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Text charges for text messages I've never sent

Device68
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Hi, hope someone can help, although this really is for O2 customer service.

 

I'm currently in Morocco and just noticed my O2 bills are higher than they should be. I have what looks like daily charges for text messages I have never sent to anyone, let alone to this O2 messaging centre number which I understand is this number on the bill 07802000332. The last time I sent a text was back in Dec 2019, but I'm seeing text charges since arriving in Morocco on the 10th March 2020.

 

The texts are sometime multiple times a day, and every day at about 41p per text so you can understand my annoyance.

 

Since getting off the plane back on March 10th I have switched data off and not used my phone for anything directly other than the internet through a TP-LINK device using a local 20GB data Sim card, I don't make or answer incoming calls and there are no records of me sending any texts even unknowingly.

 

To me this looks like the phone pinging their mesaging service while I'm abroad, but if that's the case why on earth are people charged for this? I've since made sure the Roaming setting on my phone is off, in case that helps prevent this communication.

 

Because of this virus situation , it's difficult to get in touch with anyone useful at 02 to help resolve, explain, refund etc. I tried sending a Tweet, but just got back a generic message about only helping the vulnerable, as if everyone else doesn't have critical issues that may require their CS to get involved. I don't mind waiting, but this can't go unresolved for weeks of months on end as it's costing me. I don't want to continue being charged for something I'm not directly using or even being made aware of, especially if it's something I can't resolve locally by just switching a setting off, but what can I do accept maybe cancel direct debits and manually pay the airtime that is (as far as I'm aware) the legitimate portion?

 

Any insight would be welcomed.

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jonsie
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You can only contact customer service to get the charges refunded. It seems you have done all the correct things on your account

Someone got through on chat earlier so maybe that's a possibility

Guide: Coronavirus Community Help and Support 

Guide: How to find help & contact O2 

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Device68
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Hi Jonsie,

 

Thanks very much for the reply. I figured one option might be to take out the sim in my phone. In all honestly I don't need to make or receive calls while abroad and apparently WhatsApp still works for that purpose without a sim being in the phone. It's just stopping these charges that I really need, I can absorb the current charges and I don't mind waiting to get through to O2 if the charges can be stopped in the short term.

 

Sadly I can't use their Online Chat because the 02 site is completely broken while being viewed through a 4G Sim. Trying via the My 02 App now which seems to have a online chat feature.

 

Thanks again.

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Device68
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Scratch that, the App chat has been switched off.
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Cleoriff
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Live chat was on this morning. A couple of people spoke to them. I also saw it for myself which was a bit of a shock! Chat, we are told, will be back on tomorrow.

Veritas Numquam Perit

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