Default on Credit report (Virgin moved an unused sim to Volt without my permission)

[brasco__]

Hello,

I've been through quite a saga with this, but it has culminated in a default being added to my credit report, and I am furious about it.

TLDR: Virgin transferred an unused sim to O2 after the merger, didn't notify me or get my permission, disputed with O2, and they claimed the account was closed, apologised and "forgave" the charges, now I have a default on my credit report... Any ideas how to get it resolved faster?

I am a long-term Virgin Media customer, when they signed me up for my package, they convinced me it was cheaper to go for the bundle including a sim card, I never used this sim as I already had an O2 account and was happy with (data, perks etc).   In September, I started receiving payment reminders from O2 for an account I didn't recognise, I rang O2, went through security (using my current details) and they said this charge wasn't recognised and to ignore it as a suspected mistake/scam...

Fast-forward a month or two, I started getting notifications on my credit report (I follow them for security), that I had missed O2 payments, so I went round again calling O2 and getting the charges removed, it was a huge pain, but they said they had "credited the closed account" to stop this continuing.

This week, I've just got notifications of a default on an O2 account!  I'm currently writing to all the credit checkers to dispute this, but it's such a pain and seems like it'll take a long time to remove O2s mistake.  O2 themselves are incredibly opaque, and I struggle to even get someone on the phone to help, is there anything else I can do?  I raised a complaint with Virgin about moving me without permission, and a month later they sent a letter saying they were "happy the situation is resolved", they never contacted me....

Please excuse the rant, I'm just hoping to get this resolved asap, anything I'm missing other than writing to dispute it with the credit checkers?

PS.  I was an O2 customer for 15+ years before this saga, never missed a single payment, and it has left such a bad taste I've moved all mine and my wife's accounts away from O2 to a rival.

[Enlli]

Sounds like you had an Oomph package that came with a free SIM

When this was moved to O2 it became chargable but Virgin would reduce your Broadband bill by an equivalent amount so you paid the same in total

Virgin should have informed you that this was the case.

[brasco__]

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@Enlli wrote:

Sounds like you had an Oomph package that came with a free SIM

When this was moved to O2 it became chargable but Virgin would reduce your Broadband bill by an equivalent amount so you paid the same in total

Virgin should have informed you that this was the case.

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That's right, I am on an Oomph package (still am, I think) and have since seeing my monthly price go down, at this point though, I would trade that saving for removing the default from my report...  I've dug through my emails and can't find any notification from Virgin, but I do have an O2 email ("A warm welcome to O2") that I disregarded, as it wasn't long after I'd made a change on my actual O2 account.  What I don't really understand, is how I could be moved to another chargeable account, without my explicit permission, had I given the permission already in the VM terms perhaps?

[madasaf1sh]

@brasco__ 

I would take this up with Virgin to resolve,as unless your Ooomph account was closed then the sim is still live, and technically was still chargable, hence the direct debit that was setup when you opened the account... 

And bear in mind that it was Virgin who still saw the number as active hence it got migrated, just because you dont use it, doesn't mean its not active.

[brasco__]

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@madasaf1sh wrote:

@brasco__ 

I would take this up with Virgin to resolve,as unless your Ooomph account was closed then the sim is still live, and technically was still chargable, hence the direct debit that was setup when you opened the account... 

And bear in mind that it was Virgin who still saw the number as active hence it got migrated, just because you dont use it, doesn't mean its not active.

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Thank you, that side of things is resolved, Virgin support sent me to O2 to get it fixed.  It's the default from O2 on my report that is the only remaining issue.

I just called O2 customer services, and they suggested waiting a further 60 days to see if it's removed from the reports.  I'll just have to avoid any credit until then...

[gmarkj]

I'm confused by this.

If the o2 sim got set up as part of the Oomph package, would it not also have a DD set up at point of ordering?

[madasaf1sh]

@gmarkj 

Yep as part of Oomph you had to setup a separate direct debit for them sim, mine like lots of others where cancelled after 12months of not been claimed... as they never took any money it was just for if you used it for roaming etc... 

[brasco__]

Exactly that, since I'd not even known was going on, I never approved or set up a direct debit (I would have cancelled everything at that point and argued against the move), so it just remained as outstanding payments as far as O2 were concerned.

[gmarkj]

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@madasaf1sh wrote:

@gmarkj 

Yep as part of Oomph you had to setup a separate direct debit for them sim, mine like lots of others where cancelled after 12months of not been claimed... as they never took any money it was just for if you used it for roaming etc... 

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But if VM are selling you the sim, and arranging it as part of their package, how are you meant to know to set up a different DD for it?
If I sign up for something that is paid monthly, I give them the bank details at the time. So surely it is VM that should be setting that up?

[madasaf1sh]

@gmarkj 

As part of the Oomph plan it was all setup at signup, so when you setup your BB DD, you setup the Virgin Mobile DD,  that is what I meant by you had to setup a DD for the SIM, as the extras where billed separately.

There was always 2 direct debits, but one was just never used unless you spent on the likes of non-eu roaming