Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

[Inca]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

Now I am even more confused. Isn't PAYG based on phone credit - I thought that you bought credits and could not run up bills? Am I wrong?

OOHHH Good point Eloise.........how did they rack up a bill on PAYG????

[sonnyboy]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

Now I am confused as well :-)
(wasn't expecting to insert a smiley in this post!)
I bought the phone and pay monthly and a slightly higher rate that if I was on a full contract. This means I can leave with a months notice if I choose, and have no contract period to fulfil. Not sure if that is PAYG.

[wales01man]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

The plot thickens?
is POIROT still about?

[labman]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

It is impossible to run up a large bill on PAYG. Orange, I believe, has a £5 reserve tank on some tariffs (or is it EE now?) That's somewhat different to £1300 though. I think the OP has to explain this before they get any more help.

[PlanB]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

I was on pay monthly so no contract period. I will look to the posts and links later, and appreciate any further help.Am getting continuous calls fromDRS trying to get money from me
.

I think the OP may have been on one of those 'sim only' tarriffs where you pay a monthly line rental and for all calls made but no tie-in to a long contract. If you don't pay the next month the mobile company disconnect your phone and you owe nothing more than the calls to date. In this case £1,300 It's not uncommon for international calls to have 'late landing' charges which could explain why they didn't show up when the OP checked online.

DRS are aggressive debt collectors and I would suggest that you don't ignore them. They charge commission on the money they recover so they're pretty motivated. Send them a letter or email asking for proof of the debt. That should at least buy you time while you contact Vodafone to negotiate a workable solution

[Eloise01]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

Vodaphone has the same arrangement - there's a £3 reserve I believe. I only know about this because I noticed it on the site. The OP does not have PAYG - they have a SIM only monthly contract, same as I do. There isn't, as far as I know, a "higher tariff" - albeit I must admit to not having read every part of the site closely as I determined my needs and went with them. I have a monthly tariff and "opt-ins" for lower tariffs from abroad. It sounds like the OP is on the bog standard with no options exercised. On the other hand, I also don't leave my phone places (outside my house - I admit to having had to occasionally phone myself to find it!) and I have full security settings on, and can completly immobilise my phone and any use of it from any internet connection instantly. If you are going to buy phones that are status symbols to some people, and therefore desireable items to steal (and no, mine isn't an iPhone because I prefer Samsung) then you just have to ensure full security (as well as being careful). That's why my tablet isn't a desirable theftworthy item. It's still secured and I can trace it by GPS as soon as it's switched on - but it also cost £160 (although the same spec etc as the iPad) instead of a fortune. Because I am not going to slip a 10.2" screen in my pocket, it is more vulnerable, it isn't "desirable" because few people have heard of the brand - and if stolen I am not going to weep over it because it's pocket change to replace!

[PlanB]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

Now I am confused as well :-) I bought the phone and pay monthly and a slightly higher rate that if I was on a full contract. This means I can leave with a months notice if I choose, and have no contract period to fulfil. Not sure if that is PAYG.

I'm not confused even if you are, and I believe every word you've said so far My daughter lives in Hackney and she's on to her third iphone in less than a year. The handsets are generally exchanged for drugs within minutes of being stolen. The police have given up on helping with "petty crime" when stabbings and shootings occur in Hackney on an almost daily basis. They've got their hands full :mod:

I'm not surprised the police failed to help you.

[jon1965]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

Since when was £160 pocket change? (I do know people to whom it would be)

Much as I respect you Eloise I think that comment shows a little lack of thought on a forum that deals with a lot of people in significant debt

[jon1965]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

I now feel bad for even doubting the OP. I understand what sort of contract you have now, a 30 day rolling one. I can see how you could get stung.

[sonnyboy]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

Good advice on DRS. I will do so but am working now and really don't want to speak to them now as it will ruin my day. Although I made lots of mistakes, I still did nothing wrong and I am slowly getting to the realisation that I will have to pay this huge bill. It really is a kick in the teeth!
If you saw where I was at the time, you would realise it wasn't as careless as it sounds. The door wasn't open and the office is small enough for the most secure and careful of phone owners to get momentarily careless. I walk around all day with a hammer in my hand (for work, not paranoia :-) so thinking a thief would walk into a job with a closed door and small area (one room!!) and steal my phone virtually in front of me was unthinkable. It is a hard lesson learnt!
what can I do now? Calling Vodafone puts me through to a call centre. The last time I was put through to the manager who was sympathetic but had to follow the rules. If there is no way to avoid paying this, how can I plead for a reduced bill?
thanks for your continued help.
my tariff is sim only, so sorry for the confusion.

[sonnyboy]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

Thanks Plan BI know my behaviour may have sounded strange but if you know the area it is understandable. Who wouldn't report a phone to the police, but the crime rate in Hackney is very serious and you almost feel like you don't want to add to the police's problems. They were fantastic when my girlfriend was mugged for her phone but there is nothing they can do.
When you mentioned your daughter I sat up, thinking I knew you :-) A good friend's daughter moved to hackney and had 3 phones stolen in a relatively short time. But, he can barely send an email never mind post on a forum :-)

[labman]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

I can't get stung on my rolling contract as there is a credit limit imposed. This is clearly not the same on all networks.

[PlanB]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

The PCSO was friendly and told me the truth of the situation. I could have reported it stolen but it would not get my phone back. So, I made the decision to not bother. Believe me, I do regret it as it makes my shaky story even less believable.

I would think that any Police Community Support Officer would be expected to keep accurate records of their shift and these may be held at the police station to which they're attached. You've got the date of the theft and the approximate time in order to check this out. Would you recognise the helpful PCSO if you saw them again and vice versa? They may be willing to make a statement to back-up your story.

It's not over yet. You just need time to do some digging :typing:

Ask Vodafone to call off the dogs (DRS) while you gather the evidence they need.

[Inca]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

TBH,,the story is so outrageous it had to be true,,someone couldn't make that up lol.
I wish there was a better option for you than coughing up the money.

[PlanB]

Re: Vodafone charging me £1300 after phone was stolen!!

Thanks Plan BI know my behaviour may have sounded strange but if you know the area it is understandable. Who wouldn't report a phone to the police, but the crime rate in Hackney is very serious and you almost feel like you don't want to add to the police's problems. They were fantastic when my girlfriend was mugged for her phone but there is nothing they can do.
When you mentioned your daughter I sat up, thinking I knew you :-) A good friend's daughter moved to hackney and had 3 phones stolen in a relatively short time.

My daughter lives on London Fields where they shoot people :scared: She moved there because she thinks it's "edgy and gritty" :blah: :blah: and she works in the music biz so it goes with the territory :music: During the riots there were swarms of hoodies with baseball bats running down her street. My advice has always been just given them the damn phone because it's replaceable and you're not! That's why she's got three gone already :rant: