Has anyone else had this experience? Just me?

[Optigirl19]

Hi all, I'm just here to see if anybody else has been in this situation.

I lost my phone a few months ago with my pay as you go sim card in it. That meant I had also lost my balance, phone number, WhatsApp messages, and any other info that was tied to my phone number.

Thankfully, I was able to contact support and transfer my old number onto a replacement sim, getting back everything I feared I had lost.

But when you're on a pay as you go sim, you're required to answer a few specific security questions before the transfer can be carried out. Failure in providing sufficient answers meant no transfer, meaning your old number and everything with it is forever lost.

The first two questions are easy enough. You have to give your phone number and your remaining credit balance. However the third question is much trickier.

You have to give three numbers that you've dialed frequently in the past month.

The first time I was asked this question, I admitted that I didn't have this information, so I was told that I couldn't proceed. I had to call back later when I had it.

THANKFULLY, I had exactly three people that I dialed regularly around that time, and I also had their numbers written somewhere so I didn't have to remember them off by heart. I attempted the switch again later that day with the numbers in hand and I passed, and had access to my old number again.

I was very fortunate back then. But now I'm wondering what I'd do next time I'm in this situation. I don't call nor have access to those numbers anymore.

If was wondering if anybody else was also asked the same questions when transferring their previous pay as you go number onto a new replacement sim?

Were you also thrown off by the last question?

Is there anyway around it, so that I can transfer my number again in case this happens in the future? And knowing how clumsy I am, it likely will

Are these questions only asked for pay as you go, or would you also get them on a pay monthly sim too? I don't see myself switching to pay monthly for the foreseeable future, I like the non-commitment of pay as you go, but clearly its risky when you find yourself in a situation like this because they don't have your details on record to identify you with.  Makes me kind of nervous :S

Apologies for the long post and thanks in advance for your replies!

[MI5]

@Optigirl19 

There are more than 3 possible security questions.

If you genuinely can't answer one of them, the agent should move on to the next one, however, not all agents know what they are doing, unfortunately.

[Optigirl19]

Thank you! I tried about two times, and both times I was asked for my frequently dialed numbers. They wouldn't let me proceed unless I had them 😞

[jonsie]

One of the questions would be date and amount of last top up so best to keep a written record.

[Optigirl19]

Thanks for explaining, I'll definitely have that on record going forward. I usually top up by 10 quid anyway so that should be easy

[MI5]

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@Optigirl19 wrote:
Thank you! I tried about two times, and both times I was asked for my frequently dialed numbers. They wouldn't let me proceed unless I had them 😞

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You must have had 2 agents who just read from the top of the list.

[O2Adnan]

hi, i believe you can also setup a password on the account if you were to call prepay customer services

it is also recommended you set up a my o2 account for your o2 pay and go number if you havent already got one as that will be able to provide you with alot of information if you were to lose your phone number again