Constantly being charged double for overseas SMS

[Anonymous]

I'm being constantly charged double by O2 for overseas texts under 160 characters. Even when I sent message "That's fine. See you later" O2 charges me twice for the same text. I complained before and they credited overcharged amount back but then it happened again. I went to O2 shop where guy confirmed it should have not happened and asked me to contact Customer service. Do I have to contact them every bloody time when I sent text overseas until they fix it and make it right?

[Anonymous]

I just spoke to a lady from Customer Services and she informed me that their investigation confirmed that I had sent 27 text messages from my UK o2 phone to my cousin in Ireland in the last billing period. My phone displays 9 text messages to my cousins number. I have offered to give them my phone as I know that I have not deleted any text messages so their investigation is incorrect. They have refused to investigate this any further. So my options are; 

Daily Mail and other newspapers - from the volume of messages here I am surprised this has not already happened.

Ombudsman & Ofcom - investigation

It looks like this has been going on for over a year and in the last billing period alone I have, according to o2's records, sent 79 text messages to Ireland. My record which is my phone shows 1/3 of that number. Multiply that by 12 and that is serious over-billing on their part.

The customer service adviser also told me that I pay to read texts - I informed her that I do ot when I am in the UK.....

And she told me that I am using a iphone and that is the problem - I informed her that I am using a samsung which is recorded on my o2 account.

Clearly this was an indepth investigation.........good think that my contract is up for renewal! Off to the competitors I go!

[MI5]

How long are each of your texts?
1 text is 160 characters, 161 to 320 is 2 texts and 321 to 480 is 3 texts.
You say you sent 9 and o2 say 27 which is 3 times the amount exactly so I'd guess all were over 320 characters?

I would check and make sure you are correct as you wouldn't want to be going to all those places you mention with the wrong info.

[jonsie]

It is very rare that O2 vmake errors on billing. I tend to go with @MI5 on his thinking.