Vodafone refuse to cancel my contract.

cheekyvicki

I have currently been a victim of fraud with someone buying 2 phones and adding 2 numbers to my account and running up a bill of over £300. I received a text message from Vodafone telling me that i didn't need to do anything. I decided to ring up and try to find out what happened. they explained what had happened and that still i didn't need to do anything. On the off chance i asked what my bill was for this month. They said £321. O yes i was gobsmacked.

I told them that this wasn't correct and asked why it was so high. He told me that the fraud on the account was the reason. So i asked what was to be done. He said we have requested the money from your bank but not to worry once it has reached us we will credit this back. I have been told that this requested to my bank is actually illegal as Vodafone are requesting funds from my account that have been the proceeds of fraud. I was then told i couldn't stop my direct debit with them. I contacted the bank and stopped the direct debit. I had several conversations with 3 other members of the Vodafone staff who were really unhelpful. I found out that my security has been breached and when asked about how i could stop this happening again i was told there was nothing i could do. During all this time Vodafone new fraud had been committed and that my security details had been breached as they even managed to change my address but not once did anyone ask me to change my details.

I also found out that the fraud team had but on a "MUST CALL CUSTOMER BACK ON MOBILE NOTE" before anything could be changed etc. Not one of the staff asked to ring me back. My boyfriend had a full conversation with a member of staff even though it was not me. He just had to give some of my information. I phoned a store to find out how easy it was to change and address and upgrade a contract to which i was told just something with a name and address on. After other phone calls i emailed the customer relations. They themselves admit that the information their staff was misleading. Surely they haven't been trained properly. It took Vodafone 7 days to contact me me about the fraud and i was told that photo ID or Bank Card would have been required to commit the fraud. Thats means for 7 days Vodafone have known someone has been walking around with either ID or Fake bank card.

Due to this i asked Vodafone to cancel my contract as i feel the have not provided me with the service im paying for, Putting me at risk of more fraud by not alerting me immediately of the fraud taking place. And the fact that no one even suggested i change my security details or did they do as was requied (calling my phone back whenever i wanted to speak to them) by there own fraud team. Can anyone suggest how i can cancel this contract. Vodafone must have broken their contract with me or the law. I have spoken to Vodafone about them breaking the law by trying to remove funds from my account that they new were fraudulent but they still refuse to cancel my contact. Can anyone help?

grumbler

Vodafone CS is abysmal. So is their fraud department, if not even worse. They easily take money from customers' accounts, but then drag their feet with refunding. You were right not to take their word about the refund, but instead of cancelling the DD you should have used the DD guarantee and ask your bank for immediate refund after the incorrect amount is taken from your account. Otherwise Vodafone will routinely trash your credit files and then again will drag their feet with correcting this.
Changing security details was an obvious action that you didn't need any advice for. Especially that most likely the breach happened on your side, at least partly.

Now forget about cancelling your legitimate contract and concentrate on sorting out the problems with the fraudulent ones and taking care of your credit files.

diamonds

Read here http://www.vodafone.co.uk/vodafone-uk/contact-us/complaints/index.htm

Complain here http://campaigns.vodafone.co.uk/complaints/

Report & register complaint to Ofcom on 0300 123 3333

cazzawatto

I share your views on voafone - I apparently ordered a new iphone on my account. This was despite me cancelling my contract and informing them i had got a new phone with another company. I phoned them to report the fraud and was told to phone back as they were now closing - brilliant! I phoned back the next morning and reported the fraud. I was told it would be referred to the fraud department. Then i got a txt to say my phone couldn't be delivered, quickly followed by a text to say it was being redirected. Phoned vodafone AGAIN and a password was put on my account and the phone was redirected back to the warehouse, i then had to phone back in a few days to make sure they had it back. I was so angry as if i hadn't phoned back they would have redirected the phone!!! Wrote letter of complaint to vodafone and got a pathetic letter back (standard issue they probably send out to everyone) saying they will cancel my last bill (£5.00 WHOOP!) and my debt is clear. A month later i get a bill through for the phone! Now trying to email them as it would cost me to phone and now they keep emailing back for my security question stating 'Vodafone is very particular about the security of customer's account'. I can't stop laughing at the irony of it all :rotfl: But now i'm angry as i fear i'll get a bad credit rating. I cancelled my direct debit when the fraud occured due to the incompetence of vodafone staff. I knew it wouldn't be sorted!

diamonds

ofcom complaint

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

I have just paid off a £130 debt on my HTC Desire which is faulty, booting up constantly, which I haven't used. Vodaphone have treated me like a fully functional customer.
I now have an email from Vodaphone which states that my next bill waits me on the site when Friedrickson assured me the Account was stopped and Vodaphone had given me a final date of expiry of my Contract which had run the full 2 year term.
They are incompetent money grabbing sods.
I shall NOT buy any mobiles from them ever again.

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver

I won't let myself be lured by any 'deals'. Once bitten twice shy.

grumbler

Maybe the 'next bill' is just the final one?

Unless it is the final bill, be very careful with ignoring it and cancelling the DD as Vodafone will routinely trash your credit files and then it will take you months to make them to correct their errors.

That said, I thought that Vodafone was the only company that gave a warranty for the full length of contract on all phones except iPhones.

Vodafone

Hi cheekyvicki,

I am sorry to hear that you have had someone access your account to commit Fraud. I appreciate how worrying this can be.

It’s disappointing to hear that whilst trying to get the situation resolved, you have come across some obstacles.

When the Fraud team start an investigation on an account, they will put a hold on all credit activity meaning the funds owed would not be chased.

When Fraud has been confirmed, they also send out advise on how to stop it from happening again in the future and give tips on how to protect your personal information.

Extra security questions should have also been placed on the account to ensure that no one else can gain access moving forwards.

So that I can help you further with this, can you contact me via the link here with WRT135 FAO Heidi in the subject. Please also include a contact number and a link to your post.

Hi cazzawatto,

If you could let me know the email reference number you have for your contact with us, I will be able to find it and help to get this resolved for you.

Many thanks,

Heidi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK