Overseas orange data rip off £1000.00 bill!

Guys_Dad

llyamah wrote: »

............................................especially when some people may not have any idea about data. The OP did what I think is quite a sensible thing; he made it clear that he didn’t a reoccurrence of the Spain bill and so phoned the operator for advice, which turned out to be worthless. He even told the operator exactly what he wanted to use the internet for “planning subway links, maps, internet searches”. Just because you know how much data that is going to use, it doesn’t mean everyone does or even should know that.

I don't disagree that ringing CS for advice is sensible and, on the face of it, it turned out that he received bad advice.

But go back to the Spain trip, follow this scenario and tell me where I am going wrong.

He returns from Spain and gets a bill for £780. Two choices then - pay the bill without question or check why it is so high. What would you do? I guess the 2nd.

So, I look at the bill and see what pushed it up. It was Data, so the first thing I would do would see (a) how many units did I use and (b) how much per unit? You would do that as well?

So now I want to go to USA. I remember that I used a lot of free wi-fi in Spain and might not be able to do so in USA as I am going out and about and will be looking at maps etc.

I would, before ringing for advice, check back on what I used before and also what the unit price was in USA. If I didn't remember, I could check the unit price on-line or, when I rang Orange, I would ask them the unit price and also if they could look back at my records to see what I used last time.

From that point the advisor and I would have a base point to judge what I would need this time and what it would cost if I went over.

Now, you don't need to have any knowledge of data, mobiles or anything else to carry out these basic steps, do you?

So, answer honestly, if you were OP would you have done something similar or would you have placed your absolute trust in a voice on the other end of the phone without using any of the previous trip's information in your possession?

Transformer

Hence when dealing with them over the phone always record the call, they are often giving out selective information that can leave a person in the mire, yet when you chase they dont want to know, hence source the original call and get them to justify themselves.

If they are not willing to find the call or try to put you off go down the subject access request route, costs ten pounds and you can request calls along with all infor they hold on you, you could ask them to pay special attention to last time and you want to see the transcripts or recordings and notes.

They have a subject access request form you can request to be sent./

They might change their tunes if you have evidence.
They might still be snotty but if so go to regulators.

Must record orange as they in my opinion are not to be trusted.

llyamah

Guys Dad, I agree that I would have taken the steps that you outline. For a £780 bill I would want to know exactly where I went wrong. However, I do feel that the OP should in theory have been able to trust the Orange representative without having taken those steps. I'd have thought the Orange rep would have taken a look at the Spain bill for him and said "I would usually have recommended only 10Mb, but based on what you previously used...". Agreed, had the OP have known this information before he called up, he could have told the Orange rep that 10Mb is not enough. But on the balance I just feel that Orange are more to blame here. Hopefully the OP is still following this thread and will ask for the recording (which you have suggested and is sound advice).

Galaxychocolate

Hi again, I have read through the replies, and must say thank god there are some people on the forum who can actually talk some sense, I genuinely thought this was an Orange company forum at first with some of the replies, I appreciate everyone has an opinion but obviously some people love to be controversial, hanging on every word I have said and ripping it to bits what a joke, half the bill etc, mmm

Anyway, if you read my first post, the mistake I made on the Spain trip was I used data I didn't want to as I had wifi in the hotel, big mistake on my part, hence I shut up and paid the bill. The difference is this time I WANTED TO USE DATA, so the advice to turn it off is a joke, I told the Orange CS EXACTLY what I wanted to do and that I did not want a repeat bill from last time, how much clearer could I be?

The bill from Spain was 12 months prior, I didn't have it to hand when I called about the US trip, but the CS looked it up so was fully aware of it. I was told the huge bill was due to data usage, yes, but the advice from the Spain bill was to call next time and purchase a data package, which is EXACTLY what I did,
I'm sorry but I must be extremly stupid because you few who say it is my fault, I am afraid I am lost at where you are coming from.

Many thanks for the productive comments guys, it is appreciated, too many times these big corporates are allowed to walk all over the small guy, transformer and ilyamah, I will take your advice and get the recording transcript, if you have a form that would be greatly appreciated, many thanks guys!

Transformer

Hi with orange you can request a subject access request form to be sent to you, but notice they require photo identify and utility bill as proof of id, so might be quicker to get that form by ringing them because is you send in sar request letter they are likely to only reply we want id anyhow.

Personally I dont see why they need id when happy to communicate on issue that you are you prior on the issue, but again they are just awkward.

Best direct way is to ring switchboard of the head office, number found in say no to 0870 website under orange and get them to put you through to appropriate dept, bypasses the long wait on hold

gjchester

Galaxychocolate wrote: »

Many thanks for the productive comments guys, it is appreciated, too many times these big corporates are allowed to walk all over the small guy, !

I'm not really looking at it from the point of view of corporate over little guy but you knew from experiance that your bill would be high if used overseas. I'm actually suprised you got any offer of a reduction, you knew this could happen, it wasn't the first time.

Look at this another way, Orange will have to pay the roaming bill, who exactly do you think will end up swallowing any reduction you get, it will be passed on other orange customers in terms of higher bills.

I can understand people who get a high bill over the first time trip abroad, but honestly you knew this could happen. Although you asked about data and got 10MB you then then proceeded to go 10X over that. You don't appear to have made any effort to monitor or control your use so yes this is your fault. Thats not a little over thats a lot, why should other orange customers pay because you don;t want to check your useage.

Transformer

OP is going to source the sales call and see if can prove was miss sold the product that he/she relied on due to what told, simple, if there is any doubt of course orange should take the hit if sales person is ambiguous or not clear as I am afraid to say some of them are !!!

Galaxychocolate

gjchester wrote: »

I'm not really looking at it from the point of view of corporate over little guy but you knew from experiance that your bill would be high if used overseas. I'm actually suprised you got any offer of a reduction, you knew this could happen, it wasn't the first time.

YOU ARE RIGHT, IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME, HENCE I ASKED ADVICE TO PREVENT IT HAPPENING AGAIN.

Look at this another way, Orange will have to pay the roaming bill, who exactly do you think will end up swallowing any reduction you get, it will be passed on other orange customers in terms of higher bills.

ORANGE PRE TAX PROFITS OF 1.8billion

I can understand people who get a high bill over the first time trip abroad, but honestly you knew this could happen. Although you asked about data and got 10MB you then then proceeded to go 10X over that.

I WAS TOLD THIS WOULD BE SUFFICIENT AND I WOULD RECIEVE A TEXT MESSAGE STATING I HAD GONE OVER THE BUNDLE ANYWAY, WHICH I NEVER RECIEVED, POOR ADVICE

You don't appear to have made any effort to monitor or control your use so yes this is your fault. Thats not a little over thats a lot, why should other orange customers pay because you don;t want to check your useage.

WHAT A JOKE, I WAS ON HOLIDAY IN NEW YORK HAVING TIME OUT AND I SHOULD BE MONITORING MY USE EVEN THOUGH I PRESUMED SAFEGUARDS WERE IN PLACE AND I WAS PREPPED FOR THE HOLIDAY IN ADVANCE?


Sorry not shouting just needed to highlight my responses, thanks for you unbiased comments!

Huggy_Bear

gjchester wrote: »

I can understand people who get a high bill over the first time trip abroad, but honestly you knew this could happen. Although you asked about data and got 10MB you then then proceeded to go 10X over that. You don't appear to have made any effort to monitor or control your use so yes this is your fault. Thats not a little over thats a lot, why should other orange customers pay because you don;t want to check your useage.

:T I think I would have switched that phone off if I'd already had a huge bill once before

Transformer

Sad to see some think the phone company is always right.

Op nowt wrong in querying it first, doing all you can to fight your case and if still get no where, go to cicas on the issue once got subject access request and unhappy you were miss sold.