My O2 account was hacked!

[Anonymous]

A couple of weeks ago I received an odd text from O2 informing me that I can upgrade my handset in September 2013. Now, I have a sim-only contract and haven't had a new handset from O2 in a number of years but I knew my contract was due to expire some time in late September so I checked my O2 account online. It seems that I now have a new tariff of £36 a month, which I knew nothing about and checking on down the page I spotted a completed order which turned out to be for an iPhone 4. Naturally I hadn't placed this. The Yodel tracking number revealed that it had been delivered to an address that wasn't mine the previous day.
I called O2 and discovered that my security question had been changed along with my home address and e-mail address. Someone had clearly managed to access my O2 account online and ordered himself a phone at my expense. Since the user name and password are known only to me, either O2's site security is extremely poor or someone inside O2 has accessed my information. Either way, I'm not impressed.
The customer service adviser was very helpful and promised that the fraud department would investigate and call me. However, eight days later I have heard no word from them and in the meantime I can do nothing about changing my contract while there is an issue with my account. I was planning to get a new phone, possibly the new iPhone when it comes out, but now I'm very concerned about O2's security. I've been with them for over ten years but I'm seriously considering whether I want to continue with them now.
The only piece of good news is that the phone was delivered one day and blacklisted the next.
Has anyone else had this happen? If so, how did O2 handle it?

[Bambino]

I don't think you should be treating this as trivial. If you've been billed for a new phone it's possible that someone may have access to your bank details. You should definitely report this to the police and notify your bank to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity related to your account.

[Anonymous]

Defiantly alert your bank! A direct debit was set up in the case of my fraud! I can only imagine how difficult it would be to get the money back if their level of customer service is anything to go by!!

[Anonymous]

I contacted my bank before I'd even discussed things with O2. As far as I was concerned, changing my address equals fraud. There's been no other suspicious activity on my bank account and they've given me a reference number to quote when talking to their Fraud team in future in case incidents need to be linked.

I was quick enough with cancelling my Direct Debits to O2 that O2 have since sent me a letter to state I owe them £81 odd. That won't be getting paid - at least not unless O2 can prove that they have a Consumer Credit Agreement with my signature on it, covering 2013-2015. Thankfully all communication with O2 was via "webchat" and I saved the entirety of all the conversations.

My money is safe enough, I just consider that the Police have far more important things to be spending their time with.

[Bambino]

Your financial relationship with O2 is your own affair. Not informing the police means that there's even less chance of whoever committed this fraud being caught. There are fraud departments within the police department. That's their job. That's what they should be spending their time doing. Give them a task.

[jonsie]

What we see on here may only be the tip of the iceberg, how many unpublished frauds are there out there. I am so paronoid about this that I check my account daily.

[MI5]

Me too 😞

[Anonymous]

No more from me yet as I'm still battling with o2, I've now managed to get my old tariff back (or at least an equivalent). But as for the carnage left behind on my account........that's another story.

I'll come back with an update when I do get it fully sorted.

[perksie]

Thanks for the update, it was about 3 months before my account was back to normal.

It still shows the order for the phone put in my name.

[Anonymous]

So an update on my hacking from November

I had both fraudulant accounts barred and closed the bank account that my O2 Direct Debit came out of as i was not confident at all in the response from O2

I have now received a txt from O2 to say my account has been protected from fraud this morning.

Nice to see that this is being taken care of

Really doubt i'll be continuing with O2 once my contract is up

[perksie]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Nice to see that this is being taken care of

Really doubt i'll be continuing with O2 once my contract is up

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I'm glad they have fixed this for you.

The same problem is just as likely to occur whoever you are with though ie:

http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Pay-monthly-services/Account-Fraudulently-Hacked/td-p/717629

http://www.justanswer.com/uk-law/3zokm-orange-account-hacked-memorable-number.html

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2409897,00.asp