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]

@pgn 

To be fair the moderator and anyone reading it quickly can mistakenly think the OP YPZ was referring to his own number you have to be familiar with this thread to realise it was the spoof number 😊

Also

As @Dave-O2 has already offered to personally assist in this issues I see little point in going off to social Media team hoping they will help as you propose, @Dave-O2 responds very quickly to PM's 😊

[pgn]

Both true, @SteveJabroad - but as O2 used to have an army of advisors here on the Forum, withdrawn back in July last year, that leaves just Dave on his lonesome looking after the Forum - and as he hails from the Social Media Team prior to taking on this role, I feel directing queries to the Social Media Team is preferable.

Still, I am sure Dave can speak for himself, and may find he has a cycle or two to spare for the query relating to the phantom, and expensive, SMS number that was highlighted above 👍

[YPZ]

Thank you for being so helpful, Yes, you are right, setting the cap to zero may still be charged. I now turned off the UK sim and am using the local sim until this problem is solved. 

[Dave-O2]

Thanks for the flag @pgn 

I'll make sure this is fed back, to prevent it from happening again in the future 👍

@YPZ If you've been charged and you don't see any credit showing on a previous bill or in your unbilled, please drop me a PM with your mobile number and I'll check this out.

[Cleoriff]

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@Dave-O2 wrote:

Thanks for the flag @pgn 

I'll make sure this is fed back, to prevent it from happening again in the future 👍

@YPZ If you've been charged and you don't see any credit showing on a previous bill or in your unbilled, please drop me a PM with your mobile number and I'll check this out.

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We have an action man on this forum. Excellent 😉

[SteveJabroad]

Yes @Dave-O2 was on my case within an hour of PM'ing him 😁

Turns out 2 of my 4 charges were my own fault for trying to get rid of a notification flag/icon badge that were for 2 voice msg's. Annoyed at myself for this as I should of turned it off and the 1st time in ten years I have had voice mail 😖

Still awaiting confirmation of refund, else I hope there is a permanent fix for this, still have my phone on WiFi only for 3 months now.

[GioL]

These charges for texts to 07860019210 (which I did not send) are still being applied by the O2 billing system and O2 customer agents are not aware of the problem.  It took me three chats to the agents (the first two over an hour each) before I insisted on a refund which has now been applied. 

[pgn]

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@GioL wrote:

These charges for texts to 07860019210 (which I did not send) are still being applied by the O2 billing system and O2 customer agents are not aware of the problem.  It took me three chats to the agents (the first two over an hour each) before I insisted on a refund which has now been applied. 

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See here, recent change, @GioL 

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/Pay-Monthly/Mystery-SMS-quot-charges-when-abroad-quot/m-p/1717921/high...

[Mari80]

Dave hello, I am having the same problem with mysterious texts being sent to 07860 019210. I am in Japan (my roaming is off and I have a Japanese e-sim) I have been charged £18 so far, I tried to speak to customers services via the app but they don't know/understand the issue. Please can you help? what do I do?

[pgn]

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@Mari80 wrote:

Dave hello, I am having the same problem with mysterious texts being sent to 07860 019210. I am in Japan (my roaming is off and I have a Japanese e-sim) I have been charged £18 so far, I tried to speak to customers services via the app but they don't know/understand the issue. Please can you help? what do I do?

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Tagging in @Dave-O2 to this for you, @Mari80 - look out for a message from him shortly to follow up via Private Message here. Good luck - £18 is a lot, given you are using a local e-sim, as something must be using the O2 physical SIM...