Phone lines disconnected without warning and barred from new lines after fraud

[What-the-actual]

Several new contracts were recently taken out on my account. I clicked no links, gave no details to anybody. Someone called me confirming the order I had legitimately taken out the day before (how did they know). If they had my login they would have just logged in and taken them out. They knew my address, phone number and what I ordered the previous day on O2 (and had received). It smacks of some third party who gets commission. All the 'fraudulent SIMS did indeed arrive. Contacted fraud (useless) and they were stopped. As well as the legitimate pre-existing accounts I had for children. All cancelled - no warning. So stranded teenage daughter with no signal late at night. Shocking.

To make it even better, called to take out a replacement line for my daughter only to be told that because 'I' had taken out so many pay monthly contracts, I was barred for three months! What the actual?

Not sure I have seen incompetence quite this bad for some while. Utter shamble 

[Enlli]

Regretfully, once it's with the Fraud department there is nothing you can do till they have finished their investigations which could take some time.

[Bambino]

@What-the-actual Nothing anything we as customers can do to help. Sounds pretty horrendous. If the Fraud Department has taken the case, there's nothing anyone can do. You can lodge a formal complaint, but I'm not even sure they can get involved: How to Complain | Help | O2

[What-the-actual]

You're not wrong. If I'm honest it was not much more than venting at the utter ineptitude of O2. I fully accept that is just how it is though.

We all see incompetency every day, but every now and then, someone goes and scores 180 with tassels.

[What-the-actual]

I should add. They have finished the investigation... They closed all but one of the numbers on the account down - then flagged my account as having 'too many contracts' in a short space, so won't re-open the legitimate ones they closed. 

That is O2's way of dealing with fraud - case closed. Geniuses 

[madasaf1sh]

@What-the-actual 

To be honest if they have finished there investigation, they obviously see you as a high risk of fraud, so dont be surprised if you see a CIFAS marker on your credit file.  And other companies would do this to your accounts so not unique to o2 or the mobile industry... I see it in the industry I work in..

Just to be clear as well, if they have closed your accounts because of fraud they legally cant tell you anything due to rules and regulations around Fraud, and it may still be passed onto the police or other enforcement agencies. 

They also dont have to allow you to take any further credit agreements for new lines or to let you upgrade,.

Best advice is to just start a fresh elsewhere...

[What-the-actual]

I've still got three phone lines with them. Get the feeling your point is somewhat redundant in that scenario. The one you describe would be patently obvious why they might respond as they have. Any idiot knows that.

[Oxonian]

There is no need to resort to calling individuals "idiots" @What-the-actual ; that is actually quite offensive. 

The problem here is that, as @Bambino has alluded to, this is a customer to customer forum - we are all customers as are you. We do not have access to accounts or any other "insider" information. Hence, everything that is being said involves extrapolation from the "facts" that you have told us.

You do not know the answer and we do not know it either ! 👍