Hi Guys,

I was minding my own business when I got an email through on my mobile. Nothing strange about that...i opened it to find an email from a mobile operator telling me a bill is waiting for me. I had cancelled my contract last month so I figured it might just be a refund or a small charge for between billing periods.

I tried logging onto my online account, and the password didn't work. No biggy, I hadn't used the contract since last March (09) so I got a email password reset and logged in. Loaded up my bills...£85 quid. I looked and it was for a tarrif with 3000mins, unlimited texts, data etc etc. My old contract was only £20 a month so I knew something was a miss. I call up and go through security. I get through to an indian call centre who ask me to confirm my address. e then says that dosen't match and is it new? i reply no, same address I have always had. He then asks for 2 numbes out of my security pin. These are correct and we proceed. I am advised I have upgraded on a 24 month contract on a £56 a month contract...

I went through how this wasn't me and I have no idea...they tell me they are going to raise a fraud case and deal with it and not to worry. Call back in a few days for an update. After hanging up I thought its very strange as no one even knew I had a vodafone contract (I got one of those nokia 5230's and hated it so promptly sold it and destroyed the sim last year) and I had paperless billing. The only people that knew my contract had been cancelled was the staff I dealt with at the phone network.

I called back this evening, another indian call cantre...another don't worry it will be sorted.

I just get the feeling they arn't really bothered. I'm pretty sure the culprit has landed a shiny iPhone judging by the contract and the options i have when I input my old mobile number on the phone system. I really want to speak to a UK call centre that understands my concern but it seems impossible!!

Am I just being paranoid that the phone network staff are doing dodgy things or am I right to be suspicious? What else have they had/got etc etc??

Which mobile operator, three only has indian call centres.

Go into a vodafone shop and speak to them, there are plenty around. Try google to find your nearest one.

Hi Guys,

I was minding my own business when I got an email through on my mobile. Nothing strange about that...i opened it to find an email from a mobile operator telling me a bill is waiting for me. I had cancelled my contract last month so I figured it might just be a refund or a small charge for between billing periods.

I tried logging onto my online account, and the password didn't work. No biggy, I hadn't used the contract since last March (09) so I got a email password reset and logged in. Loaded up my bills...£85 quid. I looked and it was for a tarrif with 3000mins, unlimited texts, data etc etc. My old contract was only £20 a month so I knew something was a miss. I call up and go through security. I get through to an indian call centre who ask me to confirm my address. e then says that dosen't match and is it new? i reply no, same address I have always had. He then asks for 2 numbes out of my security pin. These are correct and we proceed. I am advised I have upgraded on a 24 month contract on a £56 a month contract...

I went through how this wasn't me and I have no idea...they tell me they are going to raise a fraud case and deal with it and not to worry. Call back in a few days for an update. After hanging up I thought its very strange as no one even knew I had a vodafone contract (I got one of those nokia 5230's and hated it so promptly sold it and destroyed the sim last year) and I had paperless billing. The only people that knew my contract had been cancelled was the staff I dealt with at the phone network.

I called back this evening, another indian call cantre...another don't worry it will be sorted.

I just get the feeling they arn't really bothered. I'm pretty sure the culprit has landed a shiny iPhone judging by the contract and the options i have when I input my old mobile number on the phone system. I really want to speak to a UK call centre that understands my concern but it seems impossible!!

Am I just being paranoid that the phone network staff are doing dodgy things or am I right to be suspicious? What else have they had/got etc etc??

Which mobile operator, three only has indian call centres.

The clues are all there young grasshopper

Whoops, didn't mean to mention the operator...lol

Vodafone have not had a UK based call centre since 2006 when they closed their centre in Birmingham, so you'll have to deal with the helpfull Indian.

Poo...

post #3 ??

Vodafone have not had a UK based call centre since 2006 when they closed their centre in Birmingham, so you'll have to deal with the helpfull Indian.

I spoke to an English call centre when i requested my PAC code from Vodafone in October 2009... And also received a couple of calls back from English call centres asking me if i wanted to reconsider staying..... Or if they were in India they all had North West accents.

Cheers

Dave.

Edited 13 November, 201015 yr by WaveyDavey

I am advised I have upgraded on a 24 month contract on a £56 a month contract. [....] The only people that knew my contract had been cancelled was the staff I dealt with at the phone network.

I would bet this is somebody internal to Vodafone scamming their sales bonus. Whoops the wong button got pressed and a cancellation turned into an renewal and upsell.

We had something similar with our business BT account. We spoke with customer service chasing a fault on a bodged ISDN2 installation. The 'helpful' customer service rep looked at our account and claimed that one of our many lines was on the wrong tariff, "let me sort that out for you sir". Next thing we know is that all our out of contract services are back in a 24 month contract, multi-channel ISDN30 - the whole lot. Took BT complaints three weeks to sort the mess out and I believe the rep ended up in a disciplinary.

Best regards

David

when did the supposed upgrade take place?

Sounds like identity fraud. Chucked any bills lately, or not received any that were due in the post?

Could also have happened when Vodafone's forgot details bit on their website enabled people to see username, email and mobile number details

Might be worth putting in a DPA Subject access request (SAR) to Vodafone to check what they have on you.

Also might be worth using one of the free credit check sites (remember to cancel).

I agree with what Gadgetman said. Here is more info on it: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/22/vodafone_email_address_giveaway/

Vodafone have not had a UK based call centre since 2006 when they closed their centre in Birmingham, so you'll have to deal with the helpfull Indian.

Strange -never have had anything but a UK call centre on PAYG Vodafone .