Hi All
I would be grateful for any support/ advice.
On May 17th I was in Barcelona, my phone got stolen around 1 am, My friends weren't able to make international calls from their phones, so they escorted me to two different pay phones to contact vodafone.to stop the sim.
The international wasn't working and I wasn't able to get through despite numerous attempts. A catalan friend phoned BCN police to inform them my phone had been stolen. I flew back on the same day. Tried again to phone the international number at BCN airport to no avail and finally got through to vodafone at 5.55pm on the UK number. to my relief and my sim was blocked and phone black listed.
On June 1st i received a ext from VF saying my phone was showing unusual activity and to contact them. Which I did.
A SHOCKING SUNDAY the person who had got hold of my phone had used my sim to rack up a £5800 from approximately 4am until 5.55pm on 17th May. they stopped my phone service ( saying unless I was willing to pay a substantial amount of the bill phone service would be stopped. I refused to pay.
ON 2nd I phoned VF and spoke to customer services, regarding the above. the person reported that they could see I wasn't liable for the charges, that it was fraud and that I wasn't to worry all would work out well and the charges would go to Vodafone Leakage team.
I was so relieved my phone service was put back on and I have continued to have a service.
Over the months I have have had many mixed messages from vodafone.
Sadly they sent me a deadlock letter in August and I went to the Ombudsmen.
I thought this would resolve the situation, Ombudsmen initially said that I had a strong case because I had shown every reasonable attempt to contact Vodafone, to stop SIM, they also mentioned that VF had a strong case because under terms and conditions I am liable for any charges until I get the SIm stopped.
Evidence sent to Ombuds were witness statements from 2 friends who live in BCN and who had helped me to locate pay phones and also tried to phone international number for me when i wasn't getting through. also police statement was sent and a list of all the dates and conversations with VF. including the phone calls where I was told I wasn't liable and charges would go to leakage team.
Ombudsmen have now phoned and reported that they were looking to see if I would verbally agree ( over the phone) to the agreement they had come up with , with VF. They said that I didn't need to accept their findings.
Basically they said they work from evidence and apparently the evidence is
under terms and conditions I am liable for charges until I stop the SIM
VF have no awareness that their international number was having any problems on that day.
and that because I can't physically evidence the calls attempted/ made to international number ( apart from the witness statements) I am llaible for the bill.
They said that they have arranged for VF to write an apology for their confusing customer services advice and as a good will gesture VF are offering 10 % off the bill.
I will apparently receive a letter from VF and Ombudsmen and will have 28 days to deal with the issue in a formal way.
I am quite stressed , recently found out that my father is terminally and I'm struggling.
I don't have the money to pay the bill.
Legally I don't know where I stand in terms of being told by vodafone on a number of occasions that I wasn't liable for the charges and that it would go to the leakage team.???
I learnt on Friday that citizens advice approached parliament regarding the amount of debt/ bankruptcy that people are facing because of stolen phones and not being able to block their SIM, apparently VF and 3 other companies met with a Minister
and verbally agreed last autumn that they would commence a cap of £50 for people who's phones are stolen and there is illegal activity. They said they were going to put this in place in Spring this year( 2014) None of the phone companies have put this in place, ( I am going to find out more about this tomorrow) and will post what I learn. Whilst I know this isn' law, it may give me and other victims some leverage. I wondered if anyone has any thoughts ?
Thank you for your time, I would be grateful for any thoughts.
Mabel
I would be grateful for any support/ advice.
On May 17th I was in Barcelona, my phone got stolen around 1 am, My friends weren't able to make international calls from their phones, so they escorted me to two different pay phones to contact vodafone.to stop the sim.
The international wasn't working and I wasn't able to get through despite numerous attempts. A catalan friend phoned BCN police to inform them my phone had been stolen. I flew back on the same day. Tried again to phone the international number at BCN airport to no avail and finally got through to vodafone at 5.55pm on the UK number. to my relief and my sim was blocked and phone black listed.
On June 1st i received a ext from VF saying my phone was showing unusual activity and to contact them. Which I did.
A SHOCKING SUNDAY the person who had got hold of my phone had used my sim to rack up a £5800 from approximately 4am until 5.55pm on 17th May. they stopped my phone service ( saying unless I was willing to pay a substantial amount of the bill phone service would be stopped. I refused to pay.
ON 2nd I phoned VF and spoke to customer services, regarding the above. the person reported that they could see I wasn't liable for the charges, that it was fraud and that I wasn't to worry all would work out well and the charges would go to Vodafone Leakage team.
I was so relieved my phone service was put back on and I have continued to have a service.
Over the months I have have had many mixed messages from vodafone.
Sadly they sent me a deadlock letter in August and I went to the Ombudsmen.
I thought this would resolve the situation, Ombudsmen initially said that I had a strong case because I had shown every reasonable attempt to contact Vodafone, to stop SIM, they also mentioned that VF had a strong case because under terms and conditions I am liable for any charges until I get the SIm stopped.
Evidence sent to Ombuds were witness statements from 2 friends who live in BCN and who had helped me to locate pay phones and also tried to phone international number for me when i wasn't getting through. also police statement was sent and a list of all the dates and conversations with VF. including the phone calls where I was told I wasn't liable and charges would go to leakage team.
Ombudsmen have now phoned and reported that they were looking to see if I would verbally agree ( over the phone) to the agreement they had come up with , with VF. They said that I didn't need to accept their findings.
Basically they said they work from evidence and apparently the evidence is
under terms and conditions I am liable for charges until I stop the SIM
VF have no awareness that their international number was having any problems on that day.
and that because I can't physically evidence the calls attempted/ made to international number ( apart from the witness statements) I am llaible for the bill.
They said that they have arranged for VF to write an apology for their confusing customer services advice and as a good will gesture VF are offering 10 % off the bill.
I will apparently receive a letter from VF and Ombudsmen and will have 28 days to deal with the issue in a formal way.
I am quite stressed , recently found out that my father is terminally and I'm struggling.
I don't have the money to pay the bill.
Legally I don't know where I stand in terms of being told by vodafone on a number of occasions that I wasn't liable for the charges and that it would go to the leakage team.???
I learnt on Friday that citizens advice approached parliament regarding the amount of debt/ bankruptcy that people are facing because of stolen phones and not being able to block their SIM, apparently VF and 3 other companies met with a Minister
and verbally agreed last autumn that they would commence a cap of £50 for people who's phones are stolen and there is illegal activity. They said they were going to put this in place in Spring this year( 2014) None of the phone companies have put this in place, ( I am going to find out more about this tomorrow) and will post what I learn. Whilst I know this isn' law, it may give me and other victims some leverage. I wondered if anyone has any thoughts ?
Thank you for your time, I would be grateful for any thoughts.
Mabel
£5800 mobile phone charges following theft in BCN If anyone can advise me ; (
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