topic Re: Disgraceful charges!!! in Discussions & Feedback

Disgraceful charges!!!

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 15:45:07 GMT

This is the letter I have written to O2 this morning after being charged £125 for 30 minute call, they then blamed 118 118, saying the charge is solely theirs. I called 118 118 who kindly refunded there side but O2 would not budge a inch and stated rather unhelpfully that adverting is advertising and I should pay more attention!!!
To whom it may concern,

I am writing in regards to a serious issue that I have encountered regarding your company. I made a call to 118 118 using my mobile (5pm 30.1.15), this call was in regards to helping a friend of mine find accommodation through the gateway service for homeless people.
The call lasted 30 minutes, of course i expected to have a charge higher than normal but to my horror I was charged £125 for this single call.
I called your customer service team and was informed the charge had nothing to do with O2 and the charge was solely from 118 118. I then called 118 118 and they explained there is a charge which they rescinded, but they only charge £2.57 per minute, therefore they charged me £79.35.
I then contacted your customer service team yet again and spoke to Philomena, she said she was unaware of what proportion O2 charged, but was not willing to refund the difference.
My phone is blocked, this in a time where I am on benefits and looking for work is paramount to daylight robbery, your team has being incredible inflexible and have chosen to hide behind set costs and stating it is all in the advertising, so basically like it or lump. The cost for this one call is debilitating to say the least and i even offered to pay the sum over a period of time, this just just get my phone up and running so I can make calls and receive call in regards to work.
I would ask this is dealt with with immediate effect. I have worked for software companies and even sold social media technology, I am fully aware of how companies such as yourselves realise the damage of this kind of case can bring.
I am happy to make a partial realistic payment but can find no way in this world that your charge and subsequent actions can be justified.

My case reference is:****

Kind regards,

Jeremy Travis

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 14:02:59 GMT

Unfortunately your not speaking to O2 Customer Services on the forum , but fellow customers like you.

Their is the http://www.o2.co.uk/how-to-complain/complain route you can take too.

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 14:19:49 GMT

Hi @Anonymous

Is that ref from the automated response you have received from the e-mail you sent to the complaints team?

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 15:51:27 GMT

I am trying to broadcast the disgraceful service and charges I have experienced today from O2. I complained online and was emailed stating it takes 7 days for a response, this is unaccpetable as O2 have barred my phone in the interim.

Can you help or advise me on what to do please?

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 16:15:11 GMT

I've read your own thread and Do sympathise.

Ring back as sometimes speaking to a different agent reaps further results.

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 16:21:02 GMT

Hi @Anonymous

So there are two separate issues: the 118 charges and the bars added to your account.

The 118 charges.The email sent to the complaints team is the correct place to send your complaint . But then there's the bars, Do you know if they have been placed due to high usage or because the bill is late? And just as a curiosity, would you accept, as a Good will gesture , a credit for half the charges to resolve the issue fast?

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

viridis — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 16:35:57 GMT

118118 have refunded their charges @Anonymous which I assume is the £79 the op was mentioning.

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

viridis — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 16:38:16 GMT

O2's portion of charges being roughly £46, much less than half the overall £125.

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 16:39:57 GMT

but the £79 doesn't cover for all the charges there's another £91 left just for that call.

The reason I want further information is to try and help the op get rid of the bars first off all so that he can use the phone:smileyhappy:

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

viridis — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 16:42:37 GMT

Eh £91

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 16:53:21 GMT

@viridis ! For some reason I decided the call was 150.00 not 125.00... duh!

So ignoring the 91.00 ....as I was saying £46.00....

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

viridis — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 16:59:36 GMT

I see no reason whatsoever why the op wouldn't accept half of the 46.
Even just the 46 for 30 minutes would be satisfactory for me in the knowledge that such numbers are expected to be more expensive.

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

Cleoriff — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 17:01:48 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@viridis ! For some reason I decided the call was 150.00 not 125.00... duh!
So ignoring the 91.00 ....as I was saying £46.00....

I was going to say something Rosa...but as my maths are rubbish I thought I would just back away from the mic.....

Back on topic Cleo...

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 17:02:55 GMT

So it would appear that the OP rang 118 118, asked for a number and then (I presume) 118 118 offered to put them through to the number?

If that is correct then that is how 118 118 are making their money as you carry on being billed (by o2) at the rate charged for calling 118 118 instead of normal call rates. These charges are, of course, high but are also well advertised by o2.

For the future I would strongly recommend instead of using 118 118 or any of the other directory enquiry lines, use the phone to Google for the number or try BT Directories at bt.com first. If you then only get a premium rate number then use www.saynoto0870.com to try to find an alternative standard rate number.

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

MI5 — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 17:06:34 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

I have worked for software companies and even sold social media technology, I am fully aware of how companies such as yourselves realise the damage of this kind of case can bring.

I'm trying to work out what this statement means...... Anyone ?

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 17:07:51 GMT

To add to @Anonymous 's excellent advice on the justsayno website their are also some pretty good Apps that can be downloaded that can help to convert numbers so they come out of your inclusive minutes allowances too.

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 17:12:22 GMT

@MI5 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I have worked for software companies and even sold social media technology, I am fully aware of how companies such as yourselves realise the damage of this kind of case can bring.
I'm trying to work out what this statement means...... Anyone ?

It is another case of an OP saying unless you give me what I want I will huff and I will puff and I will try to blow your house down.

It looks to me like the OP has had a call put through and so has done well to get 118's element refunded. Not sure why o2 should refund. He has made the call. But if he can get a partial credit then fair enough but making veiled "threats" are unlikely to help.

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

MI5 — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 17:15:59 GMT

Ahhh, it was a threat

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

viridis — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 17:16:37 GMT

....that seemingly worked.

Re: Disgraceful charges!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 31 Jan 2015 17:17:03 GMT

That is how I would read it Mr Ultimate Poster @MI5 😈😈