O2 reallocated my active PAYG phone number

K8T80

I switched from contract to PAYG last October. All has been fine up until Saturday when my network access suddenly dropped. I called O2 from another phone on Sunday, only to be told my number was not my number and that it now belonged to a new contract customer who signed up on Saturday. I was actively using my phone up until the signal dropped. I have had this number for at least 5 years.

I have been told that I cannot have my number back and so have had to buy a new SIM (on EE) and been told that the complaints department will contact me within 7 days. Has this happened to anyone else? I haven't been told how this has happened; if it's an error on O2's part or if the new customer has slipped through the identity checks and requested my number be ported over. I don't know if my data has been breached since my phone number is linked to all kinds of banking and two-factor authentication processes. I have spent a great deal of time changing my number everywhere I can, although automated authentication texts have been sent to my (now) old number. I am beyond frustrated.

flaneurs_lobster

This would make me very nervous about a possible sim-swap scam. Are you absolutely sure that the number that you rang for O2 Customer Services was genuine? The "wait 7 days" thing is especially worrying. 

I've not heard of mobile numbers that are currently in use being re-allocated to a new customer. 

Jon_01

Sounds very iffy!

An active number should only be able to be transferred with a PAC.

You need to dig deeper and find out how the number was given to anyone else?  

Call O2 and ask to speak to the call centre manager if the front line agent can't/won't help.

southone

Have you tried calling the number to confirm that somebody actually has that number obviously don't give them any information or tell them too much, my understanding is that an unused number is quarantined for a time which is dependent on number availability before it's ever given to another customer

PHK

southone said:

Have you tried calling the number to confirm that somebody actually has that number obviously don't give them any information or tell them too much, my understanding is that an unused number is quarantined for a time which is dependent on number availability before it's ever given to another customer

I also don’t see how they could tell the OP that the number was given to a customer last Saturday as that would be a breach of data protection. 

However

Happened to me with Vodafone a while ago. I had PAYG for more than ten years, probably longer, same phone, for minimal use. Kept the account active with a call within every180 days as required by T&Cs. 

Vodafone wouldn't reinstate the number and wouldn't refund the credit and wouldn't unlock the phone. I had a fearful row with them, escalating via formal complaint. Eventually they gave me a new account, a new Sim with a new number, and then credited the new account with the old account's credit (they asked how much credit because they didn't know - I was honest, but I could have told them anything). 

But despite repeatedly assuring me it was the same PAYG contract as previously, it wasn't - it was their one call = £1 then free for rest of day. I abhor the theft of my credit and hate been fobbed off. At least now I can unlock the phone and when the credit runs out ditch them for a genuine PAYG - if any still exist.

flaneurs_lobster

Raises an interesting question: who "owns" a particular (mobile) phone number? 

Do I have any rights to continue to use a particular number that I have had (in my case) for over 20 years or can my current operator simply decide to replace it with another for any reason they think applicable? 

Is there any way of securing a particular number, perhaps in a way similar to securing a particular email address by purchasing a domain name to link it to. 

d123

flaneurs_lobster said:

Raises an interesting question: who "owns" a particular (mobile) phone number? 

Do I have any rights to continue to use a particular number that I have had (in my case) for over 20 years or can my current operator simply decide to replace it with another for any reason they think applicable? 

Is there any way of securing a particular number, perhaps in a way similar to securing a particular email address by purchasing a domain name to link it to. 

The phone numbers are effectively owned by HMG and managed by OFCOM, you don't own your number and OFCOM has the right to change or withdraw a number if they feel the need to do so.

The networks effectively pay OFCOM to lease number ranges to supply to their customers.

savergrant

K8T80 said:

I switched from contract to PAYG last October. All has been fine up until Saturday when my network access suddenly dropped. I called O2 from another phone on Sunday, only to be told my number was not my number and that it now belonged to a new contract customer who signed up on Saturday. I was actively using my phone up until the signal dropped. I have had this number for at least 5 years.

I have been told that I cannot have my number back and so have had to buy a new SIM (on EE) and been told that the complaints department will contact me within 7 days. Has this happened to anyone else? I haven't been told how this has happened; if it's an error on O2's part or if the new customer has slipped through the identity checks and requested my number be ported over. I don't know if my data has been breached since my phone number is linked to all kinds of banking and two-factor authentication processes. I have spent a great deal of time changing my number everywhere I can, although automated authentication texts have been sent to my (now) old number. I am beyond frustrated.

Hi. Do you have an o2 online account? Can you check on there whether your payg plan is still showing? Can o2 tell you when they ceased to supply you with a service on that number? When you switched to payg did o2 send you a new sim? Was the number initially issued by o2, or did you port it to them?
It sounds to me as though they have incorrectly marked the number as inactive since you came off contract for some reason, and that after nine months it is eligible for recycling. It is quite likely that the person who has been issued with the number will be looking to port in their existing number but I am not sure if that will help.