More Dishonesty by Tesco Mobile

[Hector12]

Take a look at The Guardian Money page online of 3rd August "Mobile phone fraudsters leave victims paying for multiple contracts" .

Throughout July and August Tesco Mobile have been harrassing me to settle a mobile phone account I've never heard of. Nor have I ever had one with Tesco Mobile. The article explains that fraudsters have been going into shops and giving other people's names and addresses . When asked for their bank account they give one they've opened the day before specially for the purpose. It has nothing in it, but Tesco's staff (and the other service providers) open a credit account for them and give them a high value handset quite happily without making any effort to verify the information given. When the account isn't paid they pursue the name, and unfortunately I'm one of the names and addresses.

By the time of this article (3rd Aug) it was well known in the business that this fraud was widespread but nevertheless Tesco staff persisted in demanding money from me which they knew very well I did not owe. Which is Dishonest.

 

If you're in the same boat there's a lot you can do.

You will find Tesco Mobile complaints dept is useless and will keep demanding personal details about you. DON'T TELL THEM - they want to fill in the information they should have checked at the time they gave the money away. But you have to write to them first explaining why the debt isn't yours.

 

Having done that, the Ombudsman Service:Communications will consider individual cases after an 8 week period (to allow the company and you to sort it out). Since Tesco won't make any effort to investigate your complaint you just have to make your submission to the Ombudsman and wait.

 

Tesco Mobile are licensed to offer credit to the public by the Office of Fair Trading and as such have to follow their code of practice. This includes being honest and also dealing with complaints promptly and in a reasonable manner. The OFT won't consider individual cases, but you can ask them whether Tesco Mobile have broken the rules and whether they are an appropriate organisation to offer credit, and if not to consider suspending their license.

 

Let's make life as difficult for them as they are making it for us !!

[BankFodder]

Thanks for this.

Here's the link to the article:- http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/aug/03/mobile-phone-fraudsters-multiple-contracts

 

I don't think that you can point to dishonesty by Tesco mobile - it is really a gross lack of care - in common, it seems with many other suppliers.

 

I think that the 8 weeks etc and poor customer service is not acceptable.

 

I think that all telephone suppliers owe a duty of care to real person whose identity is being faked.

I think that victims of this kind of ID fraud should consider suing the company in negligence.

I see from the artcile that companies are refsuing to disclose what ID was relied upon.

I am sure that they would change their minds pretty damned quick if they found they were deailng with a court case.

A judge wouldn't accept it and if the company insisted on not revealing this info, a court would assume the worst and give judgment against them.

 

As with most things, these big companies can be brought to heel by County Court actions.

The county court claim is the great equaliser. They have to deal with you properly once the papers are issued.

[Hector12]

OK Bankfodder, that's your view. But take a look at the earlier Guardian article of 29th June

"Fraudsters Sail Past Tesco Security" . Big frauds get known about very quickly when you're in the business so this one was well known in the business by June 29th. So Tesco Mobile and its staff hounded me for a debt they knew wasn't mine from then 'til the end of Aug.

Demanding money to which you aren't entitled with threats (of the debt collectors and by implication, my credit rating) - isn't that some sort of crime?

[Hector12]

I received a few lines from "The O2 Fraud Team" on Monday saying they "confirmed" that my name had been given to Tesco by fraudsters and they were removing the defaults on my credit report . A retraction, but no apology for their mishandling of it.

So O2 were really behind it. I wonder if Tesco is happy with the effect on their reputation.

[locutus]

Well, I would be asking for compensation if they have had a bad mark on your credit file through their negligence of not checking thoroughly enough that it was you ordering a phone.

[MARTIN3030]

Can you please update on what has evolved here ?