Mobile Phone Insurance Scam (again) - Be warned

MightyOlympus

Similar story here, got my iPhone in Oct 2009, got contacted the next day by eBell UK, offering insurance. Jumped at the offer, since they seemed legitimate, knowing so many details.
To cut a long story short, when I received the policy letter a few days later, I sent them a letter by signed-for delivery, requesting a cancellation and refund. Surprisingly, there was a cheque in my mail a few days later! Deposited it, and the money's in my account now.
So for those who want their money back, you can try what I did.
Good luck.

DarkConvict

I had offer of insurance aswell 20 months ago, but it didn't make sense as the price per month didn't match what i was told when taking out the contract, it turned out to be the same things as above. As soon as you take out a new phone contract these companies get your number and offer dodgy insurance.
I never took it out and reported their number to dialaphone, dialacover and vodafone, because one of those 3 gave my number out!

pullu

Hi all PLEASE PLEASE be warned I too have just been scammed by E Bell UK Ltd - although at the time they didn't even have the decency to say it was them and claimed they were calling from Carphonewarehouse - so they must have changed tactic. I have not received any policy in the post, and have filed a complaint with Trading Standards and a Fraud investigation with my Bank. Like the posting above here is the villains number - called 2 days after purchase of my phone -
07907087011
I'm also mad that Carphonewarehouse - as surely they should warn their customers beforehand when purchasing the phone - rather than sighing after the fact, which is what I was met with.... "oh yes.... we know.... those guys...

Anyway, lets hope that these guys get what they deserve. I am waiting to hear the outcome from my bank. If nothing happens, I'll be calling them up myself to give them an earfull!!!

To top it all - this happened on my birthday. GRRRRRRR I AM LIVID

DarkConvict

Has your bank recommend contacting the police as it could be seen as taking money by deception.

andi320

Have been called up as well. The person a Steven Jones called from 07907 087417. Have made a complaint about the company as well.

dolphinstwins

Thank you very much for the warning - will keep my ears out having just purchased a new contract via CPW subsidary company

I was kinda scammed by a company V early last year claiming to be from T-mobile, offering me a new contract etc as my prev contract had ended .. it was for an upgrade (which ended up being a slightly newer version of the phone I already had) I was caught offguard totally as usually I tell them to naff off and never give my details over the phone (Poor HSBC fraud squad had a hard time the other week convicing me they were legit!)
So I end up having a £25 non refundable deposit taken from my acct, and yes I did get a new phone which I sent back as their T's & C's were totally out of order.
Never got my £25quid back but at least I didn't end up with a contract where I didn't even get a signal! lol

fionabernardis

I bought an iPhone last Sunday from Carphone Warehouse. and on the following Wednesday I was called by someone called Martin Williams who had a very strong Welsh accent that he was phoning to offer me a better deal on my insurance cover. (He inferred initially he was affiliated to O2/Carphone Warehouse). However, he asked questions re my address, etc that I felt he should have if he was bonafide. When challenged about this, he said he was from a company call eBell and had obtained my number from O2 datalists. Sounds very similar to bogus reports on this site. Please beware.

mathewsalmon1987

I've had the same problem someone rang me claiming to be a company linked to O2 offering me my insurance half price for 10 months 3 days later a company called e bell uk ltd had taken £60 out of my account.... today i received a letter with there details so i rang them and now im having the money refunded within 5-7 days so i'll put there phone number here to help those who have not sorted it yet.

tel: 0844 335 0424

they also have a email not sure if its valid but i'll add it anyway

Email: admin@ebelluk.com

hope that helps anyone who's in trouble.

gogo97

I took out a policy last May with E Bell UK and paid £105 over two months for an 18 month warranty. Haven't claimed and the policy has just been sitting with the rest of my insurance stuff. Two weeks ago I received a telephone call from a Withheld number on my mobile whilst I was at work. They said it was E Bell and that my policy was due to expire at the end of this month and would I like to renew it. (Stupidly) not remembering that I'd taken out an 18 month policy I said yes, they quoted my bank details to me and said they'd take the first £50 out on 26th of March and then a further £40 out the month after (said my insurance price had gone down as I'd not claimed). I went home and checked my policy, found that it didn't run out until November 2010 so rang E Bell. They assured me in two phone calls (I phoned back later on the same day just to clarify the position) that the money would not be taken out of my account. Low and behold on 26 March they took £50 out. I rang at 9am on Saturday 27 March and was told that a cheque would be sent out to me because they couldn't pay the money back into my account direct! Still not having received the cheque today (1 April) I rang E Bell and spoke to the Accounts Dept who advised me that a cheque had been sent out by 2nd class post (because that was their policy) on 26 March. I disputed this and said that I'd not received it today, there was no post tomorrow and even if I got it on Sat it wouldn't clear until maybe next Friday. His answer was that he could cancel the cheque and pay it direct into my bank but that would take 5 days too.
I'm so angry with this company. It seems I can't do anything apart from wait until I get the cheque and then pay it in. In the meantime I'm £50 down in my account and E Bell UK are getting away with it. The most I could say was that I wouldn't be renewing my policy with them in November!!! What do they care, they've already had £105 out of me for a phone that's not even worth that now!

MissKeith

A family friend of mine got duped by Ebell. He'd took his iPhone on O2 through CPW. Only odd thing is, he'd done a number port from Orange and they'd called him on his ported number, not the temporary one he'd got from Carphone. He was warned about them in store but he didn't realise they'd call him on his old number so assumed it was legit. CPW never had his ported number so the info couldn't have come from them. It's all very fishy really, I know he's taking it further but I'm not sure how much luck he's having.