Phone services blocked: email stating payment required 14 days before bill date

[DanSully531]

Good evening,

I am a pay monthly customer who has a good track record with bill payments, I pay by direct debit and I don’t think I’ve been late on a payment In 6 years or so.

I donated money to children in need on Friday night via the quick code provided by the bbc. I expected it to show on my bill at the end of the billing period.

Now, I have been emailed stating that my services have been suspended (text, call, receive calls but my data was not mentioned) until I pay at least £30 of my bill. I was also emailed by mycare@o2mail.co.uk stating the same thing and providing a number 0344 8090202 in order to pay the bill.

I was suspicious so called o2 shortcut from my wife’s phone and was offered to pay my bill but there was no mention of the barring of my service. I subsequently called the above number and they immediately spoke about the barring of my service once I typed my mobile in and without requiring any security information prompted payment. At this point I hung up.

Does this sound genuine as I am very suspicious it isnt.

Thanks
Dan

[Anonymous]

Have your services been suspended?

[DanSully531]

Yes

[DanSully531]

The text message I received was also from O2-UK and all other texts I have received are from O2UK no dash.

[MI5 · Accepted solution]

If there is suspicious activity on the account, O2 will bar all services until payment is made, This is to protect the customer.
The definition of suspicious is only known to O2 though, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

If you donated then the money will show in your myo2 within 24 hours as premium charges will will be taken when your bill is paid but I’d call customer service to see what happened here

[jonsie]

Did you only make one donation? It's a bit much that O2 can block a phone for donating to a charity by text but can do sod all about scammers taking money from our accounts via text. To me, that would be more highly suspicious!

[MI5]

Does that surprise you @jonsie ?

[jonsie]

The part about blocking due to a donation via a well known shortcode does. The second part doesn't but it's a bit ironic!

[Anonymous]

@DanSully531 Maybe this guide could be of some help? 

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/How-to-Guides/Have-you-fallen-for-or-been-conned-into-a-premium-rate-s...