Orange mobile - negliegent with my personal information

[jgjg1981]

I have recently been a victim of identity theft.

 

Someone used my details to successfully open a mobile phone account with Orange Mobile. Upon checking my credit report with Experian, it shows that when Orange ran a credit check on my name, the person who had stolen my identity gave 'time at current address' incorrectly by 5 years, yet Orange still allowed this person to open an account with them, with the bills sent to my address.

 

I have this in writing from experian and am seeking legal advice. While Orange gave me a number to fax them a declaration stating the application was not made by myself, aside from that they have been very unhelpful, i was promised somebody would phone me the next day to discuss the case, and 21 days later i am still awaiting a call, despite 3 emails to their 'executive office'.

 

I am advised by experian that i should complain to the financial ombudsman, but only after escalating my complaint with orange, but orange have given me no telephone number nor email to contact them on about the matter, and i refuse to phone the contact number listed on their website due to the cost and time it takes to get through their automated system.

 

How much longer should i reasonably wait for them to deal with this, as it stands at the moment Orange could not be any less helpful.

[jgjg1981]

I should add that orange have contacted experian and had the credit check removed from my credit report, and i have this in writing from experian, along with the details of the search, so things are ok on that front, but orange are as good as ignoring my correspondence. Not once have orange explained any of their procedures or what is being done about this case to me.

[cerberusalert]

Moved to Telecom Forum.

[locutus]

Google "orange code of practice" and it'll have a section about how to complain. They will also have an address to write to (always best to keep a paper copy!)

 

There is also an orange web-team that visit this forum, This was taken from another thread, but the information may help you get this looked at propperly.

Hi varley16

 

 

I was sorry to read about your recent experiences and may be able to help. If you can drop me a mail to [email protected], I'll look into this for you. So I can pick up your mail quickly, please add ‘Darren Orange Response' in the first line.

 

Please also include the reference ORT1007 and your username from this site, as without them, I will not be able to pick the case up.

 

Hope this helps

 

Darren

Orange Response Team

 

Best of luck getting this sorted, keep us informed with any outcome

[Human Writes]

I am advised by experian that i should complain to the financial ombudsman.

 

Experian have given you bad advice. Mobile phones are not a financial service, so Orange have nothing to do with the financial services ombudsman, you may as well complain to a pineapple at your local supermarket.

 

There are arbitration schemes for mobile phone services, but they are intended to resolve civil disputes, as both you and Orange have been victims of a fraud, which is a criminal offence you'll find that the arbitration scheme probably can't intervene.

 

Notwithstanding the above points don't Orange rely on Experian for their credit and security checks at point of sale? I think they do, but its a long time since I took out my Orange contract. If that's the case then Experian are probably at least partly to blame for your current situation.

[jgjg1981]

Thank you locutus, will try that.

 

Thank you also Human Writes, it did seem a bit odd that they recommended the financial ombudsman. I certainly won't be carrying on my subscription with experian! I did look at the ofcom website, although i'm not sure they'll be able to help either? What about trading standards?

 

I appreciate the orange too are a victim in this, the only reason i see them as being responsible for some of the blame is because when they ran the credit check, 'time at current address' was given incorrectly by a number of years, if they had checked that properly then they could have stopped the fraud before it began. I just cannot believe how unhelpful orange are being, all i want is someone to contact me to let me know what the procedures are and what is being done about it, i think it's morally wrong to keep me in the dark about this.

 

I could complain to the financial ombudsman about experian though couldn't i? I'll give them a ring today i think

 

Thanks for the advice people.

[cerberusalert]

I appreciate the orange too are a victim in this

Only in as much as they did not follow their own security clearances correctly. Unless things have changed dramatically isn't proof of a bank a/c also required when opening an a/c with them? A bank a/c which can be matched to what is registered on a persons credit file?

[jgjg1981]

Only in as much as they did not follow their own security clearances correctly. Unless things have changed dramatically isn't proof of a bank a/c also required when opening an a/c with them? A bank a/c which can be matched to what is registered on a persons credit file?

 

Luckily the person does not have my bank account details, the account they opened was sim only, to be paid by cheque/cash according to the contracts orange sent to me

[Human Writes]

Thank you locutus, will try that.

 

I appreciate the orange too are a victim in this, the only reason i see them as being responsible for some of the blame is because when they ran the credit check, 'time at current address' was given incorrectly by a number of years, if they had checked that properly then they could have stopped the fraud before it began.

 

I could complain to the financial ombudsman about experian though couldn't i? I'll give them a ring today i think

 

Thanks for the advice people.

 

Orange would have simply ran the data that the fraudster gave to them electronically through to either Experian or Equifax to conduct a credit and security check against the data that they hold, I doubt they would have anyway of verifying the time at your current address out of their own resources, they'd be dependent on Experian or Equifax to highlight any discrepancies with the data or possible concerns.

 

I don't know about complaining to the FOS about Experian either, they aren't a bank or financial institution as far as I'm aware and Idon't believe they offer financial services.

[jgjg1981]

Just got a call from orange (finally) and was told the same, seems experian are to blame.

 

Guess i'll have to lodge a complaint with them.

 

Thanks for your help

[jgjg1981]

Being passed from pillar to post with this...

 

experian say "the decision as to whether to accept an application or not rests solely with the lender; in this case Orange. Neither Experian nor any other credit reference agency has any input in this process".

 

Orange said pretty much the opposite when executive office called me...

 

What can i do?

[locutus]

I'm guessing you've already been here, if nto might be a good read

Welcome to IdentityTheft.org.uk

[jgjg1981]

thanks, have read up on that:)

 

Amazing how easy it is to get credit with only a handful of details, some that aren't even 100% correct!

[MARTIN3030]

If you feel that anything on your Experian CRF is adverse to the truth/incorrect/or should not be there-then they should be told they are equally responsible (and liable) for correcting.

 

Put a notice of correction on there while its sorted.

I suggest something like

"The subject disputes the accuracy of the entries/defaulted information,and is awaiting response from a complaint to the lender/data processor address it"

 

This costs nothing and is your right-although they may not like it.

 

Dont pussyfoot with these people.

[jgjg1981]

Just got a call from orange (finally) and was told the same, seems experian are to blame.

 

Guess i'll have to lodge a complaint with them.

 

Thanks for your help

 

If you feel that anything on your Experian CRF is adverse to the truth/incorrect/or should not be there-then they should be told they are equally responsible (and liable) for correcting.

 

Put a notice of correction on there while its sorted.

I suggest something like

"The subject disputes the accuracy of the entries/defaulted information,and is awaiting response from a complaint to the lender/data processor address it"

 

This costs nothing and is your right-although they may not like it.

 

Dont pussyfoot with these people.

 

Thanks. I have already had experian take that credit check off my report, and have it in writing.

 

I just cannot believe that the credit was approved with incorrect details; if they had checked the details properly the application should never have succeeded, and I wouldn't had to have spent numerous hours emailing and telephoning orange and experian trying to sort this out, not to mention the stress of it.