Pay Monthly and Pay & Go

[xanyleon]

Hi there,

I've had to do some research due to some bizarre debt collection letters coming through my post.

As far as I know the only person who has had an o2 account would be my wife at the time from when the charges all lead back to (spoke to o2 and debt collectors over the phone to cross-reference dates).

Now the thing is I remember when she got her Blackberry she paid for the phone in full and went onto a o2 plan called Simplicity SIM only:

http://www.o2.co.uk/tariffs/simplicity

A monthly payment has been coming out of her account and there are no missed payments.

This is where things get weird...

Some post that had been coming through my door with a slightly different name to myself and it's been happening for a while. I don't generally open letters unless it's for me... Although on one occasion recently when I noticed the letters were pink, I know this is usually for something regarding a company asking for payments (it happened with my council tax, but I paid that off right away) and I decided to open it to find that it's regarding quite a big debt linked to my address. I called the company to find out if it has anything to do with me.

Turns out my D.O.B matches the name matched in the letters...

Okay so apart from the surname being completely wrong it seems that the debt is aimed at me.

I'm trying to find out what's not been paid for, I don't remember to us agreeing to any other agreement other than the one my wife took out "http://www.o2.co.uk/tariffs/simplicity".

The only thing I thought that may have caused the confusion is that there was a PAC code change but then no one has really stated that it should cause any problems.

I have spoken to o2 and they've been as helpful as they can for the moment but I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this before with unexplained billing/debt collection?

The one thing that puzzled the o2 operator when on the phone was that the debt is linked to a number with my details but there is no "tariff" in place.

She stated that it looked like an "incomplete account".

Surely they should be confirming my details by credit card, utility bill or signature at least before signing me up for something?!? I don't even remember signing anything for o2!

Any insight would be most grateful.

[adamtemp64]

I would look at the possibility of identity theft and check your credit score with one of the companies.

[xanyleon]

Thanks, I'll look into it.

Much appreciated.

[gwappa2]

I work in the debt collection industry. This doesn't sound like identity fraud. It sounds like a tracing agent has incorrectly traced this particular customer to your address because your date of birth on public records matches and your surname maybe similar.

I would ask them which address the account was opened, and also a copy of the agreement

[xanyleon]

Thanks for the advice,

Much appreciated.