Struggling to replace lost Lycamobile SIM card

pablo5114

Mum recently came back from her hols but lost her Lycamobile SIM card whilst being there. She took it out of the phone because it clashed with the other SIM that she used overseas when both SIMs were being used together.

Since returning, I've been getting in contact with Lycamobile to try to port her old number to a new Lyca SIM I got free from them but always fail at the verification stage (Confirming name / DOB). As it's a PAYG SIM, there's no requirement to register the SIM but apparently it's been registered. Customer services refuse to answer after when I ask generically there are existing details on the account and abruptly hang up/disconnect the chat.

I've tried to access the online account but to no avail. DOB was invalid when I used forgotten password and obviously can't get an OTP.

I've used their porting service before a couple of years ago when Lyca disabled the old SIM because apparently the SIM was old and needed to be replaced. However that time, they didn't ask to confirm personal details and just needed the PUK code of the new SIM card. The process was seamless.

Not sure what I can do now though. I thought to transfer the number to another provider but probably get the same verification issue when asking for a PAC and will lose the credit on the number. Maybe try again with their robotic customer service but with a different line of inquiry?

GrumpyDil

I've used pretty much all the carriers at one time or another and lycamobile have by far been the worst in terms of customer service, so much so, that they are the one carrier I would not go back to.

Which is my long way of saying I think you may have to give up. 

savergrant

Do you know how she got the original sim? If it was posted direct from lyca then an email address was probably supplied then.
I think these days networks are required to have some way of knowing who is using their sims, the days of picking up a sim and paying cash are gone.

pablo5114

savergrant said:

Do you know how she got the original sim? If it was posted direct from lyca then an email address was probably supplied then.
I think these days networks are required to have some way of knowing who is using their sims, the days of picking up a sim and paying cash are gone.

Yeah, she originally got it from a shop a while ago now (10 years ago?), as she wanted to make cheap international calls.

As I deal with the comms with Lyca on her behalf, I have ordered a few SIMs online over time through them as replacements. So maybe they registered with my email then but you'd think it would be for different phone numbers. Either way, none of the times they'd ask for a DOB. 

I'm trying the TrustPilot option and left a scathing review of my experience of their customer service on their page. They seem very responsive on there so let's see what happens...

pablo5114

Just to keep those updated or those that are interested. I managed to finally get this sorted today.

Since posting this here, I sent an email via their Trust Pilot response to my negative review but to no response after almost a week. I managed to pluck the courage the last couple of days (in readiness for disappointment) to go through the text chat and attacked the problem from a different perspective. So for example, rather saying lost SIM and want a replacement to then only fail verification - I said I had a damaged SIM, kept failing verification when done before and unable to login to My LycaMobile because it wasn't recognising the DOB on the forget password screen.

I must have gone through about 8-9 different agents these last 2 days until I got one agent willing to help with the verification issue. They were about to fob me off saying to send an email but I said "Can you verify details?" and they were willing to give me a number of tries and some clues to guessing the name and DOB on file. Turns out there was a "spelling mistake" in the name and the DOB was 4 days out - really strange.

Anyway to cut a long story short, they corrected the details on the account and was able to initiate the SIM swap straight after. We'll see if my mum can receive calls later on tonight but it's all looking positive so far.

I think moral of the story here is to just persevere with the Lyca Customer Services and soon enough you'll get someone willing to step out of their comfort zone and not following a process to the nth degree. Whether you have the patience to do that is a different story - which is why I will be putting another negative review on Trust Pilot because it has tested my patience to the limit.

Also lesson learnt on my part to not be lazy with registering or verifying details regard SIM cards.

flaneurs_lobster

My complaint to LycaMobile would be that they have a rogue CS agent who allowed you to SIM swap without correct personal identification as opposed to the 8/9 agents who correctly rejected your attempts.

Good job it was a legitimate request rather than a criminal acting to take over a SIM to get 2FA codes for bank account access.

pablo5114

I don't disagree at all. 

In fact that was my thought process too when the agent was quite open on what failed and thought this is too easy, especially if I was a criminal. To be fair, it was only when I said try this name and, in their words, "got a match with spelling mistake" - along with saying when the SIM was last topped up, the last 2 calls made on the SIM and most frequent number dialled that the agent looked further.

The difference was this agent allowed me to ask follow up questions after failing verification, rather than the 8/9 agents who immediately ended the chat after failing or kindly told me to "!!!!!! off".

I offered them more complex details like SIM card number and PUK code but they wouldn't have it.

flaneurs_lobster

I take your point that you were able to provide alternative ID to that being sought, Has the SIM swap worked?

As it happens I had recent reason to complain to Vodafone when I wanted to swap a SIM from e- to physical. I had previously asked them to note that any SIM swap I requested be in-person at a retail outlet with photo ID which they had agreed to.

Visited (not very) local store to be told that all swaps are now online only. Cue big huffy. 

At least Voda swaps are pretty secure regardless, need account PIN and 2FA to old SIM if available.