Poor handling of identity fraud by O2

[HL2]

Terrible service from O2. I have been the victim of identity fraud and various O2 accounts have been opened in my name. I have had to call them 3 times and been fobbed off. Apparently it takes them months to investigate fraud and all the while I am receiving debt enforcement letters. O2's conduct of this matter has been far worse than Vodafone, which dealt with the same situation much more efficiently. I would never use them as my mobile provider

[Bambino]

@HL2 Sadly you are not the first person to complain about the lack of response from O2's fraud department. We are all customers, so all we can do is sympathise.

If you haven't done so already, you should report the incidents to the police: 

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

[HL2]

Many thanks, I have done that but need O2 to also respond. I thought putting a complaint here might prompt them to act. 

[Ahmed3]

I have experienced the same.  Call them and ask for a complaints or fraud department.  Persist on the phone for over an hour and get a complaint ref number. I got redirected to an Indian agent Granville who promised to pass on my complaint.  Action Fraud will give you a crime ref number but they will not investigate.  The only benefit of this I can see is it forms an official lodge of a complaint that the account is not yours.  I will be Visiting an O2 shop and get them to act if nothing is done. 

[madasaf1sh]

@Ahmed3 

As per your other thread, the o2 store cant do anything at all, apart from give you a seat to call customer services. 

[siml]

I have the same problem - o2 pass me around departments and are seemingly doing nothing (I reported it 7 weeks ago). I wrote a written complaint 2 weeks ago - no response. From 8 weeks you can complain to the Information Ombudsman, which I will be doing. ActionFraud advised me to pass my crime reference number to any debt collectors which should apparently stop them. Meanwhile I watch my credit score drop further and further due to o2's refusal to take basic steps.

[Oxonian]

@HL2 

@Ahmed3 

@siml 

Whilst I have huge sympathy for your predicament, it is probably worth mentioning that O2 might be unable to give you an update whilst their investigation is ongoing. They have to comply with both criminal law and Money Laundering Regulations and this could be jeopardised if they update you whilst their case is incomplete. It is also possible that your case has been subsumed into a wider investigation if the same fraudster has other "victims" in addition to you. 

I would keep pushing O2 about this, at least so they do not forget about you ! However @Ahmed3, I do think that visiting an O2 retail store to discuss this matter will be a complete waste of time. 

Please keep us informed of developments.