a result, those picking up are faced with a silence at the end of the line.

Barclaycard is being probed over call made between October 2006 and May 2007, with claims the firm misused is communications network.

In the last three years, six firms have been fined for breaking rules on silent calls including Carphone Warehouse and Abbey.

The rules allow only a maximum of three per cent of silent calls in a 24 hour period.

A Barclaycard spokesperson explained the issue surrounded a historic problem with its communications network, which has now been dealt with.

"This relates to an historic issue which we decided to address independently of the Ofcom investigation and has now been resolved," a spokesperson said.

"We have been co-operating fully with Ofcom on this matter for some time. As it is the subject of legal proceedings we are unable to make any further comment at this time."

A spokesperson for Ofcom explained Barclays reaction to dealing with the problem may reduce the size of a possible fine – set to be decided on after the credit card provider has responded to the charges – but the publicity would certainly hit the firm's reputation.

Further investigations in silent calls are also promised by Ofcom.