PAYG and possible stupid question (be warned)

consumers_revenge

Hi.

So Im with Vodafone and I use PAYG.  I had an odd text in (same message chain as all the other from vodafone and no links say click this link etc) other than you can view your bill at www..... (its the actual account address). It said I owed £44 to be paid 11/07/2021.

Now as Im on PAYG how can I run this up? I only put on a fivers credit at a time (very low use ussually and its a £1 all day if you use it). I thought you couldnt go over on PAYG?

I looked at my online bill with a separate device so didnt log in and it shows Im down to zero credit ( I used the £5 over the last week as been out a few times so this tallies with the £1 a day usage) 

Also does anyone know if you get charged for sending the odd emoji in messages?

Also as this handset is locked to Vodafone and if I now pop in one of the new asda mobile sims (who now use vodafone) and I dont care about keeping my old number do I have to tell vodafone or anything to get it unlocked before using ADSA's 'own brand'? or is it simply pop and go?

Any ideas please?

Thanks.

jnm21

You shouldn't be able to go over - you have no credit arrangement (no contract under which they can expect payment).  Sounds like a spoof/spam/phishing text.

You have no need to tell Vodafone & as I said above, if they have let you go into owing them, that us their look out & I can see no justification to block your phone.  Equally being in debt is not a reason to refuse a PAC - try texting PAC to 65075.  OFCOM only allow one reason - unable to confirm your identity.

As for the Asda SIM in a Vodafone phone, it should work (until they move network again). 

flaneurs_lobster

I've had a few of these Vodafone texts, in my case to a mobile which has an ASDA PAYG sim active on it. As you say, don't think it's a scam/phishing attempt since the link is to Vodafone's login page. I think it's probably a Voda system glitch but not serious since it's not disclosing any personal information nor trying to harvest any.

Re emoji's I think that inserting them into a text will cause it to be sent as a MMS (it depends on your phone I believe), these are usually sent at a premium rate. 

As @jnm21 says, should be able to just pop in ASDA sim and go, think it'll cost you a fiver to activate it and check it out.

consumers_revenge

thanks. same scenario then.

how many have you had please?

did they start Hello. Your bill for this month comes to GBP£**?

flaneurs_lobster

Yes exactly the same message (different amount/date tho'). Think I've had 2, must have deleted the first one, about a month before the last, last received 25 June. I get the same (correct) messages on another phone which has a Vodafone PAYM sim.

consumers_revenge

sorry dont understand 'same correct' part?

flaneurs_lobster

consumers_revenge said:

sorry dont understand 'same correct' part?

I mean that I have a PAYM account with Vodafone and they send me a text each month telling me what my bill is and that this text is to the correct phone and shows the correct amount oweing.

I have another phone with a ASDA PAYG sim which received the spurious dodgy texts.

Format of texts is identical in both cases.

consumers_revenge

ah makes 100% sense.

thanks for replying

chasing them now.

macman

consumers_revenge said:

Hi.

So Im with Vodafone and I use PAYG.  I had an odd text in (same message chain as all the other from vodafone and no links say click this link etc) other than you can view your bill at www..... (its the actual account address). It said I owed £44 to be paid 11/07/2021.

Now as Im on PAYG how can I run this up? I only put on a fivers credit at a time (very low use ussually and its a £1 all day if you use it). I thought you couldnt go over on PAYG?

I looked at my online bill with a separate device so didnt log in and it shows Im down to zero credit ( I used the £5 over the last week as been out a few times so this tallies with the £1 a day usage) 

Also does anyone know if you get charged for sending the odd emoji in messages?

Also as this handset is locked to Vodafone and if I now pop in one of the new asda mobile sims (who now use vodafone) and I dont care about keeping my old number do I have to tell vodafone or anything to get it unlocked before using ADSA's 'own brand'? or is it simply pop and go?

Any ideas please?

Thanks.

The 'odd emoji' means that the message is converted to an MMS rather than a text message, so it's charged at 55p a time! Either curb your emoji habit, or use WhatsApp instead, where it's just charged at normal data rates.

jnm21

macman said:

The 'odd emoji' means that the message is converted to an MMS rather than a text message, so it's charged at 55p a time! Either curb your emoji habit, or use WhatsApp instead, where it's just charged at normal data rates.

Not necessarily - maybe on some phones.  On my phone it uses up a lot of characters, but they still send as SMS (I have a zero spend cap).

If you go over a certain number of characters (which varies between phones), it will send as an MMS.

consumers_revenge

so it appears that vodafone reissued this number to asda after the number was disconnected a few years ago and is connected to another persons contract account.