Phone barred due to 'fraud'

roguebrogue

On christmas eve I noticed I could no longer send texts/make calls on my mobile. I recently started a new contract, about 2/3 months ago.
I rang orange, only to be told that a block had been put on the account by
the fraud department. I would need to send in 2 proof of address.

Because I was away for christmas I couldn't do this until a week and a half later. I faxed a council tax bill and a letter from npower to orange. A week went by and nothing happened. In the mean time my sim was made inactive, so nobody can contact me either.
I rang Orang again and was told I needed to send in another proof of address. So I did.

Again, after 2 days nothing happened, so I rang Orange for a third time only to be told that my last proof of address was not suitable.
They asked for a full driving liscence (only have a provisional) or a passport (don't have one).
I said, seeing as my contract is practically terminated anyway, I wanted to cancel.

After speaking to the fraud department they came back to me and said that I could sent a recent bank statement and the phone will be activated within 48 hours (where have I heard this before!)...but if I wanted to cancel I would need to pay the remaining 16 months line rental.

I got fed up and hung up in the end. After I complained about the complete lack of customer service, no one told me what would be acceptable as proof.

So far it's been nearly a month since my phone stopped working, and 3 weeks since I sent the first proof of address.

AND I can't fax them a bank statement yet as I don't have one to fax! Will be going to the bank later to sort this.

N.B One thing that may be worth noting. I moved recently, and so all the proof of address I've sent shows an address different to what they have on the contract, but I explained this on the covering letter I sent to them. And when I called the first time they said that it would be fine!

So what would you do? Shall I just sit back and take it, should I write a letter?
I just feel so annoyed, I've done everything they've asked but there seems to be no give on there part.

rainbowtrout

sounds very strange they only accept full driving licences! As far as I'm aware all the security checks are done when you apply for the provisional licence and no extra id is needed to get the full one, so I can't think of any where that wouldn't accept a provisional licence. Might they mean they want both the counterpart AND the photo ID? Have you tried going to an Orange shop to see if they'll sort it out for you?

roguebrogue

Having tried going into a shop actually...might be an idea!

The conversation on the phone went like this:

Him: 'Do you have a driving license?'
Me: 'Yes, well a provisional one.'
Him: 'Ah no it has to be a full one.'

nixforfun

Hi...I have had the same experience with Orange. In Jan 1st week they barred my phone saying they suspected fraud. this was without any intimation to me and I was really furious. I have sent them my bank statements and credit card statements more than 5-6 times by Fax but there is no action from them and everytime they tell me that they have recieved just one proof and not others.

I have got tired of this and moved onto O2. Really dont know what is the status of my account. Luckily I was on a Orange Sim only tariff and hence was never a long term contract. I have told them i wish to terminate connection and since last 10 days there has been no progress.

Is there any problem which might happen if I dont respond and take no action?

Zazen999

Yes, they could try and get the full contract amount from you. You need to sort it out.

You need to request that they tell you the context of the original fraud; and to find a solution [which i would do face to face in a shop with a manager].

Otherwise, in months to come there will be debt collectors sent out to recover the money. That's how they do things.

roguebrogue

Update:

My phone is still barred. I have sent them everything they have asked for and each time I hear nothing, ring up and am told that what I have sent is not good enough.

When I called on Monday I got so frustrated I said I wanted to cancel it and how much would it cost?

'Oh you can't cancel it, it's a terminated contract and you would need to reinstate it to cancel it'
'Fine, then I'll leave it terminated.'
'Oh no I can't advised you to do that, as it would put a fraud note on your credit report.'

So I'm stuck! It's been 2 months and it's still barred, I can't cancel it and can't leave it terminated but it seems everytime I send what they ask for it's not good enough and I've reached the end of my tether!

I went into my local orange shop and they said they couldn't help me.

Oh, and they said the reason it was barred in the first place was because the documents I provided them with when I took out the contract weren't sufficient...so surely that makes the contract invalid?

SO ANNOYED.

Intasun32

@Roguebrogue,

I know only too well how frustrating this can be when the networks totally ignore you and you have nowhere to go, but you do!

You will have to wait until it has been 12 weeks since you first found that your phone had been barred, which is soon. The people you need to contact are CISAS ( http://www.cisas.org.uk/index.asp ) to make your complaint. This will not please Orange as, unlike Otelo, Orange have to pay the costs of hearing your compaint.

Hope this helps, also write to Orange and tell them you are contacting CISAS.

diamonds

executive.office@orange.co.uk

roguebrogue

Ok so I have faxed off my bank statement....again....

Am giving them the 48 hours they say it takes to unbar it, then I shall ring them...if I get all the rubbish from them as I did before then I shall go from there and take the above suggestions on board! Thanks guys.

I've ordered a free pay as you go sim card for the time being though...

roguebrogue

Just another quick update, my phone is STILL barred so looks like I will be ringing them in my lunch break.

I am dreading it...

roguebrogue

Right. Just got off the phone to them.

They received my bank statment, but apparently I failed the credit check (not sure why, no defaults, a few late payments but that's it. and I passed it to take out the contract in the first place...but there we go) and so my contract is now terminated...and they told me that nothing will be put on my credit report. Also I have to take the handset back to the shop, but I'll wait to get that in writing before I do it.

I'm relieved it's over to be honest. And am going back to pay as you go...far less complicated!