Mystery SMS "charges when abroad"

[Quackduck]

According to my Pay Monthly bill this month I've been charged extra for 5 (so far!) SMS messages to the following number while abroad: 07860 019210 

I don't recognise the number, I have not sent any SMS while I've been away, and I have no record on my phone of having sent these messages.

A quick Google of the number suggests it's either a scam, or it's related to O2 somehow, as other O2 customers have experienced the same while abroad. I am using an eSIM for mobile data since the O2 plan was too expensive.

Does this ring any bells for anyone?

I've been trying to get hold of someone at O2 customer service for the past 24h but no luck. I'd just like to understand what I'm being charged for, or whether it's a scam. (Blocking the number won't help since my O2 bill claims I sent the messages myself.)

[SteveJabroad]

Dave

Thanks for showing an interest in this thread

Latest one is on my current bill:-

Bill date 13 May 24
Payment due 28 May 24

Airtime charges outside your plan
Charges when abroad
O2 Travel £6.000
Texts sent from Rest of World £0.000
Total airtime charges outside your plan £6.000

Charges when abroad
Charges when abroad are shown in UK time.
O2 Travel
Date Time Country Cost
16 Apr 24 16:02:38 Thailand £6.000
Total cost of O2 Travel £6.000
Texts sent from Rest of World
Destination Number sent Cost
07860019210 1 £0.000
Total sent 1
Total cost of Texts sent from Rest of World £0.000
For further details visit My O2

PS I could not find a way to remove my free bolt-on for this Travel coverage and to send an SMS to remove would incur a 6 pounds charge to activate service to send an sms LOL

[MattyBur]

@Dave-O2  These charges appeared on my bill dated 1st Jan 2024. 

As I say, I did manage to get the charges refunded but can't find that anywhere.

Thanks, M

[Dave-O2 · Accepted solution]

Thanks @MattyBur, @SteveJabroad 

@Cleoriff Going forward these charges will no longer appear on any billing.

For anyone who has been charged, please drop me a PM with your number and I'll take a closer look 👍

[pgn]

---

@Dave-O2 wrote:

@Cleoriff Going forward these charges will no longer appear on any billing.

---

Well done, @Dave-O2 - was this something that was in the pipeline, or just because of the hoohah here about mystery SMS messages?

[SteveJabroad]

Well done @Dave-O2 

Now who's brave enough to try this out and switch on their phone LOL

PS Did I guess right and it's not app related ?

[Cleoriff]

Excellent news @Dave-O2 😊

[YPZ]

Hi Dave-O2,

I have been charged twice on [Edited] number this month while I am in China on holiday. Now I have set my cap as zero. I would like O2 to stop this scam and credit my account for this charge.

Many thanks

Yuping

[Mod edit: Please do not share personal details as your posts are visible to the public. Thanks!]

[pgn]

@YPZ - reach out to O2 Social Media Team using Twitter or Facebook - the link just below has the ways. Nudge them occasionally, once an agent engaged, the refund will be in your account as a Goodwill payment as soon as they acknowledge the error. You will need to share with them the detail from MyO2 of the dates/times of those erroneous charges. See here for an example: 

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Other-Products-and-Services/O2-Web-Top-Up-not-recognising-a-valid-O2-P...

Good luck!

[SteveJabroad]

@YPZ

Unfortunately setting spend cap to 0 will not stop this its independent and noted in the travel bolt-on info

You need to PM @Dave-O2 directly for assistance

else

You can send an sms to disable the travel bolt-on but that will cost you 6 pounds as the phone needs to be active, so a catch 22 LOL

This is precisely why I still have my phone on WiFi only until I get back to UK, we still do not have a permanent fix

[pgn]

OP's query/post related to the "phantom number, yet that 07860019210 number was edited out, incorrectly in this instance, by a mod, @Dave-O2 - why?  It drags subsequent answers off-topic, take a look above to see this in action!

OP's post screenshot below for ref:

• 

And also please do take a minute to respond to @YPZ - I gave correct info in my response to the OP above, but Social Media team responses can take a couple of days...