O2 moderators: Why are you censoring my posts?

[Anonymous]

I've had the same post "bumped off" this forum on two occasions in the last 24 hours.

What bothers me is that there is no reason given for deleting my post. I've checked the rules and I can't see why it is in breech of the terms of the site. Moderators: can you let me know what you didn't like about it?

It would appear to me this is not a forum for open debate, it's a commercial tool in which criticism of O2 is censored.

Both greenblink and epicurus had also contributed to the original thread so I would be interested if you guys, as experienced users of this forum, have noticed censorship like this when O2 are criticised?

[Anonymous]

You must be writing something which is resulting in them having to remove them. The threads are full of complaints, problems and critisicm. Are your breaking any data protection? If you are posting staff/management surnames, addresses, recordings, personal info or delicate information then they will have to remove it.

[Anonymous]

In fairness there are a lot of posts that are critical of O2 on here and they don't seem to get deleted just for being critical.

As I stated on your thread that did get deleted, you appeared to be encouraging fraudsters and giving them tips!

Your deleted post did have a good point so why don't you just repost it and leave out the bit that gives advise to fraudsters?

[Anonymous]

Why the hell would you post tips on how to create fraud???
I'm someone who has suffered due to fraud and it's awful, you are left clearing up the mess for months. You are now complaining that's it's been taken down? What planet are you on! It's ironic because if it was you that suffered fraud due to tips the wrong person read at the right time on here, you would be first to complain!

[Anonymous]

Thanks greenblink. I'll ditch the somewhat light-hearted reference to O2 being a soft touch for fraudsters and repost.

Thanks also to chippie; the point about staff names is a good one. There was a member of staff mentioned in the post. I'll take it out.

Please don't worry about me encouraging fraud: My point made in the (now deleted but soon to be revised and reposted) original post was that O2 have such poor customer records management that they still send a bill every month addressed to the previous owner of my house. Excusable for a few months or more, but he moved out in 2000!!! I have written to O2, emailed them, phoned them and returned the bills to them over the last 7 years and yet they still keep sending them. The real pain is they are now chasing a debt at this address and the implications for my credit rating may not be good.

In my experience of trying to deal with this problem O2 have been absolutely ineffective. They don't seem to care that their customer moved nearly eight years ago, is still using their network, and that they don't know where he is. I'd say that is a good thing to flag up as clearly there are shortcomings in their customer records management.

But to add to my frustration, when trying to contact people at O2, particularly in the last few months, I have been dismayed at the quality of customer service. If you are a customer I don't know how you can stand the delays when calling O2. My experience is from 15-30 minutes in a queue every time I call. (That certainly is significantly worse than my mobile phone provider). Nobody will give me a direct number to call even though this is a potentially serious issue that has been going on for a really long time and neither will they call me back when they say they will.

I'll rework the original post, hopefully with the bits they don't like taken out, and repost it.

[Anonymous]

Ah right ok, I didn't read the original post and it makes more sense now that you have explained!

Sounds like you are having a pretty bad experience though. The call queues have gone through the roof due to the build up, and now release of the iPhone. Should start to die down soon..

Yeah there does seem to be a constant circle with some mail issues. If someone calls to confirm that the address of a customer is incorrect or mail is returned then O2 will try to contact the customer. After various attempts and they are unable to contact the customer, they will place a restrictions on the account forcing them to get in touch. The details must be kept upto date also for fraud and security reasons.

The problems seem to stem when they are chasing a customer for debt. After 6months of an unpaid balance, it is then passed onto a debt agency. The account is then closed and disconnected under the address at the time. The debt is then taken over by the agency who will continue to chase the person for the outstanding balance. Any contact between the person and O2 is then done through the debt agency.

I would personally advise to contact the debt agency directly, they can confirm you are the tenant of that address and have been for so many years. They should then liasion with O2 to confirm these details. The debt agency are directly responsible for that account now so best to speak to them

[Anonymous]

The disappointing thing is that for over 7 years they weren't chasing a debt: They were sending the bills to my address and I was sending them back. But they were getting paid.

It didn't matter how many I sent back, or if I phoned, emailed or wrote to O2, as long as they were getting the money they simply didn't care where their customer actually lived and so they didn't bother to investigate any further.

This was the reason why I raised the point about 02 being a soft touch if you want a phone but don't want them to know where you actually live: O2 haven't got a clue where this customer is and they could not be bothered to find out even though they had been told so many times over so many years that he had moved.

I'll dig out the full story for you and post it (minus the bits we think they keep censoring!!!)

[Anonymous]

Interesting. As I understand it, and this applies to any company, legally they can only change details on an account if the account holder requests it. So you ringing in asking them to change the address on the account would have to be ignored would it not?

[Anonymous]

I see your point but:

1) Every time I spoke to an O2 customer services representative they said they WOULD change the details on the account and stop sending mail to my address

and

2) I would have thought any commercial business would consider it useful to know where their customers live. But if that's not the case is it possible to get a pay monthly mobile phone without having an address? I guess it must be.

[Anonymous]

O2 cannot change the address unless at the account holders request but if its an active account, a restriction should be placed to force the customer to get in contact as the address and personal details should all be kept upto date. At least it's been done that way over the last year!