mobiles.co.uk passing the data to unsolicited third parties

pedros7

Hi All,

I've just got a new contract with mobiles.co.uk, I think a part of Car Phone Warehouse, and stumped on a problem.

Hidden away, in lengthy pages and/or t&c's they've subscribed me to two separate companies for insurance and gadget support! This was totally unsolicited and I've voiced my worry with them.

They refuse to cancel these and tell me I must do it myself due to data protection! Hum!? they've subsbribed me to these in the first place!
I then emailed them to request a local call or free phone to cancel these as I don't see why I should pay anything to cancel unsolicited services - which so far they've refused to provide!

They said it was an option enforced in my contract to them. Well, not much of an option is it? Option usually means the possibility to opt out. Its mandatory!

Why should anyone be subjected to have a condition such passing your personal data to other unsocilited companies applied to get a product?!
Why should anyone have to call 0870 numbers and the like (where these companies make money on you calling them), to cancel these?! Especially from a mobile number, it amounts to a premium rate charge!
Why should anyone have to spend time, effort to cancel these?!

Do companies nowadays think they can do as they wish and play cat and mouse with customers?

I'm pursuing this as its totally unfair. If they don't comply it will end up souring the very new relationship and with reporting them to oFcom via the ADR scheme and to trading standards!!

I'd like to know of any advice and other people's experiences with such rogue trading!

System

Yeah, when I got my contract with them they signed me up with them for a free month too. It was stated clearly though.

Also, I think 0845 and 0870 numbers are now free on BT (but don't quote me on that!)

Anyway, just ring the two numbers they gave you to cancel (I canceled the day after to make sure I didn't get charged, and it literally took 2 minutes to cancel each) and that should be the end of it. You can also cancel the gadget support via their website once you get the welcome letter (you need the referral number or something), but I canceled over the phone before I got the letter.

Here are the numbers I used to cancel them

TMTI Gadget Support 08704296091
Phonecare Insurance 08701117002

Edit: Looks like 0870 numbers are free on one of their packages, but without it you're just charged as if it was a local call.

OneADay

The practice is standard for main mobile retailers now. Its part of your contract - they will sign up to insurance (usually with first month free) and the gadget helpline thing.

Both can be cancelled by you. Plenty of threads on how to but basically

Insurance - phone the insurance company

TMTI - they (TMTI) are meant to send you your reference and then you can unsubscribe through their web site by entering the reference (or if you prefer phone them and tell them the reference). https://secure.tmti.net/vip/

mobilejunkie

"Looks like 0870 numbers are free on one of their packages, but without it you're just charged as if it was a local call."

National rate actually.

I dislike the way this company ignores it's own t&c regarding cashback contracts and reacts when criticised on this site, but in this instance I have to say that the gadget helpline and insurances are compulsory (sometimes it is possible to opt out at the point of sale but not usually) and is made clear when you place an order. Naturally, it's a con - but you can cancel the insurance via cpw's website (provided you can negotiate your way around the "hidden" menus) and the I've never had to resort to using an 08 number to cancel the gadget helpline. It's standard operating procedure when ordering from most sites (not just cpw clones).

If it's a cashback deal I'd be rather more concerned with making sure you follow all the groudrules and cover yourself every step of the way so you can sue if needbe - especially with this dealer. If the OP wasn't aware of the insurance and gadget helpline cons there's every chance they aren't following the groundrules on a cashback scheme either!

Minxie01

Hi,

If you have their ADR details, please let me know them as when I asked for them (after having been on hold for an hour) they said they didn't have and ADR scheme! When I spoke to Carphone wearhouse they said that they should have, but didn't have the details!

When I bought my phone they said there was a £5 discount on the line rental, making it £25 a month, when I phoned the network, they mentioned that I was on a bonus tarriff which has always been £25, therefore no £5 discount.

I think I have a case of mis-selling, as they made thier deal look better than it was!

Phoning mobiles.co.uk is useless, emails take ages and you get a new case number for every email you send as they obviously don't go over replies to their replies because they never reply. Apparently supervisor replies take 72 hours to respond to, although I've never witnessed this, as everytime I've sent an email to them, I've had to wait 30-60 mins on hold to them to get the supervisor to look at it and respond to it!

I eventually got a responce from a supervisor to say that if I'd gone with the network directly then the line rental would have been £30, (admittedly you can get the same, but you can change the bolt-on if I'd gone with them directly, with the tariff I got from mobiles.co.uk, you can't change the bolt-on hence the reason it's £25 and not £30 with a £5 discount! Its a different tariff!).

Feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall! Yes, I've used the SIM card but at the time I didn't know they'd given me a different tariff to the one I thought I was signing up too!! And I'm prepard to pay for the calls and text's I've made!!! All I want is either the £5 discount a month they offered, or to cancel the contract!:eek:

Guys_Dad

Try Saynoto0870.com

The first company TMTI Gadget Support 08704296091 comes up as 0800 0493049, the second as 0800 0494000

So the longer they take to answer the phone, the more it costs them

Quentin

Minxie01 wrote: »

If you have their ADR details, please let me know them as when I asked for them (after having been on hold for an hour) they said they didn't have and ADR scheme!

They were correct in telling you they don't have an ADR scheme.

They (mobiles.co.uk) don't.

If you feel you have been missold, this is Ofcom's advice:

If the contract is sold through an independent retailer, the customer should first contact the retailer in question. If the customer and the retailer cannot resolve the dispute, the customer should contact their mobile service provider and ask the mobile service provider to look into the dispute. If no solution can be found, the customer can contact Ofcom. Ofcom, would, based on complaints information, decide to investigate a mobile service provider’s compliance with the General Condition.

Alternatively, see if your local TS will take up your case.

cwh0716

Hi, Minxie01

The same problem to me for their discount. I rang Comsumer Direct to complain this mis-selling. They promised me of further investigation and call me back when there is result. I think you can also rang them for the complains. The complain number of consumer direct 0845 4040506, there is no long waiting time.

Minxie01 wrote: »

Hi,

If you have their ADR details, please let me know them as when I asked for them (after having been on hold for an hour) they said they didn't have and ADR scheme! When I spoke to Carphone wearhouse they said that they should have, but didn't have the details!

When I bought my phone they said there was a £5 discount on the line rental, making it £25 a month, when I phoned the network, they mentioned that I was on a bonus tarriff which has always been £25, therefore no £5 discount.

I think I have a case of mis-selling, as they made thier deal look better than it was!

Phoning mobiles.co.uk is useless, emails take ages and you get a new case number for every email you send as they obviously don't go over replies to their replies because they never reply. Apparently supervisor replies take 72 hours to respond to, although I've never witnessed this, as everytime I've sent an email to them, I've had to wait 30-60 mins on hold to them to get the supervisor to look at it and respond to it!

I eventually got a responce from a supervisor to say that if I'd gone with the network directly then the line rental would have been £30, (admittedly you can get the same, but you can change the bolt-on if I'd gone with them directly, with the tariff I got from mobiles.co.uk, you can't change the bolt-on hence the reason it's £25 and not £30 with a £5 discount! Its a different tariff!).

Feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall! Yes, I've used the SIM card but at the time I didn't know they'd given me a different tariff to the one I thought I was signing up too!! And I'm prepard to pay for the calls and text's I've made!!! All I want is either the £5 discount a month they offered, or to cancel the contract!:eek:

Chris___2

Minxie01 wrote: »

Feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall! Yes, I've used the SIM card but at the time I didn't know they'd given me a different tariff to the one I thought I was signing up too!!

You're certainly not the only one, ive lost count of how many times ive had to repeat the same questions over and over again, and i'm still yet to receive a satisfactory response!

Make sure you keep copies of all correspondance, if you make phone calls id suggest you keep a copy of the date/time and a note of what was said in the call.....

Ive been trying to get my problem resolved with mobiles.co.uk for over a month now, and have not got anywhere at all.

Im now putting together complete details of every single email and phonecall for trading standards to review

keith1950

Hi, it is quite clear when signing up to a contract that these 2 items are included. It is one of the few things where you can just cancel the direct debits for them and it won't affect your credit files. The last 4 contracts I have taken out have all had this included, however I cancel the direct debits as soon as they appear and don't leave so that I get the 3 months free insurance or whatever.