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118 Directory Enquiry Numbers as Paid Customer Service Intermediaries (Germany)

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118 Directory Enquiry Numbers as Paid Customer Service Intermediaries (Germany) is a practice in which businesses allow premium-rate 118 operators to advertise themselves as a way to reach their customer service telephone hotline. Consumers who call such a number are billed at premium rates for a service they could access for free by contacting the company directly.[1][2]

How it works

A business registers its customer service telephone hotline with a 118 directory enquiry operator, or permits the operator to list a 118 number as the way to reach them. When a consumer calls this number, they are connected to the company via the 118 intermediary and billed at premium rates for the entire duration of the call, including time spent on hold. The company's own hotline is typically reachable for free.

Why it is a problem

Point 1: Consumers are charged premium rates for reaching a hotline that is freely accessible by calling the company directly.

Point 2: Most callers believe they are contacting the company directly and are unaware of the costs involved. Being transferred to the actual company hotline incurs an additional charge on top of the per-minute rate.

Examples

Some examples of 118 Directory Enquiry Numbers as Paid Customer Service Intermediaries (Germany) include:

  • 11851 — a well-known 118 directory enquiry number in Germany that offers paid connection to company hotlines.
  • Companies known to be reachable via paid 118 intermediary services include, among others, Amazon, Sky, TUI, Congstar, Booking.com, and Telekom Deutschland.[citation needed (27 May 2026)] Note that not every company is reachable through every 118 number — availability varies by operator.

References

  1. ↑ "Teure Sonderrufnummern und Kurzwahldienste - So schützen Sie sich" [Expensive special phone numbers and speed dial services - How to protect yourself]. Verbraucherzentrale Niedersachsen (in Deutsch). Archived from the original on 15 Feb 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  2. ↑ "118xy - Aus­kunfts­ruf­num­mern" [118xy - Directory assistance numbers]. Bundesnetzagentur (in Deutsch). Archived from the original on 22 Feb 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026. {{cite web}}: soft hyphen character in |title= at position 12 (help)
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