Suspected Fraud - unwanted phone upgrade

[MMuir1234]

I just wanted to flag this suspected fraud which happened to me last week:

I am an O2 customer and this week was contacted by O2 to say that my phone and contract were being upgraded even though I had not requested this. An unordered brand new iPhone 10 xs max and a sim contract with a total cost of around £1500 arrived the next day.

I phoned O2 to tell them that it had arrived without having been ordered which they did not understand as the email order verification process had been completed. They were very helpful and were able to organise the return of the phone. 

Here is where the apparent mistake becomes a suspected fraud:

After arranging the return with O2 I received another phone call from the O2 customer service number. However, I suspected, and afterwards confirmed, that the phone call was not genuinely from O2 (I had recognised this as they didn't go through the usual security questions etc... and didn't sound genuine). The caller told me that there had been a fraudulent order made on the account and a phone had been sent and they would send a van the next day to pick it up. I questioned them (having already arranged the return of the phone) and it became clear they were not genuinely from O2 and had the wrong address etc. When I questioned them further the caller hung up. I then called back O2 and confirmed that the call I'd just received was not genuinely from O2. It must have been a fraudster using the genuine O2 number.

They somehow managed to order a very expensive phone to my account and were going to organise a courier to come and collect it and deliver it to the fraudsters, leaving me to explain to O2 that the expensive phone had gone missing and landing O2 or myself with an unpaid bill for £1500. Lucky I phoned the genuine O2 number before the fraudsters called me!

[MI5 Level 94: Supreme]

The scammers are getting more and more sneaky these days.
Well done for spotting it.
I assist our have changed all your passwords and security questions now too?

[Cleoriff Level 82: Veteran]

@MMuir1234

That's damn worrying actually.

Good that you spotted it, though it would have me checking my bank accounts thoroughly to see if they had been compromised.

I think our community managers should be made aware of this @Marjo @Martin-O2 @EmilieT

All should take note of advice in this thread about fraud

https://www.o2.co.uk/help/safety-and-security/fraud-and-phishing-advice

[TallTrees]

Hello @MMuir1234

Thanks very much for taking the time to share that terrible experience with us.

That is one big nightmare.

Good @Cleoriff for sending that on to our Community Managers.

I hope we can find some answers here, in due course, so that we can all

be on guard (as usual!!) 

[Bambino]

@MMuir1234 If you still have the phone number of the suspected fraudster you should report it here: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

[dgilbert2]

@MMuir1234 OMG, but what credit to you for not getting sucked in. Well done and thanks for sharing!

What is the world coming to 

[jonsie Level 89: Distinguished]

This really is taking fraud to the next level. It would be difficult to change the address on the order as a text needs to be sent to your phone with a code to enter into the website. I'm guessing the 'courier' sent to collect the phone would have been his mate Jimmy Vanman and the calls you received withheld or from a free phone down the local job centre. All very worrying that they now have all your details.

[EmilieT]

Hi @MMuir1234, and thanks for sharing this with us! I sent you a Private Message on the forum as we'd like a few more details to feed this back so it can be looked into more closely 

Cheers @Cleoriff for the mention, and everyone else for the advice and support! 

[MMuir1234]

The phone call I received came from the genuine O2 customer service contact number: 0344 809 0202

They must have somehow managed to emulate this number so as to be convincing.

[EmilieT]

Thanks for the additonal info @MMuir1234! I've passed it on along with the previous details you shared, thanks again for letting us know about this