MSE News: Bogus mobile top-ups could spell greate...

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Post written Tuesday 30 June 2009

What's it about?

Large numbers of MoneySavers have reported spotting erroneous amounts taken from their credit cards or bank accounts by mobile phone companies for top-ups on phones they haven't made and in some cases for phones they don't even own.

We've spoken to the press offices of o2 and Orange, the operators most people have reported as having taken amounts from their accounts. Both have given us statements.

The o2 and Orange press offices have given us the following statements:

o2

We take fraud prevention and security very seriously as an organisation and adhere to all the security measures and authentication measures operated by the banks. O2 only accepts payment where the security information and user’s name and address have been verified.

Anyone who thinks they have been wrongly charged by O2 for pay and go top up should contact O2. Our Fraud department will take steps to help them identify the possible reasons for the top up and, if it proves to be fraudulent, they will ensure that the fraudulent handset cannot be used. We would also advise them to contact their bank if they have not already done so.

Orange

If a customer believes that unauthorised payments have been made from their bank account to Orange, we recommend that they should notify both Orange and their card issuer immediately. This will help us to investigate each case straight away, and where necessary to prevent any potential fraudulent activity.

Orange takes a proactive approach to fraud prevention and has a dedicated fraud department responsible for ensuring that the business, our customers and the public are protected from fraudulent activity on the Orange network. Orange has a number of controls in place for card payments (including Verified by Visa, MasterCard Secure code, CSC/AVS validation and Chip and Pin) and continues to work with the banking industry and card schemes in order to maximise security and validation on card transactions.


I've found one of these, what do I do?

1. Contact your credit card provider or bank straight away

Often these are "tests" by criminals checking to see if the card is live. If they find it is it could be a pre-cursor to much larger sums being taken so if you spot one contact your company/bank immediately and let them know it's not a top-up you've made.

2. Call the mobile operators

Call the relevant mobile operator and ask to speak to its fraud department.

o2: 08705 678 678

Orange: 07973 100 150



Many thanks to sazziecee for originally spotting this offer. This post has been inserted into the top of the original thread to provide a researched and detailed explanation.

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[sazziecee]

Hello

Just got my bank statement and apparently on 13/8 I spent £30 on an O2 phone top up, only thing is, I don't have an O2 phone or even any other sort of prepay phone so I can't work out what is going on. I am on 3, with a contract.

I am going to phone my bank soon but just wondered if this definitely is a top-up I have been billed for, so I don't look stupid if it's for something else.

Card Purchase -£30.00 £401.03 O2(UK)LTD PREPAY REF 2xx 710962xx08 BCC

Any help appreciated, especially if anyone actually does do O2 top ups.

Sarah

[Thomsk]

I had exactly the same thing on my credit card back in June. £30, with the description O2(UK)Ltd Prepay Slough. I reported it to the bank's fraud department and they credited my account. Had to change the card number, understandably. Maybe it's a common thing - small enough that a lot of people wouldn't notice it, but do call your bank and report it.

Thomsk

[sazziecee]

thanks am on phone to barclays as I type, I have been put on hold.......

[sillyvixen]

i had this on my credit card a few months ago with vodaphone top ups. the credit card company phoned me about 6 transactions that had gone through in an hour.

they refunded the money to the account and stopped the card. i had to claim for a further 5 transactions that were pending at the the time the card being cancelled. took a bit of times to get the forms etc but it all worked out in the end.

[sazziecee]

Am off the phone now, they are sending me some forms so they can investigate it on my behalf, and are also sending me a new card out.

Off out tonight for a family meal so gonna have to go to town to get cash out over the counter which is a pain, but at least I don't have any more cheeky beggars topping up their mobile using MY money.

Anyone have any idea how it happens? My card never leaves my bag and I only use it at supermarkets and to pay online bills for catalogues etc. Although I have used it at petrol station "pay at pumps"

grrrr some people! am just glad I am having a "tight" month and so checked every transaction this month

[HamiltonL]

They could well have got it from the machines at the pumps, or even skimmed your card at a cash machine. Petrol pump card machines seem to be cited as a source for fraud so be careful.

02 Slough is a common one, as is 3-Maidenhead - both places in Berkshire. Coincidence?

[Richard019]

Originally Posted by HamiltonL

They could well have got it from the machines at the pumps, or even skimmed your card at a cash machine. Petrol pump card machines seem to be cited as a source for fraud so be careful.

02 Slough is a common one, as is 3-Maidenhead - both places in Berkshire. Coincidence?

Is that where their top ups departments are based? (4 ways to top up?: voucher from paypoint, cash points, online, phone)

Maybe not so much a coincidence as it is a close proximity for similar projects in the same industry, like silicon valley for computer stuff.

[Visionxl]

Hello all. Just to record I have also been scammed by this 02(UK)LTD PREPAY scam on my credit card this month. The transaction, made in the UK ( the £30 mobile phone top up ) occured while I was in France so it alerted my attention immediately I scanned my statement. How they got my details is difficult to say but I have stopped the card and a replacement is on its way.

[patmore]

I have just found 2 on my statement within 2 days of each other but these were to orange then a number - Dont have orange and phoned my bank as I had heard about the O2 ones from this site and a friend who had experienced the same thing. So watch out for the orange one - £30 each transaction.

[ShelfStacker]

Originally Posted by HamiltonL

02 Slough is a common one, as is 3-Maidenhead - both places in Berkshire. Coincidence?

Sadly, yes. O2 is based in Slough. No idea about Three.

[lyverbyrd]

This is a fairly common scam unfortunately, have also fallen foul of this one, and one to Mega Bus...looks like test transactions before they try the big ones. Just shows how carefully we have to check our statements these days.

[Sam G]

With regards to O2 topups, if you topup by phone or on their website you need to provide the address details of where the credit/debit card is registered before it will go through, so it looks like someone somewhere may have access to more than just your card numbers...

[ginnym]

This has happened to me a year ago on my MBNA credit card. It was cancelled, the charges refunded and a new card issued. It's now happened again exactly a year later on the new card. When I rang MBNA today to report it - the guy said straight away "is it the 02 payment" so they're obviously getting lots of them. I don't know where these people are getting my details from but at least MBNA are good at dealing with it.

[lufcgirl]

Originally Posted by ShelfStacker

Sadly, yes. O2 is based in Slough. No idea about Three.

Three is based in Maidenhead...HTH

[gemmalouanna]

Boyfriend just checked his bank statement and noticed the exact same thing

Slough Debit Card - O2(Uk)ltd Prepay £30

He is now really worried about how they have got details!

Does he just phone his bank or contact O2 also?

Thanks - glad we checked!

[olly300]

If you are worried that a mobile company has your details then you need to use the Data Protection Act to find out what records they hold on you. Have a look on the Information Commissioners website on how to do it. http://www.ico.gov.uk/

As you are not a customer of the mobile company concerned all they will do if you contact them is pass you around the company. (I've had this pleasure as a customer with 2 companies and believe me sending the a Data Subject Request sorts the issue out with much less pain.)

All the Head Office details do is give you the information on what the card was used for. As far as the phone companies are concerned these where legit transactions as you don't even need to speak to a human to do top-ups.

[gemmalouanna]

Boyfriend has spoken to his bank and his card is cancelled, fraud dept are getting back to him to further discuss it.

Rang O2 also and need to speak to their fraud dept on Mon and they say they can trace who topped up and cut off their phone.

Just want him to get his £30 back in the end.

[Penny Rich]

I had this a year ago, with T-mobile top ups. I'm not with T-mobile, and i have a contract phone. Little so and so's caned my credit card for about £4,000 of goods over 3 days, but luckily my card company were on to it quickly and got it sorted out. Ive no idea how it was done, as i am really really careful about card security.

[hethmar]

I had a mobile phone bought from O2 last year, the same people attempted to buy a camera from another site but my bank stopped them. They said that O2 is a well known company for getting cards scammed by. Apparently they dont ask any security questions. So why the hell dont the banks fine them for allowing this to happen?

This year my bank stopped my card when they saw £1.52 i-tune debited - again another company that apparently rings alarm bells. This was the tester amount.

I never use my credit card outside the house - only ever used it to purchase on the net and then only reputable companies like M and S and so on. The fraud department of my bank said that often employees will steal the card details and sell it on to dodgey mates. It does make you feel so sick though doesnt it - particularly when the police never seem to follow these thefts up.