Help..Vodafone suspended account wrongly.

[Faith]

I will try to keep this brief.
I have always been with VF, for oooooo 10 years, never failed to make monthly contract payment, should be exceptional customer.
Four years ago I moved house and notified everyone , as you do. No problem. Also notified that they had the wrong surname and gave correct one.
Then a couple of days ago I noticed I only had limited service available on my mobile. Weather was bad so assumed it was a reception problem. Thought no more of it, and didn't use it since then. Being didabled it is for my safety so I can call for help or others can check on me should I be away from the landline ( in bed etc )
Today I needed it, and still nothing. Shortly after a worried relative called the landline, when they had called the mobile the message ' this number is no longer in use ' was all they heard. They knew mobile is potentially my lifeline, so I called VF ( from landline at stupid cost as couldn't call from my mobile ! ) Convo went like this....

ME Can you tell me what's wrong with my connection please
THEM whats your number and address please
ME told them
THEM yep that's fine thanks, all checked out, will just go look for you

waited a while running up phone bill

THEM it's been suspended
ME What ? Why!!? I have never been a day late paying in 10 years!
THEM because the person at ******* address ( my 4 old one ) has complained she is getting your mail, we have to worry about fraud !
ME not my fault you send them my statements, you have my current address, you just confirmed it, this problem / error is yours
Them sorry nothing I can do, you have to take proof docs to VF shop along with proof of marriage ( re wrong name )
ME That's just plain ridiculous...it's obviously me....we agree on my address, we agree I pay the direct debit from my account and have done for 10 years, we agree my name and address on all documents, including phone purchase, I have a letter you sent to me HERE at current address confirming change of bank details in 2006...fraud? Who ? How?
THEM sorry nothing I can do
ME Ok ok ( in grumpy voice ) I'll do it just please put my fone back on, I am disabled and need it.
THEM sorry no can do..not until you have fullfilled the requirements
ME fullfilled what? You have everything on your screen in front of you, undisputed, I pay my bill from my bank and live here, we both agree...
THEM sorry nothing I can do
ME well there is one thing you can do please...give me my puk code
THEM for you to use a puk code you have to pay us £163 pounds as mid contract
ME er....... am sure my eighteen month contract is conveniently up about now
THEM No not till Jan 2009, your new annual one began Jan 2008
ME oh did I sign for a new contract?
THEM no it's done automatically for another year if you don't cancel.
ME Look, please I am disabled I need my phone on
THEM sorry, nothing |can do for you
ME But it's YOUR error not mine !
THEM Anything else I can help you with today madam?

Speechless !

Anyway...suffice to say I have no fone no puk code, no means to get to VF shop with docs which they insist upon before releasing my mobile.....and can't even leave the heartless gits without £163

Any ideas or help greatfully recieved.

PS Sorry wasn't really brief was it....

[fredbassett]

Have you been receiving your bills okay? I believe Vodafone have a customer address and a separate billing address so it may be that when they updated your address details they only updated the customer address. Have you tried going on the Vodafone website as they have an eForum on their Help section where specialist agents will respond to your query far quicker that speaking to someone in a callcentre.

[buzby]

For your personal security, I'd get a £5 pre-pay phone on another network from Asda or one of the other supermarkets.

What you've explained seems unusual insofar as you've a renewable rolling contract, for this you must be getting some additional benefit like a new handset or discounted calls. Since this is only 6 months ago, what contact did you have back then and what did you agree to. (It doesn't have to be in writing).

What is also not clear is are you paying them anything for your service? It sounds as though if you have a DD it is not being taken, as this would be the only reason for restricting service.

[OrangePrimate]

Hi, I would suggest you call back and ask to speak to a manager!! it is ludicrous that your service is restricted if all your payments are still going through via Direct Debit. How on earth can they justify suspending service that is being paid for!!!

I think what FredBassett posted is probably spot-on, they simply need to update the billing address to match the account address.

We all know that fraud is a big concern these days, but i think that some common sense should prevail here.

Buzbys advise is good also, get yourself some means of contact just in case this isnt sorted quickly. Payg sims can be picked up pretty cheaply from most outlets, and it is unlikely the phone itself is barred, so you should be able to use the same handset, pop some credit on then get VF to refund you your outlay when they finally see sense!
I hope you get this sorted very soon, take care

[Faith]

Hi all and thank you for your replies....to answer

Fred Bassett - No I have not been recieving bills....I do it all on line and have done for years so the absence of bills didn't alert me. Like a lot of companies I had ( I thought ) singed up to paperless billing.......papper wood, trees environment etc.....what a joke without me realising a whole forest has been lost !

Buzby.....re rolling contract. Last Jan ( 2007 ) I opted not for a new phone but for a reduced monthly bill for 9 months instead. because it was reneew time they obviously needed me to acknowledge taking new contract. I belived it was 18 months ( could be wrong am finding old diary ) but they say it was a year. So in Jan this year, it rolled over un noticed. I didn't think was a year so didb't contact for upgrade etc...and they certainly didn't come to me with an offer.
Absolutly, I am paying for the service, and it is taken, same day every month of the last 9 years...last patment went out last Monday. Never defaulted, neverso much a day late ! The DD has always come from my account in my name.
Ironically, and this pee's me off even further I have a letter here from them, dated 2006 addressed to me, correct name and current address, thanking me for advising them of change of bank details and new DD details. They have taken from that account with continuity ever since.

Orangeprimate...I have spoken with manager on phone, just says the suspension was requested by another dept and they can't overturn until I take these details that that have already confirmed they have. In the mean time still no service. I can't express my growing anger and god help the shop when I eventually get in there. I shall have to get a taxi to take me their too.... lovely way and reason to spent my Disability money.

Luckily my neighbours daughter had a spare PAYG ' shed ' ( her words not mine lol ) that she has let me borrow, so at least if I have a turn I can call out.

I just feel it is so unjust and riduculous.... and potentially dangerous.

[buzby]

However looking at it for their side, due to an error (probably on their billing or CS department) they have a data mismatch that has to be resolved to prevent the service being misused. For all they know, you could be pretending to be your and trying to coerce them to provide you with the benefits because of the incongruities. Once they are satisfied the matter is cleared up, do ensure that you push them for reasonable compensation to cover you for their failure to provide the service required. As a life-line, their action has been ill-advised, so do reserve the right to make a formal representation. The money is better in your pocket than theirs!

[Faith]

Originally Posted by buzby

However looking at it for their side, due to an error (probably on their billing or CS department) they have a data mismatch that has to be resolved to prevent the service being misused. For all they know, you could be pretending to be your and trying to coerce them to provide you with the benefits because of the incongruities.

With respect, misused ?! After nearly ten years ! They only need to do an electrol check, credit check ( aside from the fact they have all my info and bank records ) Also what benfits? During all these years I have only bothered upgrading / addressing tarriff twice !

Yes I will be taking them to task...I am not happy.

Buzby..sorry this is not aimed at you..I am grateful for you response ty

[buzby]

How to make it 10 years? The fact the first contract was opened 10 years ago is immaterial, and if you are suggesting that somehow they could without reference to yourself change or amend details on your account without your request or agreement would be equally nonsensical.

The error is in place and needs to be resolved. Not by historically looking at how the account was used in hte past, but at how the data mismatch has occured and could just as easily be the start of a 'leverage' process to usurp YOUR identity. They're taking the steps necessary to protect everyone. If you cannot appreciate this then I'm sure you'd not complain if someone phoned up claiming to be you and got other details changed?

There's no issue surrounding YOUR use of their service, simply their need to right an anomaly to protect you both. Since the original error was theirs, then they must pay for thei inconvenience you suffered, but expecting how you conducted your account in the past to have any bearing on this issue would be nonsensical!

[fredbassett]

They can't just do a credit check on you (I'm sure you would complain even more if they left a footprint on your credit file). If you are not receiving your bills on-line have you checked to see if they have the correct email address for you? Have you changed your email address at all? If you have received letters at your correct address this suggests again that they have updated your customer address and haven't updated the billing address. As previously advised, if you visit the Vodafone eForum you should be able to resolve this matter without the need of a visit to a store.

[2Grumpy]

So you are paying your bill and they won't let you use your phone!

That's a nice little earner for them