£300+ call charges from orange!!

bally1208 · 9 February 2010 at 4:35PM

Hi
I would greatly appreciate if anybody can offer me some advice...I have a mobile phone conneted on the orange network. Around november i began calling a international destination using a calling card. After a few weeks i was concerned i may incour some sort of charges from orange so i called them to clarify..I explained i had been using a calling card for the last couple of weeks..The call operator checked my account and advised everyhting was fine no charges incoured and i was ok to carry on using the calling card....Now my phone as been disconeted ..I called orange who explained i had incoured charges of over £300. I expalined i was using a calling card and i had already been told by them that i was fine to do so...They then told me that actualy orange have been charging for using calling cards since 2007! when i asked to check the records for the phone call i made where i was advised by them that i would not incour charges they just stated they can not find any such call. And that anyway it is written in my contract so i have no choice but to pay....

surley there must be some law or something against call operatives miss-leading or giving false information to customers?? as i was only going of the information provided by them ....would appreciate any thoughts on this

vicshippers · 9 February 2010 at 4:38PM

As you can't prove that they gave you incorrect information, and that the info is stated in your contract - I'm afraid there is nothing you can do.

fluffnutter · 9 February 2010 at 4:48PM

Ask them again to try to locate the call recording. Did you call them from your mobile? I assume you have itemised bills. If so, then try to locate the call yourself so that you can at least give them the date and time of the call. Did they tell you straight away that they can't find the call, or come back to you after a period of investigation?

If you've been misled, then they should refund your charges. I'd pursue it a bit further - and in writing.

Hintza · 9 February 2010 at 4:52PM

fluffnutter wrote: »

Ask them again to try to locate the call recording.

Have you ever tried to track down a call. I have and that was on a line wit only about 5 recorded nubers...........took me for ever.

OP if it isn't in writing you have nothing unfortunately.

fluffnutter · 9 February 2010 at 4:59PM

I see cases like this in the consumer advice columns in the weekend papers all the time where people have been misinformed over the phone. Invariably they end in success and the charges are refunded. Or perhaps they only print the successful ones...!

I still think it's worth pursuing further in writing. 300 quid's a lot of money and I'm sure the OP acted in good faith - he/she did try to check with Orange to make sure. Why should he/she be out of pocket because of the incompetence of some dozy call centre agent?

jamespir · 9 February 2010 at 5:04PM

youre advised not to use calling cards with orange becasue the costs can be more than you think they are
its not like a landline
i think if you expalin the situation they may half the bill for you but you have to be responsible for the calls you made

hippey · 9 February 2010 at 5:14PM

I have been an orange Customer for sometime, they started charging for calling card 01 & 02 numbers at least a couple of years ago . I think they charge them at the standard rate for your price plan, so the cost can mount up. It is the the mobile charges booklet you get with your phone.

fluffnutter · 9 February 2010 at 5:17PM

I think it's pretty obvious that Orange aren't sly about these charges, and it's also obvious that the OP could have avoided this if he/she had read the small print.

But... a specific call was made, with a specific request to confirm that charges would not be incurred if the calling card was used.

The OP then acted on this advice. Which came from an Orange call centre operative. For which Orange must take some responsibility.

bally1208 · 9 February 2010 at 5:54PM

hey thanks for your replys guys....i will start by trying to track down the call i made to them as i did make it from my mobile....does anybody know if all ther incoming call are recorded??

surley if a customer has been miss-lead by one of there operators then you would have thought they would have to houner what ever the customer has been told..

also does anybody know how or who i need to contact if i wish to escalate this matter....DTI etc...

jamespir · 9 February 2010 at 5:56PM

bally1208 wrote: »

hey thanks for your replys guys....i will start by trying to track down the call i made to them as i did make it from my mobile....does anybody know if all ther incoming call are recorded??

surley if a customer has been miss-lead by one of there operators then you would have thought they would have to houner what ever the customer has been told..

also does anybody know how or who i need to contact if i wish to escalate this matter....DTI etc...

not at all you wernt misled you were given information that was correct at the time of your call by the sounds of things

yes you can play the ingnorance card and they may reduce your bill but they wont let you have it for free

pmduk · 9 February 2010 at 8:47PM

There should be a footprint when their "customer service" person looked at your account. If you can tell them the date and time of the call I'd challenge them to tell you what else the call was regarding. In my experience Orange CS is lousy, though I know others will disagree.