topic Re: SIM swap fraud in Discussions & Feedback

SIM swap fraud

GN_scot — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 14:52:39 GMT

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping someone here can help as I’ve been dealing with a very distressing case for nearly over a week now and getting nowhere with O2 support.

On 12/09/2025 I lost service completely and discovered an unauthorised eSIM had been activated on my account (SIM-swap fraud).
I contacted O2 almost immediately, but it took 7 days before I had a working phone again.
Despite me flagging the fraudulent activity another line was taken out in my name a few days later as O2 had still failed to secure my account.
The fraudster appears to have used my number to make around £240 worth of Google Play Store purchases, which are now showing as pending charges on my account.
Both my tariff and my wife’s tariff were also changed to more expensive plans by the fraudster — they have still not been restored despite repeated assurances.
I have spoken to O2 over 15 times (calls and webchat) and been told the case is “escalated” every time, yet no one from the fraud team has contacted me except a single voicemail attempt on 17/09 which I never received.
Today I have been told there is “no fraud” and that I should wait until my bill is produced, then raise a dispute with Google Play myself.

I do not have visibility of the Google account the fraudster used — these are not my purchases — so I don’t see how I can dispute them with Google directly. Surely O2 should be liaising with Google to reverse charges made possible by an unauthorised SIM activation?

I’m now extremely worried about:

Being charged £250+ on my next bill (plus higher tariffs I never agreed to).
Having to pay under protest just to protect my credit rating.
The fact my account still seems vulnerable (I am still receiving eSIM activation messages).

Has anyone successfully had these charges removed and tariffs corrected after a SIM-swap? Any advice on escalation routes beyond the complaints review service?

Thanks in advance for any help — I’m at my wits’ end with this and just want my account secured and my bill corrected.

Re: SIM swap fraud

MI5 — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 15:00:31 GMT

@Dave-O2

Re: SIM swap fraud

Dave-O2 — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 10:16:40 GMT

Thanks for the tag @MI5

@GN_scot Can you please drop me the mobile number linked to the Fraud & i'll take a closer look 👍

Re: SIM swap fraud

GN_scot — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 19:03:59 GMT

Hi Dave

Thanks for replying. I’m happy to provide the details you’ve requested — I’ll send you a private message now with the affected number and a short summary of the issues. I really appreciate your help.

Re: SIM swap fraud

joemcd97 — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:46:05 GMT

The exact same thing has just happened to me, noticed a bunch of emails saying I have started a new contract then checked my account to find £150 of google play charges...

o2 said I need to wait until the bill comes through in 2 days before they can investigate...

Have you had any luck @GN_scot @Dave-O2 ?

Thanks

Re: SIM swap fraud

GN_scot — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 20:50:46 GMT

Hi, sorry to hear you’re going through the same thing — I completely understand your frustration.

I’m still in the middle of trying to resolve the issues (almost a full month on). O2 are currently showing an outstanding balance of around £350 on my account when it should be under £20, and both my phone lines are still on the wrong, more expensive tariffs.

This is despite O2 sending me two separate letters confirming they found fraudulent activity and that I “won’t need to pay any charges the fraudster incurred.”

The most frustrating part is that all the fraudulent Google Play purchases took place almost two hours after I first notified O2 (twice) about suspicious emails and asked them to freeze my account. That delay feels like gross negligence, as the losses could have been fully prevented if they’d acted in time.

My case has now been referred to the fraud team three or four times, yet their actions have often made things worse — including closing cases without contacting me, which even allowed further fraud to occur when my account was unblocked.

I’ve reported everything to Police Scotland and Action Fraud, both of whom confirmed this was criminal activity. The police even suggested not paying the bill, but realistically, that would risk my credit score, so I may need to pay first and reclaim later.

At this point, I’ve spent over 15 hours on calls and webchats with O2. With a few exceptions, the customer service has been incredibly poor — repeated broken promises of callbacks and misleading messages claiming they “tried to reach me three times,” despite me having no missed calls or voicemails.

If O2 don’t fix this soon, I’ll be escalating to the Communications Ombudsman once the eight-week period passes. Based on the evidence, I’m confident the case will be found in my favour, but it’s been an exhausting experience.

Sorry if this sounds like a rant — I just wanted to be upfront about what you might be up against, so you can push hard for a resolution early on. I genuinely hope you have a quicker outcome than I’ve had.

@Dave-O2 For your info.

Re: SIM swap fraud

Oxonian — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 13:44:21 GMT

A good rant never did anyone any harm @GN_scot. 👍

You mention escalation to the Communication Ombudsman but I cannot see mention of a formal complaint. Your reference to "....once the eight-week period passes" implies that you are familiar with the procedure but I just thought that I would check. 😀

Re: SIM swap fraud

GN_scot — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 14:35:00 GMT

Hi

Thanks for your comment and checking that point.

I have submitted a formal complaint to both resolutionsteamo2@virginmediao2.co.uk and complaintreviewservice@o2.com .

In fact I've been following up almost daily with latest developments/issues as they arise but still no resolution.

Thanks

Re: SIM swap fraud

Oxonian — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 15:07:38 GMT

You are welcome @GN_scot !

Re: SIM swap fraud

joemcd97 — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 17:11:48 GMT

What a nightmare!! @GN_scot

From your experience I suspect I will have to go through the same dramas. I have read on here more and more cases of this happening...

Finger crossed we can get this sorted, I have cancelled my direct debit but as you said this will negatively affect my credit score. I have never had a problem with o2 but after this I will most certainly be moving.

Re: SIM swap fraud

Oxonian — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 18:23:04 GMT

Do be careful @joemcd97 with the cancellation of your DD. It will likely lead to O2 selling your perceived debt to a debt collection agency, with the complications that inevitably brings. 👍

Re: SIM swap fraud

KlaudiaSiodla95 — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 19:08:21 GMT

Im a victim of eSIM fraud as well. What do I do?

Re: SIM swap fraud

pgn — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 19:54:27 GMT

@KlaudiaSiodla95 wrote:
Im a victim of eSIM fraud as well. What do I do?

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/safety-and-security/fraud-scams-and-unwanted-calls/report-a-scam-or-fraud will point you the right way. When calling 202, stay silent until message plays, then say "Fraud" clearly. Other ways to contact O2 here:

Good luck, @KlaudiaSiodla95.

Re: SIM swap fraud

Dave-O2 — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 11:22:31 GMT

Afternoon @joemcd97

So i can check this out, can you please drop me a PM with your mobile number & i'll take a closer look 👍

Re: SIM swap fraud

Twickenham — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 11:06:18 GMT

Sorry to hear that. The same thing happened to me recently. An eSim was activated on my account 3 times. I was unaware it was fraudulent activity at the time and called O2 who reactivated my account each time but did not even realise that this was fraud. After a few days, I finally realised what was happening when some of my financial accounts were being used by a fraudster who was able to change my passwords by having control of my phone and using phone SMS verification to change passwords. I called O2 and the fraud team who put a block on my O2 account and have since added what they say is extra security. I subsequently received a letter from O2 acknowledging that there had been fraud, but giving no explanation about how this could have happened (was it done over the phone, or online through my O2 account), how could it have happened 3 times, what information about me did the fraudster give to O2 to convince O2 that it was me, exactly what has been put in place to ensure this does not happen again. I have asked O2 customer support to speak to the O2 fraud team who were supposed to call me back but have not. I asked a second time and was told the fraud team have closed the case and O2 customer complaints will call me to explain what happened. I have yet to hear from them. This incident has caused me enormous stress and a huge amount of work securing all my financial related accounts. I have also incurred financial losses. To rub salt in the wounds, while I was on one of many calls with O2, they changed my tariff (a small reduction) and, without telling me, moved me from an existing rolling contract to a 24 month contract. I am still not convinced that this won't happen again. O2 clearly has serious security issues with eSIM swapping.

Re: SIM swap fraud

Twickenham — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:50:26 GMT

No reply from O2 to my post. No surprises there.

Re: SIM swap fraud

MI5 — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 09:31:34 GMT

That's because this is a community forum, not O2 @Twickenham