O2 Phone Stolen and £600 unauthorised call charges

grumbler

If the OP doesn't have money to pay anyway and is facing a default, cancelling the DD is a correct advice.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

reclusive46 wrote: »

It took two days not three weeks

oops, , was kinda early when I read it this morning, hadn't had my caffeine fix, thanks.

vax2002

The advice to cancel the DD is the correct money saving advice.
It may not agree with the spitemongers, but if the OP does not have £600 in the bank, o2 wont be able to get £600 direct debit or not and the bank will make 3x£40 charges plus 3x £40 letters each time = £240 in charges and o2 still dont have the money.
Cancel the DD, when they can not get the money, they might be prepared to accept another offer.
You should never allow "credit history" to be a gun to your head.
As long as you inform o2 in writing you are in "contractual dispute" 24 hrs before you cancel the DD.

Mrs_Arcanum

visidigi wrote: »

how on earth are o2 being pedantic? The terms of the contract are written in black and white, clear as day - its not a disputable point.

The OP lost a phone for three days before they noticed - that is entirely their fault, not O2's

Cancelling the DD will not take away the issue, it will only make it worse.

Companies who are flexible get good feedback. Ones who "pedantically" stick to the rules do not.

However, like PCNs one has to wonder how much in "real terms" the unauthorised calls have cost.

zagfles

Mrs_Arcanum wrote: »

Companies who are flexible get good feedback. Ones who "pedantically" stick to the rules do not.

Yes, but they want to sell insurance. It wouldn't do their insurance business any good if it got out that they give customers goodwill refunds for unauthorised use.

I have a PIN lock on my phone and SIM, I find it incredible how few people with contract phones do this. I keep telling people it's as bad as writing your PIN number on all your bank cards:eek:

A theif could probably spend more money on a phone in 24 hours than they could withdraw from your bank account with a stolen ATM card.

visidigi

grumbler wrote: »

If the OP doesn't have money to pay anyway and is facing a default, cancelling the DD is a correct advice.

The IF is very important, not being able to afford it and not wanting to afford it are two very different things.

vax2002 wrote: »

The advice to cancel the DD is the correct money saving advice.
It may not agree with the spitemongers, but if the OP does not have £600 in the bank, o2 wont be able to get £600 direct debit or not and the bank will make 3x£40 charges plus 3x £40 letters each time = £240 in charges and o2 still dont have the money.
Cancel the DD, when they can not get the money, they might be prepared to accept another offer.
You should never allow "credit history" to be a gun to your head.
As long as you inform o2 in writing you are in "contractual dispute" 24 hrs before you cancel the DD.

Its not a contractual dispute, the guy didn't report the phone for THREE days - how can you not notice it missing for THREE days. come on now.

Mrs_Arcanum wrote: »

Companies who are flexible get good feedback. Ones who "pedantically" stick to the rules do not.

However, like PCNs one has to wonder how much in "real terms" the unauthorised calls have cost.

Can you start a company please, I would like to buy from you and never pay.

Seriously... flexibility is fine if viable, but why should o2 drop the charges (or even reduce them) just because the phone was stolen, how is that any different to someone using their phone and then calling o2 to say I can't afford it.

victor2

zagfles wrote: »

Yes, but they want to sell insurance. It wouldn't do their insurance business any good if it got out that they give customers goodwill refunds for unauthorised use.

I have a PIN lock on my phone and SIM, I find it incredible how few people with contract phones do this. I keep telling people it's as bad as writing your PIN number on all your bank cards:eek:

A theif could probably spend more money on a phone in 24 hours than they could withdraw from your bank account with a stolen ATM card.

Couldn't agree more.
Just managed to persuade OH to put a PIN on her SIM. Then got grief when she let the phone run down and power itself off - and of course she couldn't remember the PIN to get back in. Shows how little she switches the phone off!

wantmemoney

visidigi wrote:

The terms of the contract are written in black and white, clear as day - its not a disputable point.

O2's Terms and Conditions are there purely to scare the victim into believing they are liable under the Law.
There are such things as 'unfair terms and conditions'.

O2 and the other Networks have never tested their Terms in court and would never dare to risk testing their Terms in court.

They will always back down and sell the 'debt' to some dodgy company and trash your credit rating.
The terms and conditions of the playground bully.

grumbler wrote:

If the OP doesn't have money to pay anyway and is facing a default, cancelling the DD is a correct advice.

Absolutely right. The only reason the criminals continue to steal the phones to run up fraudulent premium rate charges is because O2 and the other Networks are continuing to share with and pass on the stolen money to the crooks.

I personally believe it's time that phone accounts were regulated by the FSA and money from premium rate fraud was subject to the Proceeds of Crime Act.

reclusive46 wrote:

With a complaint they may be able to give some back but you have to remember O2 did have to pay to connect all those extra calls etc.

For legitimate international calls you are correct but usually the 'international' calls run up on stolen phones are actually calls to premium rate services.

This is how it works.

A country's telecom industry will set aside a block of it's national numbering range to be used for billing premium rate services.

O2 will bill it's customer for an expensive call to Kosovo (for example). The call is routed to the premium rate company's server in London where it's terminated. This is known as 'short stopping'.

So the Network bills the customer for an expensive international call but the cost to the carriers is for a local or national call.
The difference is shared among the carriers and the company that owns and operates the number.


Here's a recent case where O2 themselves were stung by the fraudsters.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2048273/iPhone-fraud-gang-tricked-O2-paying-4-5m-premium-rates-scam.html

adamc260

The joys of having a pin each time you unlock your screen

zagfles

adamc260 wrote: »

The joys of having a pin each time you unlock your screen

Takes me 2 seconds.

It might sound like a PITA but once you've got used to it you'll do it without even thinking about it. I do it automatically now as I'm taking my phone out of my pocket, don't even need to look at it.