Help with fraud at Vodafone

loulita

Hi everybody,

bit of a long read I'm afraid but I've been having a nightmare with Vodafone and really need some help.

I was a victim of fraud on my account back in August 2012 and someone was able to change the address on my account. Apparently they had rung up pretending to be me and had known my address and date of birth. I was advised by a Vodafone employee to cancel my direct debit and set up a password and pin number on my account which I promptly did.

Then, less than a week later, I was advised that I had been a victim of fraud again. When I rang Vodafone to discuss what had happened I was not asked for a pin number or password. When I questioned this I was told there was no record of any password or pin number having been set up on the account. No one was able to give me any explanation for how this happened and no one was at all apologetic.

I set them up again and requested that no one be allowed access to my account without having these details. I spent hours of my time on the phone to Vodafone trying to resolve the problem and find out what had happened with the fraud.

Eventually, frustrated at the lack of empathy and information I had received from the various Vodafone employees I spoke to, I contacted the Vodafone head office and spoke to a woman to explain my frustration. She was very helpful. She told me it had all been sorted and I shouldn't worry, there was a password and pin number on my account and no one would have access to my account without these. She said if there were any more problems on the account to contact her again. I also said that I did not want to set up my direct debit again and she said that was fine, and Vodafone would post me out my bills each month and I could pay them either in store or over the phone.

Since then (Sept 2012) I have not received any bills, instead I have received a text each month telling me my bill is overdue and I've had to ring up, each time, and ask for my bill to be posted/ emailed to me.

Then, on 28th February 2013, I was texted thanking me for changing my address on my account and I rang Vodafone to find out what was going on. The person I was put through to in Customer Service DID NOT ask me for either my pin number or my password!!! and they informed me that I had been a victim of fraud again. I asked him why he had not asked me either of my security questions and he got very flustered and then asked me for them. As you can imagine I was furious, There's no point in having a password and a pin number if I have to ask to be asked them!!!

I tried to contact the woman I had previously spoken to in Vodafone Head Office but each time I rang she was 'not available' and I requested that she call me back but I am yet to hear back from her.

Then 2 days ago I got another text asking me to pay a bill that was overdue. I rang today at 14:10 to pay this and again the woman I spoke to did not ask me for my pin number or my password. Again I asked if they were on the account and again she apologised and said 'oh yes, sorry, can I have your password and pin number'.

Clearly Vodafone is unable to put in place the highly important fraud prevention measures, needed to keep my Vodafone account protected.

As far as I am concerned Vodafone has breached our contract by allowing this to continue and I want to cancel my contract with immediate effect without paying the cancellation fee, however they have, so far, refused to let me do this, stating that I have to pay the fee if I cancel or else it will get sent to debt collectors which will affect my credit rating.

Thanks for reading, really hope someone can give me some advice.

Buzby

Not a chance!

If you've read your contract, you'll see this is not a reason for termination. You can certainly complain to the information commissioner about their cavalier attitude to your data, which might make them notice.

Bingolingo

I would suggest making a formal written complaint about everything that has happened. Ask for compensation of some sort and assurances about the use of passwords and pins. If you're unhappy with their response then take your complaint to the next level which is an independent arbiter.

If they find that Vodafone has not acted properly then you may be eligible for compensation. I think the issue of fraud is one they take very seriously as incidents where you are a victim of fraud are recorded on your credit file.

It's not a solution which would cancel your contract but you could request that as an acceptable offer. You never know, and it's certainly worth doing.

Herongull

You have a reasonable chance.

"You may end this agreement by writing to us if:

- we don’t do something fundamental that we should have done under this agreement (for example, if there is a complete failure of the network for 7 days in a row due to something we have done), within 7 days of you asking us in writing;"

Persistently making you vulnerable to fraud sounds like a fundamental failure to me.

If they refuse to allow you to terminate under this clause, follow the disputes process to get it sorted - see http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/action/how-to-complain-to-the-ombudsman-about-a-mobile-phone-provider/

loulita

Thank you all!

I've written a formal letter of complaint. If they still refuse I will contact the Ombudsman.

Fingers crossed!

Vodafone

Hi loulita,

It's disappointing to read about your experience but thanks for making me aware of it.

To enable me to get this looked into further could you email me with your details via the link in our profile here?

All you need to do is copy and paste the link into your web browser and it will take you to the Contact us form on our website.

To ensure that it reaches me could you also quote the code WRT135 - MSE in the subject line and once our automated reply arrives update the thread with your email reference number and I'll get back to you as soon as possible?

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations Team

Vodafone UK

loulita

Hi Lee,

I've done all that. The ref number is:

WRT135 - MSE [#11226470​]

I look forward to hearing from you.

Guys_Dad

loulita wrote: »

Hi Lee,

I've done all that. The ref number is:

WRT135 - MSE [#11226470​]

I look forward to hearing from you.

Would you please keep the forum posted with the result of the Voda Rep's involvement in due course?

Thanks.

Vodafone

loulita wrote: »

Hi Lee,

I've done all that. The ref number is:

WRT135 - MSE [#11226470​]

I look forward to hearing from you.

Hi loulita,

Thanks for your time on Friday.

As discussed, I'll get back to you again as soon as I have more news.

Kind regards,

Lee

Web Relations Team

Vodafone UK

loulita

Guys_Dad wrote: »

Would you please keep the forum posted with the result of the Voda Rep's involvement in due course?

Thanks.

Well, coming up to a week since I spoke to the Vodafone Rep last Friday and still no news? And over a week since I posted my official complaint to Vodafone (first class) and again not heard anything.
I'll give it till the end of next week I guess and then if I still haven't heard anything I'll contact the Ombudsman.

Thanks again to everyone for their support and advice on this matter.

loulita

Oh no, just looked on the Ombudsman website and apparently I have to give the company 8 weeks to resolve the issue before I contact them.
Guess I'll have to wait until May.