Massive mobile bill.
Discussion
My mother in her wisdom has run up a mobile bill of £300 odd, she couldn't understand what she had done as she still had texts, minutes and data allowance left for this month.
A call to vodafone and they could tell her she phoned an 0843 number yesterday afternoon.
A quick check of her call log proves this, she received a miss call from the number and as she was out for dinner with friends has put the phone bag in her bag and inadvertently managed to make a call back.
The vodafone colleague said the call was only 20 minutes long. Considering it's a contract of £23 a month she's on what she's ended up with is a bit more and I haven't even worked out what that is per minute!
Vodafone say there's not much they can do but surely there must be something that can be done. I know it's the stupid old bag's fault but this is basically daylight robbery and Vodafone are standing by watching it happen.
Surely there must be some process to make a fuss even it it doesn't result in any refund. I sure as hell wouldn't lie down and pay this myself.
A call to vodafone and they could tell her she phoned an 0843 number yesterday afternoon.
A quick check of her call log proves this, she received a miss call from the number and as she was out for dinner with friends has put the phone bag in her bag and inadvertently managed to make a call back.
The vodafone colleague said the call was only 20 minutes long. Considering it's a contract of £23 a month she's on what she's ended up with is a bit more and I haven't even worked out what that is per minute!
Vodafone say there's not much they can do but surely there must be something that can be done. I know it's the stupid old bag's fault but this is basically daylight robbery and Vodafone are standing by watching it happen.
Surely there must be some process to make a fuss even it it doesn't result in any refund. I sure as hell wouldn't lie down and pay this myself.
Edited by BMR on Tuesday 4th December 21:23
I'm no expert but I thought there were legal limits to the charges that can be applied on 'premium rate' lines to avoid just this sort of thing? OFCOM may be the place to look?
ETA:
http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/tell-us/telecoms/
ETA:
http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/tell-us/telecoms/
Edited by V8 Disco on Tuesday 4th December 21:26
Something's seriously wrong there, that's the equivalent to £15 per minute, which even international calls to zone 6 don't generate comparable costs.
Are you happy to disclose the dialled number? I can run this through our system (O2, not Voda) and see what sort of costs you should expect?
I'm certain this is a billing error.
Are you happy to disclose the dialled number? I can run this through our system (O2, not Voda) and see what sort of costs you should expect?
I'm certain this is a billing error.
She's not reading this. 
Had another look at the phone just there. What I thought was 15 minutes was actually 15 hours and 12 minutes. So the charge per minute was 32p roughly I think that's within the chargeable amounts allowed. She says the phone had a green bar at the top of it this morning when she woke up so obviously thats when she has then went and ended the call. (ETA - still doesn't explain Vodafone saying it was 20 minutes long)
It also transpires she has managed to then put this call on hold, as she was on the phone to someone else last night. (couldn't figure that out to start with!)
My worry regarding this is that if you phone back this number surely they should be hanging you up after a short recorded message to say who they are. Not allowing you to be on the phone to them for 15 hours.
Had another look at the phone just there. What I thought was 15 minutes was actually 15 hours and 12 minutes. So the charge per minute was 32p roughly I think that's within the chargeable amounts allowed. She says the phone had a green bar at the top of it this morning when she woke up so obviously thats when she has then went and ended the call. (ETA - still doesn't explain Vodafone saying it was 20 minutes long)
It also transpires she has managed to then put this call on hold, as she was on the phone to someone else last night. (couldn't figure that out to start with!)
My worry regarding this is that if you phone back this number surely they should be hanging you up after a short recorded message to say who they are. Not allowing you to be on the phone to them for 15 hours.
Edited by BMR on Tuesday 4th December 22:09
Teddye4687 said:
Something's seriously wrong there, that's the equivalent to £15 per minute, which even international calls to zone 6 don't generate comparable costs.
Are you happy to disclose the dialled number? I can run this through our system (O2, not Voda) and see what sort of costs you should expect?
I'm certain this is a billing error.
Are you happy to disclose the dialled number? I can run this through our system (O2, not Voda) and see what sort of costs you should expect?
I'm certain this is a billing error.
A google earlier brought up a forum with posts from today and yesterday saying it's a PPI number.
Bluequay said:
They are making money for as long as the call is connected, why would they disconnect it?
This is it, unfortunately.OP, the best you'll get is Voda offering a discount (they won't sell at a loss), so might be worth giving this a shot. It'll be 30% off at a maximum, though.
Sorry to hear, but sounds like it might not be the best suited phone for your mum?
goldblum said:
Caulkhead said:
BMR said:
I sure as hell wouldn't lie down and pay this myself.
Why?That's why I said I wouldn't pay it lying down. Of course now we know it was 15 hrs long.
I think the phone model is OK for my mum, she's not that old..
We've tried to re enact the call being on hold (not the the 0843 number!!) and to be honest, I probably wouldn't have realised it was on hold either. The last few posts have summed up what I feel. Legally the company is doing everything OK, but morally it's a bit off. I've urged her to pester Vodafone for a bit of lee way. She has been a customer for about 10 years so hoping they take this into account.
There is a limit to what voda can do even if they are inclined. They have to pay for the call anyway so the maximum they can do is drop it to closer to the rate they will be paying. To be honest, if they offer anything, take it! Voda have done nothing wrong although you may possibly have some leverage with the PPI line by telling them you will report them to Ofcom but realistically neither they nor Voda have done anything wrong and Voda simply have no responsibility for this at all.
I would be most upset in your shoes but the fact is it was an unfortunate mistake made by your mum as oppose to any failure by the network. You can try Ofcom for the Voda complaint but there is nothing they can do really as off the top of my head I can't see any regulation they have breached.
I would be most upset in your shoes but the fact is it was an unfortunate mistake made by your mum as oppose to any failure by the network. You can try Ofcom for the Voda complaint but there is nothing they can do really as off the top of my head I can't see any regulation they have breached.
BMR said:
goldblum said:
Caulkhead said:
BMR said:
I sure as hell wouldn't lie down and pay this myself.
Why?Vodafone is your first stop.
If CS don't seem interested in helping out beyond a cursory £30 discount or something, then use the CEOMail website to contact the CEO and explain the issue, etc.
After that, if not resolved, then OFCOM or/and the handset manufacturer.
Other than that, she'll have to rack it up as an expensive lesson learnt.
If CS don't seem interested in helping out beyond a cursory £30 discount or something, then use the CEOMail website to contact the CEO and explain the issue, etc.
After that, if not resolved, then OFCOM or/and the handset manufacturer.
Other than that, she'll have to rack it up as an expensive lesson learnt.
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