being charged for premium services on my mobile broadband

[Anonymous]

Interesting that nowhere on the entire O2 website can you find any information on requesting a Bar to all Direct to Bill Debits or Premium Bar except here on the Community, and  nor can you request or enable these on myO2 - And instead have to 'rely' on customer services to enable them. It's almost like O2 were deliberately trying to make having them applied as hard as possible?

[jonsie Level 94: Supreme]

Of course they don't want you to know because it's big bucks for them and easy money when the default premium bar setting is 'off'.

[caspergriswold]

Just an update for anyone else getting the same problem. Spoke to fraud, they admit these companies are just nicking the numbers on-line once they realised it was pretty impossible for me to give them my number myself. Every example of how i could have allowed my number to be nicked either involved physically giving my number to someone on line (I don't know it) or the sim being in aphone. Tried these dodgy companies customer service (all abroad numbers) - no answer. For the record the companies are Net real solutions and payforit. Tried to get a bar to bill put on the sim. Fraud denied they could do it until i mentioned this site and the answers i recieved. Then it was er....you better ask customers services. It comes to something when 02's own fraud department don't know what you can do to stop it. Phoned customers service and now have a ban to charges being put on my bill -finally!

Now all i have to do is try and get my money back from these shysters

[MI5 Level 94: Supreme]

Keep going. You'll get there.
The PSA can help you too remember https://psauthority.org.uk/

[caspergriswold]

thanks. will be give them a try MI5.

[Cleoriff Level 94: Supreme]

@caspergriswoldPleased that at least you managed to get the bar put on your phone (eventually)

Hope all goes well with the rest of it....

[Anonymous]

Glad you are getting sorted @caspergriswold I added a direct to bill payment bar and a premium bar applied without too much difficulty - had to walk the CS through it but it appears to have worked..not sure how you'd go about testing it tho?

[caspergriswold]

Right thought i'd put up another update. Basically this is a massive warning to anyone who uses an o2 dongle. Basically they're totally insecure.

Still waiting to get my money back from the premum charge shysters. Sent a letter of complaint to 02, recieved a reply back, and then spoke to the guy. Now contacting the PSA

1. There is nothing 02 can or will do about these charges or preventing further charges being taken. Website adverts can read your sim number and they CANT bar it. They can ban premium charges but apparently these are not included in that!! this is only on the 02 dongles not normal mobile phones

2. obviously if you do get your number stolen or inadvertantly click on the wrong webpage you won't recieve the text message like mobile phone users do so won't be able to stop it. the whole idea is to catch out mobile phone users. O2 broadband users have fallen down the black hole in the middle.

3. Basically another company can do this to me in the next 5 minutes and there's not a thing i can do to stop it or anything 02 are interested in doing about. Its just pot luck whether my sim gets read by crooks

4. I'm pursuing o2 on the fact that in their terms and conditions make no mention of a rather serious security problem in this regards and that fact you can be charged at any time and also with the PSA

5. I'm also questioning with the PSA whether these companies are acting legally in the case of people with 02 dongles. I believe the way these companies get round the very iffy ground they're standing on is making sure those with mobile phones recieve a text with the terms and conditions as well as the means to stop it. Seeing as O2 dongle users do not and cannot recieve these T & C's or means to stop it, I believe they're probably breaking internet trading standards

That's about it for now, but if you're thinking of getting one of these Dongles, i'd give it a lot of thought first unless you fancy spending your days phoning dodgy companies.

[MI5 Level 94: Supreme]

I think i mentioned ot before, but EE are addressing this issue so it's about time O2 did too.

[CharlieMike24]

Hi Casper

Same situation happening to me currently. I'm interested in hearing how you get on with the PSA. Please feedback on this thread.

Thanks,

CM24