Virgin mobile illegal practice?

vindablu

Yesterday I received a mobile sim pack from Virgin . I am a virgin media customer but have never used their mobile service. They have set up a £5.99 direct debit using my details held by Virgin media without permission. Coincidentally I am now receiving scam calls from 00123456789 on an ex directory Virgin landline . I have contacted Virgin by phone and by letter. I will keep you all up to date with any developments. Anyone else had any problems?

useless_git_requires_wife

This is why I pay the extra £5 non-dd charge for my Virgin bb. Not giving them a link to my bank account (that goes for any company). Can't tell you how much cobblers I've encountered from Virgin over the years.


If their bb service wasn't so good I'd be off in a heartbeat. Hope you get it sorted.

Buzby

As a Virgin customer since the beginning, they've never send me one or taken a payment that was unrequested. You really have to ask yourself, what good would this do them? The potential customer would spot it, complain seek a refund and badmouth them, and destroy their reputation. You, or perhaps someone in response to a wen or phone enquiry agreed to it without your knowledge or permission? Have you asked the family?

vindablu

Only the account holder can authorise payment and as for asking my family I thank you for pointing out the obvious. The mobile call centre operates on commission and the calls are recorded in an attempt to eliminate my problem. I am sure the call centre operative cares little for Virgins reputation and my enquiries have revealed that this practice is quite widespread.

Mark_In_Hampshire

All the call centre has to do is type in the bank account and sort code numbers. Nothing is actually checked or verified in any meaningful way, which is why I among others have Direct Debit completely disabled on my bank accounts as it's so open to fraud/mistakes/abuse. Prior to that I had two occasions of direct debits being set up to companies I'd never heard of.

Your scenario could be an error, but I'd be slightly concerned about possible identity theft. I take it you've cancelled the mandate via onloine banking/with your bank; you need to keep an eye on online banking to make sure it isn't simply set up again (see first para) and I'd be particularly interested in VM's response as to precisely how this apparent "contract" or sign up came about.

Buzby

Obvious? You miss the point - or have a misguided belief in security. ANYONE with knowledge of your Bank details can process a payment whether you approve or not - sad, but a fact of life. As Mark notes, the trick is never to disclose those details without good reason. If the practice is 'widespread' as you claim perhaps you could expand a little, as after searching, I can find nothing that highlights them as being a problem.

vindablu

The call centre were not aware of the details. They accessed them fraudulently from virgin media. Thats the whole point.VIRGIN MOBILE TOOK MY DETAILS FROM VIGIN MEDIA WITHOUT AUTHORISATION. WHAT BIT DONT YOU GET. As for the problem been commonplace Virgin mobile have admitted that the commission is causing this problem and the police are now looking into it. Whilst I appreciate you taking the time to reply you appear to have little constructive input.

vindablu

This is the whole point. VIRGIN MOBILE HAD NO BANK DETAILS. THEY TOOK THEM FROM VIRGIN MEDIA WITHOUT CONSENT. WHAT BIT DONT YOU GET. Virgin mobile have acknowledged that they have a problem and the police are looking into it. Whilst I appreciate you taking the time to post it appears the basic problem is lost on you. Thanks anyway.

Buzby

The bit YOU don;t get it Virgin Media and Virgin Mobile are the SAME company. The billing systems were seperate but are by now combined, as they can offer 'quad play' with no problem - where previously you had to deal with two bills.

By all means burst a blood vessel if you must, but you gave the company authorisation to debit what they wanted, when they wanted - which is what a Direct Debit really is.

I refuse to give them that information, and don't have that problem.

As for the 'police looking into it'. Which police is this, Virgin? This is not an issue for the boys in blue, and they'll make soothing noises and tell you to go to your bank.

flashg67

vindablu wrote: »

This is the whole point. VIRGIN MOBILE HAD NO BANK DETAILS. THEY TOOK THEM FROM VIRGIN MEDIA WITHOUT CONSENT. WHAT BIT DONT YOU GET. Virgin mobile have acknowledged that they have a problem and the police are looking into it. Whilst I appreciate you taking the time to post it appears the basic problem is lost on you. Thanks anyway.

Way to go Newbie - carry on like this and I'm sure you'll continue to get LOADS OF HELP :rotfl:

vindablu

Dont know how I have managed without you experts. THANK YOU so much but I should be ok from here. Thank your carers for the typing and best of luck with getting a life.:T