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OTAC Scam and O2 in the news again...

pgn
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Advice offered given below the links to the story in the Guardian and the latest O2 guidance page...

 

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/aug/25/o2-mobile-user-scam-deal-contract-phone

 

How to avoid being scammed

 Always beware cold calls offering eye-catching deals, especially if you are being pressed into signing up immediately.

 Companies will never under any circumstances ask for an Otac. If you are asked for one, hang up.

 Companies will never ask you to disregard security warnings from your bank or any other service provider.

 Beware calls and texts that begin with an impersonal greeting, ask for your bank details or passwords, prompt you to click a link or demand immediate payment.

 Mobile phone providers will always provide a prepaid envelope for device returns, and it will always be to the address of their returns centres.

 If you are suspicious of a caller, end the call and ring your phone company. Wait a few minutes so that the line to the scammer is not still open when you dial.

 Report a suspicious call or message that purports to be from your phone company to your service provider.

https://www.o2.co.uk/inspiration/the-drop/authorisation-code-scams

 

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Enlli
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Anna Tims has written a number of articles in the Guardian regarding O2

Most hinge on O2's failure to act in a swift and professional manner when things like this go wrong.

 

This is not O2 and we are all customers here similar to yourself and cannot answer account type queries.
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Oxonian
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Seems a fairly neutral article to me, albeit with some implied criticism that it took the involvement of the Guardian to resolve matters.  

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Enlli
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And in all of those Guardian reports it took the involvement of the paper for things to be resolved.

This is not O2 and we are all customers here similar to yourself and cannot answer account type queries.
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Anonymous
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Indeed, I've heard of gross incompetence but this? 

 

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pgn
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And just had a call from 08009524854, lady caller who, after checking they had my name correct, said it was O2 wanting to take me through a health check on my O2 Contract - I declined.

Note my handset did flag the number as spam, despite the call appearing to originate from O2.

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Anonymous
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@pgn NEVER answer any call your mobile flags as spam.

 

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Enlli
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No longer 'Anonymous'

This is not O2 and we are all customers here similar to yourself and cannot answer account type queries.
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pgn
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T'would appear not, @Enlli, reportedly 🤐

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