Help! Mobile stolen and used

aremdee · 23 April 2008 at 1:17PM

On a recent holiday abroad my partner lost her mobile. She believed it misplaced but on our return she received a bill for £543 - It had been found and used. Yes, we KNOW it should have been blocked as soon as we suspected it lost, and were foolish not to. The phone was not insured. Provider is 3 and are demanding payment despite our pleas. Is there anything we can do?

Quentin · 23 April 2008 at 1:38PM

You could appeal to them that you cannot pay this sum and can you be allowed a payment plan, paying them back "on the drip".

nellytheelephant · 23 April 2008 at 1:39PM

Ouch, that's not good.

I don't think there's anything you can do as you are responsible for any calls from when it was stolen up until when the service is suspended. The service providers can waive the charges, but if they say they won't I think you're pretty stuffed

You could just try asking them again? x

aremdee · 23 April 2008 at 2:00PM

I originally attempted the 'aren't you are able to notice when usage far exceeds usual monthly account (£15) and shouldn't providers at least send a message to check all is ok?' approach, to no avail. Now of course I have tried the 'goodwill gesture'/'will switch provider out out of principal' route.
It seems unfair in that a store manager isn't made to pay for items stolen out of his outlet. They simply pass these costs onto us, the innocent consumer I presume.

Quentin · 23 April 2008 at 2:03PM

Why do you say an employee should pay for goods when a thief has stolen them?

(And how does it compare with your situation?)

aremdee · 23 April 2008 at 2:12PM

I'm not saying they should, of course, but as a customer of 3 I have been stolen from (through our own stupid fault I know) and being made to pay for the theft. Its not a good analogy I agree in that I'm not an employee of 3.
I hope that a company making as many millions in profit as 3 can find their way to showing a little customer loyalty - ooh, they were 'terribly' sympathetic.
The lesson's been learnt, and I wont make the same mistake again - but it wont be with 3 that's for sure.

reehsetin · 23 April 2008 at 2:15PM

i very much doubt ANY network would write off a bill which you freely admit is your mistake,

nellytheelephant · 23 April 2008 at 2:17PM

aremdee wrote: »

I'm not saying they should, of course, but as a customer of 3 I have been stolen from (through our own stupid fault I know) and being made to pay for the theft. Its not a good analogy I agree in that I'm not an employee of 3.
I hope that a company making as many millions in profit as 3 can find their way to showing a little customer loyalty - ooh, they were 'terribly' sympathetic.
The lesson's been learnt, and I wont make the same mistake again - but it wont be with 3 that's for sure.

You were stolen from as an individual, not as a 3 customer

This is one of the reasons I always make sure I'm insured, I'd hate to cancel it and have something like this happen!

Most of the other companies would work in the same way - they're not to know if you're trying it on.

aremdee · 23 April 2008 at 2:22PM

Citizens Advice Bureau suggested that they (3) could well come to some sort of 'compromise'. There are apparently precedents whereby a bill has been halved for instance, but that took the threat of court action and the bill was for over a thousand.

aremdee · 23 April 2008 at 2:30PM

The calls were all to Mexican numbers, and they were able to tell me that attempts were made to use the phone after I had had it blocked. Safe bet it wasn't us. Thank you anyway, I shall always make certain I'm insured in future.

Quentin · 23 April 2008 at 2:36PM

How could you threaten them with court action?

Whatever advice the CAB have given you, this doesn't make sense.

If anyone is taken to court over this it will be you!

Help! Mobile stolen and used

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