MSE News: Bogus mobile top-ups could spell greater fraud danger

KevinR

IIRC Virgin require the card to be in the same name as the registered owner and/or have the same address. Certainly they had a system (even years ago) that disliked it if one card became associated with multiple accounts. I had mine + 2 children's phones linked to mine and always had to give extra info to associate 3 phones with one card. I think they did something with IMEIs vs Card too as after a warranty replacement (same sim) topups got tricky again until I discussed it with them.

It even interfered with a partially successful scam setup as discussed in the thread.

Conversely O2 let you type in any card details and any phone number. Its madness. I've even just worried about typo's updating the wrong phone!

KevinR

The O2 online topup requires no validation or association with the phone number/account. Thus scammers can use any card details they just need the front data plus the cv2 number. It always shows as SLOUGH cos that's where O2 nominally. process their online transactions!

hethmar

I hope everyone is still adding their complaints to Watchdog ?? O2 may not be responsible for fiddling cards but they are responsible for allowing this to go unchecked.

Oh, do tell us where you work Thrillo???? Is it somewhere a lot of us are likely to come into contact with?

gemmalouanna

hethmar wrote: »

I hope everyone is still adding their complaints to Watchdog ?? O2 may not be responsible for fiddling cards but they are responsible for allowing this to go unchecked.

Yes do keep up the Watchdog reporting!

Do you think it is worth contacting O2 with this thread also as they don't seem that bothered by individuals but with so many on here and the mention of Watchdog????

sugarmuffin

Hi everyone, just been scammed myself - £30.00 has gone through last night at 7.53 pm, making me overdrawn by £28.00! Abbey have said they are charging me £60.00 in overdraft charges even though I've said it's fraud (hope I can get this back!) They are investigating. Now I've got to wait 10 days for a new card - how irritating! :mad:

Mobile_Monkey

I got hit with this little scam a few weeks back. Three £30 O2 top ups then £850 worth of O2 PAYG mobile phones a few hours later. They also tried to order £1500 worth of stuff from Tesco but got rejected for that! The account they used is one I only pay bills with (direct debit) and have only ever used it ONCE online with amazon 3 weeks ago.

In order for me to start the process of getting my money back nationwide made me phone O2 and confirm with them it wasn't me who ordered the stuff :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

I also love it how O2 are more than happy to send £850 worth of PAYG phones to an address other than the credit card holders address

lyla

Hi,
I too had £30 taken out this week for 02 prepay from my egg card. Luckily i saw it before they had a chance to take out anymore. When we rang egg the advisor said 'thats a coincidence, ive just been speaking to another person who this has happened to'. :mad:

Gawfie

Add me to the list who have been done by the o2 £30 (2 x £15) scam. Just phoned up Alliance & Leicester who have cancelled my card and put the details through to the fraud department. I should be receiving forms to fill in the next few days which hopefully should see me get my money back.

I can't believe o2 aren't doing anything to try and prevent this seeing how common it is.

Geoffo_M

Gawfie wrote: »

I can't believe o2 aren't doing anything to try and prevent this seeing how common it is.

I don't understand this either. I think that now these crimes are not reported to the police, and it's left to the banks to sort out, there is no incentive on O2 to improve their security. After all, as it stands, they stand to win as they attract fraudsters to "acquire" their products.

dzug1

Geoffo_M wrote: »

I don't understand this either. I think that now these crimes are not reported to the police, and it's left to the banks to sort out, there is no incentive on O2 to improve their security. After all, as it stands, they stand to win as they attract fraudsters to "acquire" their products.

They do lose when the transaction is reversed. Possibly sometimes in time to cancel the credit, but I doubt it very often.