Massive O2 call charge against a REJECTED telemarketing call

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine got a bit of a shock the other week to find a telemarketing call from a Vodafone affiliate (Aquira, Glasgow number 01414194380) which she rejected as she didn't recognise the number - and her Android phone log confirms she did - resulted in a massive bill to HER from O2. I forget the amount but I think it was over £100 and the call lasted many hours according to O2. 

I took a photo of the the log on her phone and sent it to O2, but they are adamant SHE made the call and are refusing to refund.  

I called the number myself and it cycles endlessly around Aquira's IVR without ever disconnecting - so if you WERE unfortunate enough to dial it back by mistake, I can understand how such a massive bill could rack up. But there is simply no evidence that happened.  I then found two more reports on the net relating to the SAME issue with calls from the SAME Glasgow number, and a third case which sounds similar.  

http://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Pay-Monthly-and-Pay-Go/311-bill-not-my-fault/td-p/685943
http://www.moneysupermarket.com/community/forums/t/charged-for-phone-calls-that-phoned-me-58418.aspx

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/experts/article-2441376/Why-wont-BT-remove-89-charge-18-hour-phon...

So my question is, does anyone out there know under what technical circumstances or fault could this happen? In theory it doesn't seem possible but it obviously is. 

[Bambino]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I don't think there is anything fraudulent going on. The company making the call is legit (as far as this type of business can ever be considered to be!). It isn't a premium rate number either - it's a national rate.

My friend has just confirmed that the "call" according to O2 was 7hrs 39 minutes long (which also begs the question whether a smartphone battery would have lasted that long if it had been a real call) and 463 minutes were outside her inclusive minutes, which are then charged at 40p/minute. Result = eyewatering bill.

O2 did send an e-mail after the event, to advise they had noted the abnormal spend - but it's a bit late then.

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Of course it's fraud if your friend is being charged for a call they said they didn't make. 

Apart from a phone's battery life, I've never made a single call in my life that lasted for 7 hours and 39 minutes. Has anyone?

You said in your original post that you called the number in question. Were you charged an exorbitant amount? How did you end the call?

[Anonymous]

PS - it seems O2 will not set any sort of limit to protect their customers, unlike T-Mobile who will drop a call after 4hrs to protect their customers against "pocket dialling".

[Anonymous]

Hi


That's correct O2 won't cap texts or minutes in the Uk but do stop data after the allowance is exhausted on Contract Accounts.

Maybe they should have some type of service you mention and or set an account cost limit so a person can say cannot over £20 without having to ring customer services or do something in their myo2.

[Anonymous]

@Bambino. Charging for a call you didn't make is potentially an error. It's only fraud if the perpetrator set out to do it deliberately. As there is no revenue share on a national rate number, I see no motive, and only O2 are going to gain from this.

The exorbitant charge is fully accounted for in the 40p/min charge O2 level outside tariff and the duration they say the call existed for.

The test call I made was from a landline - and I just left it a number of minutes until I was satisfied it would cycle around indefinitely, then I just hung up and the call fully cleared down.

Personally, I don't think an automated answering system should be allowed to cycle round indefinitely anyway - but I have yet to find any regulations that prevent it.

Most IVR systems I have come across clear the call down at THEIR end or put you through to a human, if you don't press any button.

[Cleoriff]

I have to agree with Bambino. It iS fraud if you or your friend are being charged for a call they didnt make. O2 are in pocket....your friend is not...

You clearly stated the call was NOT made in error...therefore someone is perpetuating fraud...

[Bambino]

Just out of curiosity, YorkshireMidge, you said your friend rejected the call. Did they answer and then hang up or did they just not accept the call?

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous

Her mobile is relatively lightly used - call a day (if that). She is retired and mobile reception in her flat isn't good at the best of times so she tends to use the land line.

On her phone log, the next entry after the rejected call was to 21202 the following morning to check her allowance after receiving the O2 e-mail over night. The rejected call is timed at 12:16 the previous day.

She has asked O2 to provide the precise timings of the call they allege she made, so they can be compared.

[Anonymous]

Hi

I was Not questioning anything and I do submit everyone's usage pattern is different.

As asked by Bambino did your friend accept the incoming call and then press the end key or see the incoming call and just press the end key to reject it ?

I would still Suggest your friend uses the complaint link I added to further the issue.

[Anonymous]

@Bambino

It was rejected - she doesn't tend to accept calls from unknown callers (and I notice rejected another tele-pest number a couple of days previous)

[Anonymous]

It's weird that no connection was then opened up from the company to the end user ~ your friend so no call was left open.

It does appear to be an accidental dial somehow from the end user back to the rejected call. 😞