Mobiles.co.uk help please.. no phone...

dolphinstwins

Hi all.
Despite doing research for the 'best' mobile phone package via Omio I have have potentially fallen prey to Mobiles.co.uk
I 'processed' my request on Sunday evening, with the belief that I'd likely get my phone Tuesday (or latest Wed) as it does categorically state 'Next day delivery'
So the usual process, enter card details to verify identity details, ooh CC didn't work, try DC - goes through, confirmation mail a few minutes later to advise my order has been placed. (no payment due as ordering contract)

Thus the nightmare begins
15mins later I get a call from my banks fraud squad (genuine call - I double checked) advising my CC details appear to have been captured illegally whilst on mobiles.co.uk, My bank cancelled my cards and issued me new ones - Oh Great!

I send a mail straight away highlighting my security concerns - So far No responce (not that I should be surprised now I've read everyone elses comments here)
I send another mail on Monday when no update to my order is visible - just to check it had gone through (due to my card issue) - Again - No responce.
I Try to call - No answer as it has an automated message stating that due to heavy snow they're closed and will be open tomorrow - wonderfully vague and I've gotten the same message the last 3 days! lol

Now don't get me wrong I appreciate the snow has b***ered a good portion of the UK up - but surely a business continuity plan would've kicked in placing both a message on the site and a mail to all registered people / those with 'pending requests' that due to snow everyone is skiving so stuff's delayed till we can be bothered to come back in. (sorry - I'm annoyed)
I'm amazed that some people have managed to get through to mobiles.co.uk - as per some other recent posts as its now Thursday evening, I've not heard / received a peep and I've been unable to contact them via phone

Number for those interested is lurking on the site - but you have to search super hard for it: 01923 804444. (open 09:10 - 17:15)

My dilemma is:
- I've no idea whether my request is / has been processed but the phone not sent, or declined (& if so for what reason)
- Do I risk finding the same phone & similar deal elsewhere go with that and then attempt to cancel with Mobiles.co.uk?
- Potentially I could be running the risk that if they have done something and I've not got the phone time is ticking to cancel a contract I don't know I have! - especially is they are famed for not aknowledging contact in this area (all this I found out after I placed the order!)
- Should I wait for confirmation mails and then cancel?
- Or bite the bullet - stop whinging and wait for the phone with the hope I never have to contact them again, ever.

I need a new phone - but already I'm suffering aggro - or am I just being impatient and unsympathetic to a snowed in company?
Would contacting their parent company CPW to find out what's going on be of any good?
Should I complain to offcom / trading standards anyway?

Your thoughts most welcome as I'm stuck as what to do

dolphinstwins

Oh - sorry - something I fogot to add. (as if I didn't put enough)
Most strangely since signing up with mobiles.co.uk & having my CC apparantly scammed I've suddenly started to receive a significant amount of spam mail - more interestingly asking if I want a new Credit card.
I'd appreciate a response from the rep on this one if is he's around as I'm considering lodging a complaint with Offcom on sharing my data for that one!

OneADay

If the phone turns up, you have 14 days to send it back if you are not happy.

Given the new year and weather, I think some patience is required but if you do not feel comfortable with them, simply do not open the package when it arrives and arrange a return (which will no doubt be more hassle given their returns process is as good as their customer service it seems). 14 days to return.

The intial issue with credit card and debit card - it happens. Many retailers (not just mobile ones) can reject a card which their system cannot process. Automatic alert goes to the bank and then you end up getting delayed by the bank phoning you to confirm something untoward has not gone on. I have had it happen at least 2 times when I was entering and re-entering information (3rd time and alarm went - turned out the card was not being accepted by the retailer).

I would imagine most retailers have backlog of orders - some are better though at keeping people updated than others.

OneADay

I doubt the spam you receive has anything to do with mobiles.co.uk - as per other reply, the alarm bells ring when you do 3 failed attempts to purchase something. Spam via emails can be any number of sources.

dolphinstwins

Thanks - for quick replies so far
However I only input my card details and pressed enter once - my bank declined the transaction - quite how they managed to decline it in the time it took me to complete the rest of the form and press enter I don't know - although I did try and grill them about it - apparantly I wasn't the only one effected that evening!
My thoughts were there was a glich in the system which tried to process it more than once - ergo your above point.
My Debit details went through fine - which was my second attempt.

As for the returns I'm glad you've mentioned I have the time to return based on when I received the phone (makes sense I guess) as opposed to when they've processed or sent the order out.

OneADay

There are many threads and people on here with experience of the returns process for mobiles.co.uk.

Just be careful that if you want to return it -

A. Do not use the phone although it should make no difference but it does apparently to mobiles.co.uk
B. Return it quick (getting in touch with them to arrange return is tricky, some suggest just return the phone, I prefer to make contact early, arrange it and do it quick.

Could be a glitch in the banking systems - Halifax/Barclays were down a few days ago (on same day). It can happen when people are not arround to sit there all day, drink coffee and press a few buttons (cynic who me?). Oh and you might have a fancy card or two - some systems only work to visa etc.

If you are concerned about security, its up to you to routinely change your security details (once every 6 months I would say is enough).

Silk

dolphinstwins wrote: »

Hi all.
Despite doing research for the 'best' mobile phone package via Omio I have have potentially fallen prey to Mobiles.co.uk

Hi Dolphin,
Welcome to the forum and hard luck !

Originally Posted by dolphinstwins
Your thoughts most welcome as I'm stuck as what to do

I would imagine if you've read some of the threads on here regarding this outfit you probably realise by now what you should do ....cancel and purchase from a decent company.

It's interesting that there have been security issues relating to mobiles.co.uk in recent weeks and there is obviously something going on
for example this post here ....
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091228225648AAHG1ec

Or this one (and I note Ben has replied to this on XDA) ...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=5150785

DarkConvict

Silk wrote: »

It's interesting that there have been security issues relating to mobiles.co.uk in recent weeks and there is obviously something going on
for example this post here ....
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091228225648AAHG1ec

I support alot of what silk says but thats hardly a creditable source But the custom tax makes perfect sense for any scam.

As to your problem, from the point or order until 7 days after recieveing the phone you are covered by DSR to cancel the contract for a full refund. If you are not happy inform both mobiles.co.uk and the operator your meant to be with you are cancelling under DSR as the phone has not yet arrived.

Silk

DarkConvict wrote: »

I support alot of what silk says but thats hardly a creditable source But the custom tax makes perfect sense for any scam.

Hi DC,
Happy New Year,

Maybe so ??? but it's one that mobiles.co.uk also participate on

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Apok_zldTdn3itbVc7Uy60kjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20090522020133AAcWePY

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

JackB also pretends to be a satisfied customer on there too such as
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqbucVL8aGPhVRO7Vii7MlYjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20090719060546AAbIySO

It's a lark isn't it !!!

Theres lots of posts relating to them such as passing details on such as this post the other day here ....
http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/07875162963

Mobiles.co.uk_company_representative

Silk;

Your misguided and uninformed crusade against us continues, I see. Scammers use our pages to try and give credibility to their scams - we don't supply iPhones internationally for $300, don't require payment via Western Union and don't sell abroad. We're addressing it on the site as much as we can with warnings about buying goods offered this way but we can't help people linking to our site and saying they're us. Your "whocallsme" link relates to a well-known Swansea company that has harassed CPW customers for years using "number ranging" to approach recent connections; http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=314351 - again nothing to do with us.

OP - please drop me a line at (email) ben at mobiles and I shall see what has happened here. Please be assured 1) your credit and debit card details are 100% safe with us (unlike most retailers we're 100% PCI compliant, meaning we adhere to the strictest possible security safeguards) and 2) your email address and other details entered on our site aren't used for any purpose other than order processing and are never shared outside the business.

As you can appreciate we are experiencing severe staffing issues coupled with delivery problems thanks to the weather, but orders are being processed as fast as possible and you should be being kept updated via email - did you receive even the initial confirmation email?

Thanks,

Silk

Mobiles.co.uk_company_representative wrote: »

Silk;

Your misguided and uninformed crusade against us continues, I see. Scammers use our pages to try and give credibility to their scams - we don't supply iPhones internationally for $300, don't require payment via Western Union and don't sell abroad. We're addressing it on the site as much as we can with warnings about buying goods offered this way but we can't help people linking to our site and saying they're us. Your "whocallsme" link relates to a well-known Swansea company that has harassed CPW customers for years using "number ranging" to approach recent connections; http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=314351 - again nothing to do with us.

Welcome back Ben ....I see you were in the other day but chose not to post

What gives you the idea that I'm misguided and uninformed ???????
I've had dealings with your company and have also been following most of the threads on here regarding all the problems with mobiles.co.uk.

Glad to see things are getting back to normal now :rotfl: