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T-Mobile and Identity theft
Just thought I would share my recent experiences with t-mobile and the computer says no mentality !!
I am apparently the proud new owner of a new t-mobile phone contract with a brand spanking new blackberry, sadly I have never had or requested a contract from T-Mobile.
I contacted T-mobie immediately upon receiving a bill to ask what the hell had happened. They advised me I must have been the victim of identity theft and that the fraud office would be in touch. After much sweet talking to try and get some background information a very helpful lady went into the account and told me the account had been opened either online or over the phone, however near the end of the process when the fraudster asked for the handset to be sent to alternate address to the account address and was advised no the line went dead. When the sales dept tried calling back the mobile number that was supplied as the contact it went straight to a message service that wouldn't except voicemails, (call me silly but surely someone should have smelt a rat). At this point the person I spoke told me she shouldn't really be giving this information but that when the investigation was complete I would be able to contact the fraud office for further details (i am worried that it could be someone we know!!).
Anyhow role forward to today, 2 letters from T-Mobile. Number 1 A letter telling me the account has been cancelled followed by the usual data protection stuff. Number statement saying I owe £3.46!!!
Foolishly I thought I could ring up the number at the of the 1st letter (just below where it says fraud dept) and speak to someone in the fraud department. Oh how foolish am I ! The number was the none freephone central number for Everything Everywhere Ltd (T-Mobile and Orange), I duly asked for the fraud dept and was of course transferred to customer services. When I pointed out the mistake I was told the fraud department doesn't have phones (wow really in the 21st century at a mobile phone company). I countered this be explaining what I had been advised last time, I was told computer says no. At this point I am sure you can imagine a level of frustration creeping in. I asked for a manager to speak to, I was told he was busy. At this point I then decided to explain how a) as an account has been opened in my name then surely I am entitled to the information on who opened it and b) that a previous person I had spoke to had informed of what had happened re should the account really had been finalised. So to be quite frank go and get a manager now. At this point the ever efficient person asked me to hold and went to speak to someone. After 5 minutes on hold I was advised to go and speak to the police as they wouldn't be able to access the account to give me any further details (all as per their manager). I asked to speak to said manager, was told he was busy and would call me back, somewhat bemused I queried how they had just spoke to the manager if they aren't available to be advised he had just gone into a meeting! If I gave a time the manager would call me back within a 2 hour however he wouldn't be able to give me any further information as he wouldn't be able to access the account either. I asked who could access the account to be told no one, as I wasn't the account holder. That was unless I could give her the password setup for the account when the account was opened !!!!!! I told her I didn't have the password for obvious reasons but as I am the person named surely I can identify myself and then someone can look into the account, but I was told no because I had told them the account had been opened fraudulently so if she accessed the account she would be in breach of the data protection act !!!! At this point I gave up finally beaten down by the level of idiocy we have in these large organisations and I now await a phone call back from a customer service team manager who also cant help me.
Anyhow if anyone is interested in what happens next I will let you know, also any thoughts on the fact that surely the account shouldn't have been finalised one the line went dead and no contact could be made on the supplied number!
I am apparently the proud new owner of a new t-mobile phone contract with a brand spanking new blackberry, sadly I have never had or requested a contract from T-Mobile.
I contacted T-mobie immediately upon receiving a bill to ask what the hell had happened. They advised me I must have been the victim of identity theft and that the fraud office would be in touch. After much sweet talking to try and get some background information a very helpful lady went into the account and told me the account had been opened either online or over the phone, however near the end of the process when the fraudster asked for the handset to be sent to alternate address to the account address and was advised no the line went dead. When the sales dept tried calling back the mobile number that was supplied as the contact it went straight to a message service that wouldn't except voicemails, (call me silly but surely someone should have smelt a rat). At this point the person I spoke told me she shouldn't really be giving this information but that when the investigation was complete I would be able to contact the fraud office for further details (i am worried that it could be someone we know!!).
Anyhow role forward to today, 2 letters from T-Mobile. Number 1 A letter telling me the account has been cancelled followed by the usual data protection stuff. Number statement saying I owe £3.46!!!
Foolishly I thought I could ring up the number at the of the 1st letter (just below where it says fraud dept) and speak to someone in the fraud department. Oh how foolish am I ! The number was the none freephone central number for Everything Everywhere Ltd (T-Mobile and Orange), I duly asked for the fraud dept and was of course transferred to customer services. When I pointed out the mistake I was told the fraud department doesn't have phones (wow really in the 21st century at a mobile phone company). I countered this be explaining what I had been advised last time, I was told computer says no. At this point I am sure you can imagine a level of frustration creeping in. I asked for a manager to speak to, I was told he was busy. At this point I then decided to explain how a) as an account has been opened in my name then surely I am entitled to the information on who opened it and b) that a previous person I had spoke to had informed of what had happened re should the account really had been finalised. So to be quite frank go and get a manager now. At this point the ever efficient person asked me to hold and went to speak to someone. After 5 minutes on hold I was advised to go and speak to the police as they wouldn't be able to access the account to give me any further details (all as per their manager). I asked to speak to said manager, was told he was busy and would call me back, somewhat bemused I queried how they had just spoke to the manager if they aren't available to be advised he had just gone into a meeting! If I gave a time the manager would call me back within a 2 hour however he wouldn't be able to give me any further information as he wouldn't be able to access the account either. I asked who could access the account to be told no one, as I wasn't the account holder. That was unless I could give her the password setup for the account when the account was opened !!!!!! I told her I didn't have the password for obvious reasons but as I am the person named surely I can identify myself and then someone can look into the account, but I was told no because I had told them the account had been opened fraudulently so if she accessed the account she would be in breach of the data protection act !!!! At this point I gave up finally beaten down by the level of idiocy we have in these large organisations and I now await a phone call back from a customer service team manager who also cant help me.
Anyhow if anyone is interested in what happens next I will let you know, also any thoughts on the fact that surely the account shouldn't have been finalised one the line went dead and no contact could be made on the supplied number!
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