Are Vodafone in breach of their contract?

curiousgeorge12

Basically they let someone change the address on my account and attempt to order an Iphone4. They should have sent out a confirmation sms for me to confirm the change but didnt so. I was only saved by them contacting via a give us feedback on our customer service message, which was odd as I had not rang them that day!

They say the person knew my pin on my account which I doubt as the pin is a random number which I commited to memory.

I have been trying to dig out my contract details but dont have it with me here,

thanks for any help....

Jon_01

You've been a victim of attempted fraud, I don't think that a breach of contract though, sorry.

curiousgeorge12

Im just thinking as they have not followed their security procedures correctly

Wintermute

curiousgeorge12 wrote: »

Im just thinking as they have not followed their security procedures correctly

Was this an upgrade order or a second line? If it's an upgrade order then I'm guessing you're either out of contract or soon to be anyway?

It's not a breach of contract though, it's fraud and there should really be an internal investigation into it (I suspect there will be as the iPhone 4 isn't cheap!). Somebody could have got a hold of your security code or they could have phoned up, said they forgot it and managed to pass their security questions while claiming to be you.

curiousgeorge12

I doubt that anyone could have known my security ID. It really is just a random number which I have commited to memory. Never told anyone it or written it down.

They cant for some reason listen to the call to confirm this but I have my doubts

It was for a second line I still have a year left on my contract...

Jon_01

Hard to prove that.

They have to go through a number of checks for any upgrade to go through. The fraudsters are getting very smart, they must have had some personal info of yours to get the address changed. All front line staff have the requirements of the data protection act drilled into them. If they fail to do the checks they personally face a fine of up to £5000 never mind what the network can get fined.

Its hard to face, but in a large number of fraud attempts the person doing it is known to the acc holder.

curiousgeorge12

I have the address which my account was changed to. It definately isnt someone I know.

Im not sure if Vodafone should have given me this address? but heh he is getting lots of samples for male incontinence pads anyway :j

Jon_01

He most defiantly should not have given you the address.

The fact that the address isn't of someone you know, I'm afraid, proves nothing. They use drop address's, as soon as the networks fraud dept's pick them we blacklist them so that any attempt to change an acc address to it is blocked automatically by the system.

Wintermute

Jon_01 wrote: »

Hard to prove that.

They have to go through a number of checks for any upgrade to go through. The fraudsters are getting very smart, they must have had some personal info of yours to get the address changed. All front line staff have the requirements of the data protection act drilled into them. If they fail to do the checks they personally face a fine of up to £5000 never mind what the network can get fined.

Its hard to face, but in a large number of fraud attempts the person doing it is known to the acc holder.

Yeah, anybody who works in a large company will have at some point had the DPA drilled into them, most people in a customer facing role will be able to go through their DPA checks in their sleep (it's come up in my dreams before!).

Where I work if you're ever found to have breached the DPA you will get a meeting with your manager, extra training and basically have a pass a test on it to prove you know what you're doing, if it happens again you end up with written warnings and ultimately you can be dismissed and if the case was investigated you could face fines.

I frequently speak to people who I'm pretty much positive are the account holders of the account they're calling about, but I can't allow them to access their own account because they're unable to answer simple questions about it, it's not something I can afford to take lightly or cut people slack with.

I've been on the other end of the phone when a fraudster's phoned up recently, they passed the security check perfectly, no harm was done fortunately, but I found out the previous day and had my manager check the call and he confirmed I done everything right.

Rachc_2

I am well and truly appauled by Vodafone's "customer services". :mad:

I have been the victim of identity fraud by someone opening 2 business accounts in person at Vodafone and walking out with 2 iPhone4's!! I found out about it as I got the direct debit mandate. Since then I have chased and chased Vodafone for assurances that they are dealing with this, and seem to be talking to a brick wall. They have told me the account has been closed already by the fraud team, but to what extent it is being investiagted it a mystery.

Does anyone know if Vodafone have a fraud policy as I couldn't find one on their website? They couldn't even tell me in what time frame I could expect to get the matter resolved, though someone did suggest that 28 days wasn't unreasonable!! Unreasonable? In the meantime some schmuck is walking around pretending to be me and I don't know what ID they have...Arrrgghhh! They did also suggest I fax them photo ID of me so they could confirm they were talking to the right person - not sure how that would work given that I was on the phone to them! :rotfl:

Anyone else had a similar problem and got any good advice (other than boycott Vodafone!).

Jon_01

If the acc's have been closed, then the issue is resolved.

They won't tell you any more info, they can't under the data protection act. They'll place extra checks on your info so it can't be used to get any more acc's open with them.