Stolen mobile

Bella13_2

??? ??? ??? ???
First time post onto a chat forum ever, so please bear with me!! I ndirectly this is money saving - but probably not in the usual sense, but I am hoping someone might be able to help me please!?!

I had a mobile phone stolen from my house whilst I was away on holiday. As soon as I returned, I reported it to service provider (Singlepoint/Vodafone). At that point, they couldn't tell me if it had been used.

Received bill yesterday for the calls the little so and so made - £123.94!! Apparently I am liable for this, but obviously I am reluctant to pay it. I am "lucky" in that I had free minutes on the phone, so I suppose it could have been worse! Still have direct debit set up, and wondering whether to cancel it so they cannot take the money from my account.

If anyone can give me any hints or tips for dealing with Vodafone/Singlepoint (who are adamant I have to pay), I would appreciate it please! (It would then save me £123!!)

Singlepoint/Vodafone have said I should claim on my house insurance (didn't have mobile insurance). As they only broke in to take the keys to my car (and my mobile), I wasn't going to claim on contents insurance, so that isn't really an option.

Thanks ??? ???

drahcir_2

did you tell them it was stolen before the calls were made? can you check the times and dates from the bill (never seen a single point bill so i dont know)
house insurance would prob be the best bet to replace phone though
would have to weigh up the increase in premiums compared to the cosrt of new phone

Russ66

Where did you go on holiday. ???

If you were abroad perhaps you could prove that you did not use the phone, also check your holiday insurance to see if they cover personal loss during the period you were insured. :-/

You never know.

Did they manage to nick your car ???
If so you could say your phone was in the glovebox or something. :-X

Bella13_2

Thanks for your replies. We went to Egypt - Sharm El Sheikh - on holiday lovely place, Egyptians extremely friendly.

Phone was used whilst I was still away (we did not know we had been broken into till we got home), so before I reported it, which is why I am liable, apparently. It isn't the cost of replacing the phone particularly, but the cost of the calls they have run up in just four days.

However, I have got fully itemised bill (which I thought the police might find interesting, but apparently not), so might try route that I wasn't here. Egypt quite keen on stamping passports and filling in dates, so think I can easily prove I wasn't here.

Good point about holiday insurance - was debating whether to shred my policy document cos was single trip policy. Luckily I didn't so will check that.

Yes, they also got the car, but we were "lucky" that is all they took. They could have trashed the house and taken all TVs etc just before Christmas.

Only just found out calls have been made, even though reported stolen on 21st Dec! Have already said it was taken from house, so couldn't say was in glove compartment (good idea though!) I would still be liable, until I reported it stolen, according to Vodafone/Singlepoint. Think this is pretty standard for all phone companies.

derrick

However, I have got fully itemised bill (which I thought the police might find interesting, but apparently not)  

No surprise there then

gk172

What about citezens advice? If you have proof you wernt in the country see what they say, they might even buck your local police up a bit if they do look into it further.

Steve_xx

Your holiday insurance probably won't cover it. You would have to have reported it as missing in Eqypt and then gone to police in Egypt and got a crime report etc.

It is normal for you to be liable for all calls until the loss is reported to the network. It won't hold any weight for you to prove you were away and so couldn't inform them. They'll say that you should have protected the SIM by putting a PIN code on it.

However, it is a peculiar situation that you find yourself in, and of course you could not have let them know sooner since you were away. You need a sympathetic ear with your service provider. It's bad enough to have your house broken into. But to have to pay for phone calls that clearly were not yours is a bit much. I suggest that you write to their customer services, explaining the situation and asking them if they will waive the charges as a act of goodwill. You may find that they will do this, or, they may offer some reduction.

PTLD

.....to their customer services, explaining the situation and asking them if they will waive the charges as a act of goodwill. You may find that they will do this, or, they may offer some reduction.

huh? Steve..babe... get a grip on y'self! This is the UK in 2005!!

fat chance of a reduction.....Anyway you'll be speaking to a call centre in Mumbai so what will they care!