Mobile Phone Contract FRAUD

Joel_Goodsen · 10 April 2018 at 10:07PM

Evening everyone

Long story short, I received 3 withheld calls to my mobile last night but ignored them. I woke up today to 3 text messages from 150 (EE) saying thanks for coming in store and upgrading etc.

Problem is that I haven't upgraded my phone or been in any stores.

I logged into my phone account to see that I had been upgraded to an £80 a month contract and new Iphone X.

Spoke to EE and apparently someone claiming to be me, went into a carphone warehouse store and walked away with a new contract and iphone X.

I feel livid and violated. EE have lodged a fraud report with their dept, which takes 7 days for a response and I have contacted my bank to change cards etc.

How this has happened, I have no idea! Has this happened to anyone else and are there any others steps I should take?

Ben8282 · 10 April 2018 at 10:31PM

Why have you contacted your bank to change cards? Have they been lost or stolen? Has anything been debited to them?
This person who successfully impersonated you in the EE store must have produced some ID and given out sufficient information to pass themselves off as you. Are you really sure you have no idea who they might have been?

Joel_Goodsen · 10 April 2018 at 10:34PM

I contacted the bank just to be on the safe side. Nothing debited. No ID or bank cards have been lost or stolen, which makes this whole thing more frustrating/confusing.

I honestly have no idea at all and have no idea how they could have gotten away with it either.

My upgrade was due in a few days and the more I think about it, the more I fear it was an inside job from an employee, especially since no ID etc has been lost from me.

Joel_Goodsen · 10 April 2018 at 10:36PM

Also, I am with EE but the fraudulent upgrade was done in a Carphone Warehouse store.

Debt_suvivor · 16 April 2018 at 11:55PM

That!!!8217;s really strange, car phone warehouse should be asking for ID for this to even be authorised in a store

nic_c · 17 April 2018 at 12:36AM

It could well be by someone you know, as they would need to know your details and you have to show ID in a CPW. I can't see how it could be an inside job at CPW as how would they get your details?

Candyapple · 17 April 2018 at 12:02PM

It's someone you know. How else would they have known your mobile number and what type of contract you had and also that you were due for an upgrade?

Is the CPW store local to you?

You need to contact the police and ask them to contact CPW store to obtain the CCTV footage.

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ID

You should also apply for CIFAS protective registration to prevent the thief from trying to open any further accounts in your name elsewhere:

https://www.cifas.org.uk/services/identity-protection/protective-registration

Candyapple · 17 April 2018 at 12:24PM

I just did a live chat with a CPW operative and they said if you upgraded in-store you would need:

- Photo ID (e.g. passport or driving licence)
- Proof of residence
- 3 months bank statements
- Pay slip

Whereas if you upgraded online, you don't need any of that and you can also collect the phone in-store. They send a text to your mobile number in order for you to continue with the online application (did you receive this?) and then you fill out your name, DOB and email address.

Interestingly I asked what if I ordered online and wanted to collect the phone instore but wanted a friend to collect on my behalf? This was their answer:

Yes you can get your friend to collect it, if you place the order now online. I can setup a note and password on our system, so when your friend collects the device all they need to do is to give them is the note and password for the guys to see in store on the system.

Note - no ID would be needed for this.

Mobile Phone Contract FRAUD

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