Vodafone allowing calls at other customers' expense via security loophole

Guys_Dad

Vodafone rep.

OP is saying that when he calls Vodafone, initially you need to enter a Vodafone number. That number is then charged 25p.

However, when you speak to someone, you can be querying a different Vodafone number altogether.

So, if I entered your Voda number at the start of the call, but then gort through to CS, I could raise a query on my Voda number, but you would be paying for the call.

So, no, your reply doesn't help.

NFH

Vodafone_company_representative wrote: »

Does that clear up any confusion?

No, there is no confusion. Vodafone is deducting money from customers' PAYG accounts without any consent or action of the customer concerned. This is fundamentally wrong. Please read my original post for a full explanation of how this can happen.

Buzby

AIUI, if you dial 191, the call is free whilst it is handled within the AVR system. Only when you opt to speak to a human, is the 25p charge levied, and there is a spoken warning before and after this is selection. Further, it is the number that makes the call that is charged, not any number you may enter. I have used my PAYG handset to enquire about a family member's handset - The charge was billed correctly to my handset.

FWIW, O2 also work this way.

NFH

Buzby wrote: »

AIUI, if you dial 191, the call is free whilst it is handled within the AVR system. Only when you opt to speak to a human, is the 25p charge levied, and there is a spoken warning before and after this is selection. Further, it is the number that makes the call that is charged, not any number you may enter. I have used my PAYG handset to enquire about a family member's handset - The charge was billed correctly to my handset.

When you dial the 0870 number from a fixed line, the entered Vodafone number is charged at the point that you begin waiting in the queue. You can enter anyone's number (and cause that other customer to be charged) in order to enter the queue, and then give another number when you eventually get through to a human.

Question for the Vodafone rep - why does Vodafone accept any Vodafone number in order to enter the queue and charge that number 25p without validating that the entered number belongs to the caller?

dacouch

Vodafone_company_representative wrote: »

Hi NFH,

I am slightly confused by your post.

You mention that you called from a landline on 08700 700 191. This may or may not be inclusive as part of your landline package. It will be down to your current provider.

If you call from a Vodafone PAYG number, you would be charged 25p for the call which would be deducted from your balance and you would be notified at the start of the call.

This is shown online here.

Does that clear up any confusion?

Thanks,

Heidi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK

Is the 25p charge tax deductable?

Oops forgot, you would not know about such things...

Vodafone

NFH wrote: »

No, there is no confusion. Vodafone is deducting money from customers' PAYG accounts without any consent or action of the customer concerned. This is fundamentally wrong. Please read my original post for a full explanation of how this can happen.

Hi NFH,

When you called Customer Services from your landline and entered your mobile number was £0.25 deducted from your calling credit balance when you entered the queue to speak to an agent?

I understand that the automated system advises of this but this is a standard message that is relayed when the option is selected.

In addition, the information that Heidi linked to also has an asterisk next to the part regarding calls to 191 (as oppose to calls made to the long dial number) where the charge for speaking to an agent is highlighted.

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations Team

Vodafone UK

diamonds

Vodafone charged my contract account texts at payg UK to UK rate.

I ordered a 30 day sim only when the 3 months free roaming promo was on in 2009, they gave my sim only contract a number which was already assigned to a payg customer so I called them and they assured me it would be corrected and my PAC in would sort it out.

I ported my number in & went roaming & I after PAC in was being charged for the payg UK users texts to other UK mobiles, a bill of £1000 and it took almost a year for Vodafone to sort it out arguing I was due the amount.

Thankfully on one last phonecall to customer dis-service I said to the guy (again) how can I be getting charged UK to UK texts when I have FREE UK calls and texts roaming in AU/NZ to the UK & on the same dates & be in UK sending UK to UK texts ? And my UK to UK texts are unlimited anyway & they are being charged at payg rate when I'm not in the UK.



"oh yeah" :rollseyes:


Vodafone are hopeless.

NFH

Vodafone_company_representative wrote: »

When you called Customer Services from your landline and entered your mobile number was £0.25 deducted from your calling credit balance when you entered the queue to speak to an agent?

Yes, this is exactly what happened on two occasions.

Vodafone

Hi NFH,

Thanks for coming back to me.

I'll get this looked into further and update you as soon as possible.

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations Team

Vodafone UK

NFH

[QUOTE=Vodafone_company_representative;57768405I'll get this looked into further and update you as soon as possible.[/QUOTE]
What was the outcome?

I've found a further problem. If you call 08700 700 191 from a fixed line and enter the number of a Vodafone prepaid account which has no credit, it won't put you through. This is further proof that it charges the entered phone number without verifying that the caller is the customer of the entered phone number. Why has this not been fixed when I reported it over a month ago? It's one thing to allow an error like this, but knowingly to allow it to continue is a shambles and inexcusable.