SCAM WARNING JAN 2015

[Anonymous]

Dear .............................

We are contacting you today with regard to the following device(s) which are linked to your O2 account and monthly mobile plan.

Mobile Number: .........................
Monthly Plan: O2 600 24 month £37.99 per month

In response to an increase in VAT in the EU and currency changes, and as a result of last week's VAT-related price change, it has come to our attention that between Oct 2012 and Oct 2014 there was a system error which resulted in some of our customers paying the incorrect rate of VAT on some services.

Please confirm that the account holder information as displayed below is correct;
Account Holder: ......................
Date of Birth: ....................

We've recalculated your bills and can confirm that you're owed £62.50.
This amount will be credited to your account and will appear on your next bill

In order for the refund to be processed, we request that you click here and log into your O2 account to validate yourself as the account holder.

This procedure must be completed within 24 hours. Regards,
The O2 Team

[Toby]

Hi guys,

As an FYI, a phishing alert article on 'The Blue' has been updated with more information on this issue:

http://news.o2.co.uk/2014/05/29/phishing-alert-may-2014/

[Anonymous]

This update is, as expected, rather basic and does little to explain how so much personal data has been released.

As I have asked before, how would malware pick up someone's phone serial number or PUK number, neither of which you would ever need to type into your computer keyboard.

Sorry but I don't buy this explanation. It needs a thorough investigation by the ICO

[Anonymous]

Ok ladies and gents I have now had a reply from Senior Management at O2 regarding these phishing emails and their response (in my words as it was a telephone call) is as follows:

1. The advice from Community Management is not correct. O2 Senior Management have confirmed that they DO want phishing emails sent to them, even if they are already aware of the issue.

2. Where emails are purported to include the PUK number, have the recipient's checked that they PUK is actually the right one for their account? (It may be that the scammers are blagging it).

3. Re the serial number of the phone, same as number 2 above.

If these details are CORRECT in relation to the customer account then these need to be flagged to the phishing email address o2 have phishing@o2.co.uk

O2 are confident that the data has not been leaked from their own systems (I know we will all say "well they would say that wouldn't they? ) but never the less they were clear.

I asked why o2 were silent on the matter. The response was that there are many phishing scams and they can't possibly be expected to contact customers every single time a phishing email is sent.

I have suggested that perhaps every 6 or 12 months or so when they send us billing emails perhaps they could include information about phishing and other scams. O2 Senior Management plan to take the idea forward to the Fraud Team for consideration.

[MI5]

How did they explain the exact account details names, addresses and DOB's or are they all fake too ?

[Anonymous]

The chap I spoke to didn't say they are fake. He asked if users had confirmed the details were correct or not.

As we hadn't asked that question it was not possible for me to confirm but we are speaking again in 10 days time so and further info. ...

[MI5]

Many of the people that have posted on here have already confirmed that the details were correct to the info held by O2 and as recorded in their My O2 (even down to incorrect info held by O2 and displayed in their My O2).

[Anonymous]

Okly doklies I will feed that back

[Anonymous]

Please note was driving at the time (using hands free of course) so I could exactly spark up my laptop and pick out messages from the hundreds of posts on here.

I have tried to get some answers for the people on here.

[MI5]

and I'm sure they appreciate your efforts but you are still just getting stock answers and O2 still don't appear to be taking it seriously 😞

[Anonymous]

And I agree but then we're we expecting much different? They asked questions. Where I had answers I gave them, where I didn't I have brought them back to the Community tonight.

Not sure I could have done much more? ??