Unauthorised Mobile Phone Usage

zagfles

MisterBrico wrote: »

The problem is network billing is seldom in real time, especially to international numbers, so by the time you block it the operator hasn't received the bill.

How are they supposed to block it for you before they know it happens

How does PAYG work then? They seem to be quite capable of doing it real time when the network's money is at stake...

zagfles

mattyprice4004 wrote: »

In that case, is it my credit card providers fault for letting me run up a bill with them?

Don't be daft.

It might be their fault in dreamland.

If a credit card was stolen and used in a similar "out of character" way to the OP's phone, the credit card company would almost certainly detect suspected fraudulent use and block the card/contact the OP.

NFH

MisterBrico wrote: »

The problem is network billing is seldom in real time, especially to international numbers, so by the time you block it the operator hasn't received the bill.

The operator is the originating network. From whom does the operator receive a bill? Why is the process different for an international call? This doesn't make any sense.

Herongull

If you choose to take out an uncapped phone contract, you are choosing to accept the risk of massive bills if the phone is lost or stolen - she was incredibly lucky that the bill was only £500. Many people get bills of thousands of £.

People who can't afford such losses go payg or capped like Tesco. This also avoids stress and hassle.

You have to take responsibility for the choices you make.

The_Real_Stig

Herongull wrote: »

If you choose to take out an uncapped phone contract, you are choosing to accept the risk of massive bills if the phone is lost or stolen - she was incredibly lucky that the bill was only £500. Many people get bills of thousands of £.

People who can't afford such losses go payg or capped like Tesco. This also avoids stress and hassle.

You have to take responsibility for the choices you make.

That's good advice but I'm wondering if the phone company took any time to explain to her the risks when they sold her the phone and the contact?

lucky77

Thanks for posting this story OP. Sorry your daughter got caught out with a huge bill but it reminded me that my daughter has a new phone contract and I hadn't arranged for premium and international calls to be blocked in case the phone is lost or stolen. I've just done this via O2 live chat.
I believe most phone companies can arrange for these numbers to be barred so it's a good idea if you don't use them.

grumbler

The_Real_Stig wrote: »

That's good advice but I'm wondering if the phone company took any time to explain to her the risks when they sold her the phone and the contact?

To explain what? That she pays more if she exceeds the allowances?
I think this is pretty obvious and hardly needs any explanation.
It's a capped contract that might need some explanation actually.

Herongull

Phone companies could (if they wished) give customers explicit options in relation to opting in/out of premium and international numbers (and also in relation to blocking those dodgy companies that bill you through your phone bills for services you didn't request).

Most of them don't and you have to know to request all this.

I suspect the reason why they don't is because AFAIK there is no requirement for them to do so and they make money out of these expensive phone calls and "services".

This is what makes getting a phone contact (other than a properly capped one) a high financial risk.

zagfles

grumbler wrote: »

To explain what? That she pays more if she exceeds the allowances?
I think this is pretty obvious and hardly needs any explanation.
It's a capped contract that might need some explanation actually.

I don't think it's "obvious" that there are mobile thieves who steal phones in order to run up a huge bill.

zagfles

Herongull wrote: »

Phone companies could (if they wished) give customers explicit options in relation to opting in/out of premium and international numbers (and also in relation to blocking those dodgy companies that bill you through your phone bills for services you didn't request).

Most of them don't and you have to know to request all this.

I suspect the reason why they don't is because AFAIK there is no requirement for them to do so and they make money out of these expensive phone calls and "services".

This is what makes getting a phone contact (other than a properly capped one) a high financial risk.

I went through this with Vodafone a few years ago, and was told 5 times by their CS on the phone and email that they can't bar premium rate incoming texts. It is not advertised on their website (or wasn't when I last checked), their CS deny all knowledge, but it is possible and it seems the only way to get it done is via the online forum.